[VHFcontesting] What is really "wrong" with the ARRL Rover-category rules.

[James Duffey]

Ev - You wrote:
"It all boils down to a single point: The rules encourage the Rovers  
to operate in their own, independent CWAC (Contest Within A Contest),  
and receive host-sponsor recognition. That's it. Done. Finis.
They:
1. Have their own scoring system that is different from that of all  
others
2. Are encouraged to operate differently than others
3. Are recognized for doing so (while vilified by others for simply  
following the rules "

Of these 3, I think that only 1. is a valid point. As to 2, multi  
stations operate differently than single ops and QRP portable stations  
operate differently than do the fixed stations. This is the nature of  
the various classes. As to 3, each class is recognized separately  
anyway, so I do not see how that is attributing to the problem.

That rovers have their own category and scoring system is, as far as I  
can tell, due to three issues:
1. To make the rover scores be inline with other category scores. I  
believe that this is to accommodate including the rover's scores in  
the club score aggregation for the club competition.

2. Complaints from some QRP portable stations that there were other  
QRP portable stations that were operating from more than one grid  
square and section, entering from separate locations, winning more  
than one section competition, and even occupying more than one spot in  
the top 10 nationally. These were the original rovers.

3. Rovers get a credit for each grid they operate from, which fixed  
stations do not. The idea of this is to let the rover get the same  
number of multipliers as he would get at home.

Now, whether or not these make sense is another question. I suspect  
that the clubs will not be happy if rover scoring is changed to be in  
line with others. I would be unhappy, but not unhappy enough to leave  
roving, not to get the grid multiplier for the grid I operate from. I  
am the only operator in many of grids the grids I work from in most of  
the contests I operate in. If others get credit for that grid by  
working me, but I do not get credit for it, then I am competing on  
uneven footing if I am to be in competition with them.  If the rover's  
are to compete on equal footing  with other stations, then scores  
should be reported by grid square, not sections. I am not opposed to  
this change, as I have made the top score of any station in my section  
on at least one occasion. - Duffey


--
KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM