[VHFcontesting] "Handing Out" radio rules/ethics

[Les Rayburn]

JK & The Group,

I hope that my question wasn't offensive. I wasn't trying to avoid reading the rules...I had read them but wasn't sure of how to interpret them. I did as you suggested and reviewed them again. I'm not the judge and jury on this, but here's my two cents worth. 

1.. 3.3.1. A rover vehicle may transport only one station using a single 
call sign. An exception is provided for in "General Rules for All ARRL 
Contests" number 3.5 (Family Rule).

My take on this is even if you're just carrying an extra HT, you're technically transporting another "station". Though to be honest, it's a pencil thin line in my book. So it's ok, if I build and equipment a ham with a complete "microwave in a box" station but if I hand someone an HT, I'm in trouble? I'm not sure that passes the common sense test. 

It does seem clear that you could not retrieve the HT and use it again and again with each ham you meet along the way. 

2.. 3.3.2. A rover may not operate with more than one call sign.

No problem here, except that you're "transporting the station". 

  3.. 3.3.3. Rover vehicles must transport all the equipment, power 
supplies, and antennas used at each operating site.

Well, you are doing that for sure. The problem is that you may be viewed as transporting more than one station. 


Now, if I have my wife follow in our other car, and it's filled to the lid with HT's...then I'm all good right? (Ha, Ha) I still like the idea of carrying some extra gear and allowing ham visitors to work me. Even if the points don't count, they may get excited about VHF and/or contesting. I know it was a huge thrill for me to make my first QSO on 10ghz...many hams never get on bands that high in their entire amateur careers. My guess is that for most, it would be their first and only contact on 900mhz, or 1.2ghz...so it's good PR if nothing else. 

At the risk of sounding like Major Garret at a White House Press Conference...can I ask a "follow up" question? Assuming that the rover is within his 150 Km radius of his home station, wouldn't these roadside contacts count as new grids for VUCC assuming they are at 1.2ghz or lower? In other words, if I'd have been smart enough to hand one of those hams my TH-F6A and make a 222 contact while in EM73, I'd have a new grid for that band right? (Darn it, I really need EM73 for 222!) Same for 902, or even 1.2ghz. I think I'm gonna run out and buy a couple of more HT's! 

Thanks for the entertaining discussion, if nothing else guys. 

73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
EM63nf
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114









From: John (JK) Kalenowsky, K9JK 
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 9:11 PM
To: Les Rayburn 
Subject: RE: [VHFcontesting] "Handing Out" radio rules/ethics


Les,
 
Take a look at Rule 1.3 in "General Rules for ARRL Contests on Bands Above 50 MHz" and maybe you can advise "us" of what the rules/ethics are/should be.
 
73, JK

 
> From: les at highnoonfilm.com
> To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
> Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:10:01 -0500
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] "Handing Out" radio rules/ethics
> 
> During my first ever rover trip, I was approached by local hams at three of the four stops that I made, including one that was pretty remote. In all cases, they recognized the loop Yagi's & microwave dishes as being a VHF/UHF rover and stopped to observe, ask questions, etc. 
> 
> I try never to miss a chance to recruit new VHF operators, so I tried to spend some time with each. I always asked if they had a mobile rig or HT with them. One did, but no antenna along. The others had no equipment with them. (Am I the only ham who things this is just plain wrong?) 
> 
> After the contest, I started thinking about the experience. It occurred to me that I had a perfectly good Kenwood TH-F6A in the truck that puts out five watts on 2, 440, and 222. Would it have been legal and/or ethical to simply "hand" them the radio and invite them to participate in the contest by working me on the spot? Carrying that logic one step further, what if I carried a 900mhz Kenwood HT converted to ham frequencies, or one of those new Alinco HT's with 1.2ghz FM? Or even better a Kenwood VX-8R which has 6M, 2M, 440, and 222. 
> 
> Instead of those hams being somewhat of a handicap (wasting valuable operating time answering questions) they could have been points in the contest. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has thought of this, so forgive me if I'm wasting bandwidth rehashing old ground. 
> 
> As always, I appreciate the advice from the masters. 
> 
> 73,
> 
> Les Rayburn, N1LF
> EM63nf
> 121 Mayfair Park
> Maylene, AL 35114
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