[VHFcontesting] rover_answer to jims questions

[frank bechdoldt]

Jim asked a lot of questions here about where to divide enterants.
 
The difference we are talking about Jim is the difference between station enhancement and the operating practices of the competitors.
 
The ARRL clearly stated that they want have contestants to work as many people as possible. However they also did not want to exclude those who operated in convoys to only work each other.  The compromise was creating a class for the convoy rovers to compete in without doing harm to the other types of rovers.  
 
The ARRL identified 3 types of Rovers, and I will speak to the issues in each.
 
The Limited which implies beginner.  They re-enforced that implication of beginner with a quick rule modification to allow only the bottom 4 bands because it was being manipulated by non beginners in a convoy team roving situation.  (hats off to the ARRL on that one).
 
The Traditional Rover who can not work another rover more than 100 times, but if a convoy of 8 traditional rovers go out together they are guaranteed 700 contacts each and all 160 grid square multipliers from a 16 grid/ 4 grid corner rove before they even work one individual outside of their convoy.  I will not say this has been achieved to the maxim by any team but the possibility is clearly there.  This is why I think there should be a percentage rule in the mix here. Even at a 50 percent mix. Each team member of a convoy would have to work 700 non rover contacts to make this team work.  If each member of the team did that, it would be 5600 contacts to people in range of this rover convoy. Now that would be a benefit!.  
 
Unfortunately history demonstrates that many such participants in the convoy do not pack equipment that can make long range QSOs  while at the convenient operating places of grid corners, nor many such convoy teams do not regularly take the time to find elevation in impractical (non-circling) spots that can be still be beneficial for contacts even with low power and compromised antennas. 
 
I sure went out on a rant there but you can see why a team approach to roving is different than a individual approach to roving and there has to be a reasonable line drawn that can not manipulated by a select few.  
 
I see 2 reasonable fixes a fixed percentage after the first 50 or 100 rover to rover qsos. Say 25 percent.
 
Or you can only work and claim a score from  other station up to 25 times. Period.  This helps with Captive rovers as well.  The rest of the qsos go to a check log and each station chooses the 25 most beneficial QSOs for scoring purposes.  This will encourage people to keep trying for QSOS on the higher bands.
 
The unlimited rover would be free form all these rules and a place for things like convoy roving to compete.
 
This is the difference between what Jim listed for separate categories and what I have.  Essentially its operating practices and not gear differences. That is with the exception of the limited rover. Traditionally the ARRL has ignored most gear related issues with the exception of power while focusing on operational practices for recognition. 		 	   		  
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