[VHFcontesting] Adding Assistance to a VHF Contest

[James Duffey]

All of ARRL sponsored UHF/VHF contests have the same format, and with a few tweaks, the same rules, scoring, and categories. There is no obvious reason to me for these all to be the same, except I assume that over the years we have migrated to this uniformity by implementing a contest structure that the causes the least amount of complaints.

I propose that for one of the ARRL contests assistance be allowed in all categories. Then we can see for ourselves if the VHF/UHF contesting world comes to an end. I suspect that it will not. One would hope it might grow a bit. 

One subtle problem of adding categories to a contest, such as single op assisted, or unlimited in the SS parlance, is that categories can have unintended consequences. The introduction of the limited mult-op category appears to have reduced microwave operation by many traditional multi entrants and with fewer good microwave signals on the band, there appears to have been less overall microwave activity. I fear that the same is happening with the limited rover category, although it is too soon to tell for sure, rather than encouraging activity from rover newbies, it is siphoning activity away from conventional rovers and giving us fewer band/grid combinations to work. There are others as well. 

I think that for at least one VHF/UHF ARRL contest we should concentrate on devising rules that encourage activity rather than concentrating on implementing rules that level the playing field. These rules should still be fair, whatever ethical meaning that has in a ham radio contest context, but the proliferation of categories to make it fair should be avoided if possible.

Internet assistance, spotting clusters as it were, would be advantageous to this end and would be allowed. Prearranged skeds before the contest increase activity, are allowed now, and would continue to be allowed. Allowing ops and stations to submit more than a single log would help as well, particularly in areas where VHF activity is low. Entering and awarding certificates on a grid basis rather than a section basis would generate more certificates and likely more participation. Allow a station be located anywhere in the grid to submit a log from that grid, not just within a 500M circle. Awarding a certificate to the highest score in each club entry would increase club competition and overall participation. All this before we start looking at how to score the contest.

Perhaps there are other rule changes to encourage activity in contests?  - Duffey
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KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM