[VHFcontesting] Internet assistance

Wed Jan 23 12:43:20 EST 2013

Rovers would also benefit from having the ability to self-spot ..

We're already allowed to self-spot via APRS simplex (and I've got most
of the stuff to implement this) but those restrictions really don't
make much sense given the rather sparse nature of the APRS 'network'
and the type of terrain rovers are attracted to and I'm not sure how
useful that's going to turn out.

Rovers have the most fun when we have people to work .. there's
nothing more frustrating than arriving at a grid that's outside the
main NE/SW traffic on the eastern seaboard and being unable to attract
anyone's attention. This problem is compounded when plans change
enroute (not an uncommon occurrence) or you get behind schedule
(almost guaranteed). If I could spot myself on arrival (and departure)
then people don't waste time looking for me and I maximize my
availability to the fixed stations who want to work me.

Honestly I can't see any reason why everyone shouldn't be allowed to
self-spot in VHF and up tests .. we're looking to make weak signal
contacts over hard-to-predict paths with rapidly changing conditions,
why wouldn't we want to do everything we can to maximize the chance of
success?

It seems to me that we're going to get the most back for our buck
(remember, rovers not only have to equip a station but also have gas,
tolls, hotels, etc) *and* exercise our equipment to the limits of it's
capabilities, to everyone's benefit, by allowing internet spotting.

de w1rt/john

On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 10:44 PM, Marshall-K5QE <k5qe at k5qe.com> wrote:
> Hello Keith and everyone interested in VHF contesting......The CQ WW VHF
> rules are absolutely wonderful.  The CQ contest is far and away the best VHF
> contest that we have.  I know that the HF types go apopletic when someone
> mentions "self spotting", but in the VHF world it is perfectly
> acceptable(except to a few old curmudgeons).  The CQ rules allow self
> spotting  with two very important restrictions:  1)You can spot yourself
> ONLY if you are doing digital EME or digital meteor scatter and 2)When you
> spot yourself, you can spot Call, Frequency, and Sequence ONLY. This is very
> important.  If I spot K5QE 144.142 Second when I am running digital EME,
> then I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA who might call me.  When I get a good decode,
> then and only then, will I know who is calling.  This feature insures that
> all the contact information is passed over the radio path....thus insuring a
> valid contact.
>
> The idea of posting Call, Frequency, and Sequence ONLY was called Structured
> Assistance and was the brain child of a well known WA VHFer(and most
> probably others too).  It was not my idea, but I fully support this method.
> Jay:  Thank you for your support as well.  The attempt to get this method
> into the ARRL contests was blocked by a single well-known member of the
> ARRL's VUAC.  I can self post in the CQ contest and suddenly I will get 2-3
> new callers.  After I work them and call CQ a couple of times, I will post
> my Call, Frequency, and Sequence again.....and 2-3 new callers will appear.
>
> There is a special value to Structured Assistance for meteor scatter.  I can
> post CQ K5QE 50.265MHz First Sequence and have people call me directly on
> .265.  I don't have to sit on 50.260MHz, the calling frequency, and send CQ
> K5QE 265 while I await a call on 50.265MHz.  This means that having several
> stations call on the calling frequency and referencing offset frequencies
> all over the place is now eliminated.  Sometimes 50.260MHz can get cluttered
> with several stations trying to actually make contacts somewhere else.
>
> The CQ rules allow EVERYONE to look at the Internet reflectors, not just
> Multi-Multi stations.  This too, is very important.  I have posted in the
> past that the ARRL rules strongly discriminate against the single op
> stations.  For some reason, the rules don't allow single ops to do ANYTHING.
> One wonders why they bother, considering all the restrictions that they
> labor under.  One old curmudgeon in the NE wrote me and said, "Single ops
> are not SUPPOSED to be able to do any of those things".  I almost fell off
> my chair.  From whence do the Antis come up with this stuff?????
>
> If everyone keeps working to implement rules similar to the CQ rules, maybe
> they will someday be implemented.  I suspect that the old curmudgeons will
> have to die off first....I am not holding my breath....
>
> See you in the CQ WW VHF contest in July......At least there are a decent
> set of rules working there.....
>
> 73 Marshall K5QE
> P.S.  As usual, thoughtful emails will be read, considered, and answered.
> Flames go directly to the bit bucket(the will not pass GO and will certainly
> not get $200).
>
>
>
>
> On 1/22/2013 6:24 PM, Keith Morehouse wrote:
>>
>> Multi-op stations can use the internet as long as they don't solicit
>> QSO's.  That's the category most ops who use spotting assistance in VHF
>> tests enter.
>>
>> HF contests have a "ASSISTED" category for single ops, which means they
>> can
>> monitor spotting nets, ect, but still CAN NOT actively solicit QSO's.
>>
>> CQWW VHF now has a rule that allows ops to make basic announcements about
>> where they are calling CQ, ect.  Personally, I think the ARRL should
>> consider adding this rule to their VHF test.
>>
>> Jay W9RM
>>
>> Keith J Morehouse
>> Managing Partner
>> Calmesa Partners G.P.
>> Montrose, CO
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 6:16 PM, Gregg Seidl <k9kl at centurytel.net> wrote:
>>
>>>   I don't understand why there isn't a catagory with internet assistance
>>> in
>>> the VHF/UHF contests. There should be,most HF tests have them now.
>>>
>>> I know this is another stry but I really don't get why the EME contest
>>> doesn't allow it either.
>>>
>>> Shouldn't the goal of any contest be to have hams make as many QSO's as
>>> possible and then group the stations in similiar catagories to make it as
>>> fair as possible to detewrmine a winner?
>>>
>>> If a ham doesn't want to use internet asistance then don't and only
>>> compete against stations who don't want the internet either.
>>>
>>> Gregg K9KL
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>>>
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>
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