[VHFcontesting] The VHF rules....what do we want??

[Jack W6NF]

On 6/19/2013 9:39 PM, David Pruett wrote:
> To Those Who Are mis-Informed about the role of the CAC:
>
> The ARRL CAC does not make the rules for ARRL Contests.  Rules or 
> changes are proposed by those on the Membership Services Committee to 
> the ARRL Board of Directors, who approve/disapprove of the proposal.  
> The members of the CAC ***advise*** their corresponding director in 
> the making of those decisions.The VUAC had the same type of role.
>
> I am on the CAC so I know whereof I speak.  Back in 2011 when the VUAC 
> was being formed, our Great Lakes Division Director asked me for a 
> recommendation for our division's rep on the VUAC.  I recommended 
> Mark, K8MD (unfortunately a recent Silent Key) a very active VHF 
> operator and HF/VHF contester.  I don't think anybody could doubt his 
> qualifications.
>
> I find the disparaging remarks about the CAC and VUAC insulting. My 
> experience has been that the ARRL leadership makes a very genuine 
> effort to include different points of view in the decision making 
> process.
>
> Dave Pruett/K8CC
> Great Lakes Division Contest ***Advisory*** Committee Representative
>
>
> On 6/17/2013 10:51 PM, Marshall-K5QE wrote:
>> Jay-W9RM has posted....
>>
>> ASSISTANCE: I am a supporter of the CQ WW VHF rules and would like to
>> see them implemented in all ARRL VHF contests.
>>
>> LEGISLATIVE:  I am in favor of a ARRL committee (appointed or elected)
>> dedicated to VHF operations and contests WITH THE POWER to amend and
>> enforce rules changes independently of the ARRL CAC.
>>
>> Jay W9RM
>>
>>
>> I especially like these two posts.  The ASSISTANCE post has been made 
>> by me and others.  It is a sound idea and should be pursued.
>>
>> The LEGISLATIVE post is also a very good idea.  The VUAC _could_ have 
>> worked, but in practice it did not.  Many of the guys on the VUAC 
>> were not really active VHF operators, never mind active VHF contest 
>> operators.....they did not have any idea of what is really happening 
>> in the VHF world.  Some were there to protect a specific constituency 
>> in the NE.   Some were just there....
>>
>> To be sure, there were some VUAC members that tried very hard to 
>> improve the VHF+ contesting rules.  However, they were hammered by 
>> those that want no changes.  Pure Protectionism, as Les said.  The 
>> VUAC was subordinate to the PSC(Programs and Services Committee) not 
>> to the CAC(Contest Advisory Committee).  The VUAC could not DO 
>> ANYTHING.....except make recommendations to the PSC.  Sometimes the 
>> PSC just ignored those recommendations. GENIUS!!!  Set up a Committee 
>> of supposedly top VHF ops and then ignore their recommendations.  OF 
>> course, when a really, really BAD recommendation was made, it sailed 
>> right through.
>>
>> The current VUAC members were appointed, so it would be easy to find 
>> fault with appointments.  However, I believe elections would result 
>> in an even worse committee.  IF we elected our VUAC members, we would 
>> surely get some good ones.....and some hopeless Bubbas from the local 
>> FM club who were more popular than the serious VHF ops in their 
>> Division.  I believe that appointment is still the best way, but, we 
>> need to try to get "real" VHFers appointed.
>>
>> Whatever we do with the VUAC or some successor committee, it MUST NOT 
>> OPERATE IN SECRET as the current committee has.  In the early days, 
>> Jim Aguirre-W7DHC in the Pacific Northwest was pretty open about what 
>> was going on and often asked the opinion of the VHF ops in his area.  
>> I praised him for that.  Recently, Steve-N2CEI has also been very 
>> forthright about the issues the VUAC was considering and also sought 
>> out the opinions of those in the SE US.
>>
>> The Directors and Vice-Directors are the key.  That is where we need 
>> to start....after we figure out EXACTLY what we want.
>>
>> Comments??
>>
>> 73 Marshall K5QE
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
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It seems to me that, if they are the motivating force as to what issues 
on which the CAC focuses and selects the members of the VUAC, our ARRL 
Directors and Vice-Directors should have some hands-on experience with 
VHF Contesting. Out of curiosity, I searched the contest results for all 
three ARRL VHF Contests in 2011 and 2012, plus the 2013 VHF SS to see 
how much activity presented itself.

I was astonished at how little activity there was from this group of 
folks, some of whom I *know* are contest operators and have VHF 
capability. In looking at the scores submitted I am happy to say that 
the winner was Hudson Division Vice-Director, Bill, W2UDT, who missed 
only the 2013 VHF SS! N6VI had 3 logs submitted and K0DAS, N6AA and W9XA 
each had two. There were two others, WY7FD and N2YBB with one each. The 
scores search includes those occasions when the Director or 
Vice-Director operated under another call and were listed as additional 
ops in a rover or multi-op.

While I realize that it is impossible for busy folks such as these to 
fully participate in *all* aspects of Amateur Radio I am concerned that 
so many fail to even dip theirs toes in the pond. If I do not have at 
least a passing knowledge of VHF contesting how do I expect to be able 
to select which of the multitude of voices providing input on the 
subject deserve being heard and which to filter out?

As an aside, I recognize that some of these folks may have participated 
in one, or more, of these VHF contests but, as other have noted, the 
real measure of activity is if you submitted a log!

Just food for thought...

-- 
Jack Parker, W6NF/VE4