[VHFcontesting] Comments on ARRL VHF/UHF Contest Rules Change Proposals

[James Duffey]

If you have comments on the proposed rules changes for VHF/UHF contests, they are due December 15 to the committee at < vhf-input at arrl.org >.

I personally am not going to campaign here for any of the rules changes, except for the one allowing single op stations to have multiple signals on different bands at the same time without being in the multi category. I think that this will increase activity as it will increase signals on the air, so someone who tunes to the bands during a contest is more likely to hear activity. This should also help with the problem of people ignoring the higher bands when 6M is open by encouraging ops to use SO2R techniques. If 6M is open, the single op can still CQ on two at the same time, and pickup stations calling there. I don’t see any down side to this proposed change, and I encourage you to comment favorably on this proposed rules change. 

In the past there has been a lot of discussion here, and elsewhere, on assistance in VHF/UHF contests, and I hope that those who have been vocal on both sides of that issue have made or will make their input to the committee known. The proposed rules are very liberal with respect to assistance, even with respect to the CQ WW VHF contest rules, so I encourage you to read the proposed changes and ponder their consequences for you and others. Then make constructive comments on the proposals.

The proposed rules allow self spotting pretty much in all categories and pretty through all vehicles. This is a big change with potentially big consequences, so I encourage you to comment on this as well. Consider that self spotting is not thought of well by most of the HF contesters and those are some of the new activity that the committee is trying to attract. 

Read and study the proposed rules changes. Make your concerns and desires known to the committee now. Don’t pass on this opportunity. If rules are adapted that you don’t like and you didn’t comment on them to the rule makers, then it will be hard to seriously take your criticism of them later. Just saying. - Duffey KK6MC
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KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM