[VHFcontesting] CQ VHF "Assistance" Question

[David Pruett]

Les,

It is only self-spotting if you spot yourself; i.e., "N1LF on 50.150" 
while you're calling CQ.

Spotting someone else as you described is considered good form, even for 
a non-assisted single-operator.

The key is to not receive assistance yourself.

73, Dave/K8CC


On 7/21/2014 8:06 AM, Les Rayburn wrote:
> Color me confused when it comes to the rules regarding assistance 
> during the CQ VHF contest.
>
> Let me ask this as a hypothetical question instead of re-reading the 
> new rules again.
>
> If I work N0IRS during the contest on 6 Meters as a random 
> contact...just happened to hear J.D. calling CQ and worked him. If I 
> then post that contact to the DX Maps or the 6 Meter reflector--am I 
> in violation of the rules? Is that defined as self-spotting?
>
> It seems to me that if that is a violation of the rules, then 
> "allowing" all classes of operation to use the reflectors is largely 
> pointless.
>
> Frankly, I'd like to see the ARRL & CQ recognize that VHF isn't the 
> same as HF. It would be great to have at least one major contest per 
> year that allowed contacts to be "arranged" using any means available 
> but that required participants to certify that the actual QSO was made 
> 100% using RF.
>
> The fact is that it would be easy to game the system, if you were so 
> inclined, and the rules are largely unenforceable anyway. In the end, 
> it's all about your personal honor. And most of us simply want to make 
> as many contacts as possible. We're not interested in winning or 
> losing, but rather having fun. More contacts = more fun.
>
> When it's open, 6 Meters actually hurts us in this regard, because it 
> does behave like an HF band. During an opening random contacts are 
> easy to make. I think many of the HF contesters play on 6 Meters and 
> think that all of the VHF/UHF landscape operates like that.
>
> Can someone provide some clarity?