[VHFcontesting] Entering as a Mobile (/M) in Contests

[Darryl Holman]

 > Nothing in the rules state that the 500" circle is stationary EXCEPT for
 > the portable category.Since 500 ft was specifically stated as stationary
 > for portable, allowing the single op circle to be mobile may have been by
 > design.  All the radios and antennas in my car are within 500". --Mike,

Not true.

Section 9 of the June VHF Contest rules (http://www.arrl.org/june-vhf) state:

------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Other:

      9.1. See "General Rules for All ARRL Contests" and "General Rules for ARRL 
Contests on bands above 50 MHz (VHF)"
------------------------------------------------------------------


And section 3.7 of the "General Rules" 
(http://www.arrl.org/general-rules-for-all-arrl-contests) state:

------------------------------------------------------------------
3.7. All transmitters and receivers must be located within a 500-meter diameter 
circle, excluding antennas.
------------------------------------------------------------------


The "General Rules" also state that

------------------------------------------------------------------
1.1.Rules for individual contests or events, including Field Day, take 
precedence over all General Rules.

1.2.General Rules for HF and VHF contests take precedence over General Rules for 
all contests.
------------------------------------------------------------------

But there is no provision in either the June Contest rules or the General Rules 
for VHF Contests 
(http://www.arrl.org/general-rules-for-arrl-contests-above-50-mhz) that relax 
the 500-meter diameter rule EXCEPT for rover classes.    What the VHF rules do 
is define the Portable category and explicitly restrict them to 500 meters. 
That doesn't "undo" the general rule for fixed stations.

Best,
   Darryl
   ww7d


On 6/16/2015 12:49 PM, Michael Clarson wrote:
> Nothing in the rules state that the 500" circle is stationary EXCEPT for
> the portable category.Since 500 ft was specifically stated as stationary
> for portable, allowing the single op circle to be mobile may have been by
> design.  All the radios and antennas in my car are within 500". --Mike,
> WV2ZOW
>
> On Tue, Jun 16, 2015 at 3:08 PM, Darryl Holman <djholman at u.washington.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Mark,
>>    Not really.  General rule 3.7 specifies a 500' circle for all stations
>> (which is modified in the VHF rules for rovers).   See:
>> http://www.arrl.org/general-rules-for-all-arrl-contests
>>
>> Best,
>>    Darryl
>>    ww7d
>>
>>
>> On 06/16/2015 11:55 AM, Mark Spencer wrote:
>>
>>> I don't think it is the intention of the rules to exclude mobiles. Looking
>>> at the rules to see whare a mobile can fit, I see no restriction as to why
>>> a mobile cannot simply enter as single operator. In the VHF rules, only
>>> portable stations are restricted from moving. In the general rules,
>>> everything must be contained within a 500 ft circle. In a mobile it is --
>>> its all in one car. Did I miss something?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi, I figured the intent of the rule was to prevent me from operating
>>> outside of the 500 ft circle within a single grid, unless I chose to
>>> operated as a rover. In my case it eventually helped prompt me to actually
>>> rove to other grids (which is probably what the authour of the rules had in
>>> mind ??) For some time though it prompted to operate from home vs gamble
>>> that my chosen portable location in my home grid was going to be
>>> productive. In years gone by I vaguely recall working from more than one
>>> location in a grid and not entering a log in the contest. I figured nothing
>>> stopped me from handing out contacts as a non contest participant (:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> VHFcontesting mailing list
>>> VHFcontesting at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
>>>
>>
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>