[VHFcontesting] Are EME/MS digital QSOes reducing rovers contributions?

[James Duffey]

The digital modes for EME and MS have become important tools for fixed stations to increase their grid multiplier totals in contests. There are few other ways to increase one’s 2M grid total in all of the contests, and to increase one’s 6M grid total in other than June or July contests.  These digital scatter QSOes, productive as they are, can take a half hour or more. That is time when the fixed station can do nothing else on that band, and for many stations, on any other band. 

During the September contest last weekend, operating as part of W7QQ/r, three different stations missed us in one or more grids due to being involved in WSJT MS or EME QSOes and not being able to take the time out to work us while we were stopped in the grid. By my count one station lost four mults by not working us while involved in an EME/MS QSO to get one multi, one three, and one at least two. The QSOes we lost amounted to about 5% of our score. With digital MS QSOes taking half hour or more, and the typical rover stop an hour or less, it is quite likely that the fixed station running a MS sked will miss the rover. With rovers being the mother’s milk of VHF contesting, this is probably bad in the long run for VHF contesting.

I am concerned that there is a real danger that the drive by fixed stations to get new grids on a single band with MS or EME digital modes is diluting rover efforts. With rovers being a significant driving force in VHF/UHF contesting, I think that this is a bad trend. If we rove to a rare grid, and ops don’t work us because they are on WSJT modes, that will reduce our overall QSOes, and hence reduce our incentive to go out roving, Simply put, there are fewer stations for a rover to work with the fixed stations concentrating on MS or EME contacts. With fewer stations to work, the incentive to rove is decreased. 

I wonder if there is a way to deal with this potential conflict that is mutually beneficial to both the rover and the fixed station?  Perhaps a protocol that would allow the fixed stations to work rovers during their 30 seconds off?  A mechanism to notify the rover that they may have to wait 30 seconds to get a reply to an exchange would help. A closer attention to the rover’s route as put up by APRS or the clusters by the fixed stations would help as well. Perhaps a combined rover/ping jockey site? Fixed stations being able to work more than a single band at once?

I fear that if this trend continues, the WSJT activity by fixed stations will drive out rover activity to the detriment of both fixed stations and rovers.

I don’t mean to criticize those who use the digital modes to obtain more grid mults. I understand that motivation. More mults are better. I just want people to think about the consequences to rovers of this activity and see if there is some way that the two activities can coexist without significant detriment to either. I am concerned if this trend gets too far down the road it cannot be changed and rover activity will suffer. That will hurt us all.  - Duffey KK6MC, sometimes KK6MC/r, sometimes part of W7QQ/r
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KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM