[VHFcontesting] Digital and Q arrangement contesting

[Marshall-K5QE]

Hi Lew....thanks for your comments.  I have written about this topic 
several years ago, before the ARRL changed its VHF contesting rules.  
Those "white papers" are found at http://k5qe.com/1stpost.html and 
http://k5qe.com/2ndpost.html.  Both are found under the EME ASSISTANCE 
tab on www.k5qe.com.

The first paper explains what I mean about "finding" vs. "working" 
stations.  Twice, I attended Contest University at Dayton several years 
back.  The first two hours each time was about "contesting ethics".  
Various "big gun" HF ops gave presentations basically saying, "well, you 
can't do this, and you can't do that, and you can't do this either".   
They spent a lot of time heaping shame on anyone that did any of those 
things.  I sat there in disbelief.  VHF ops do and did all those things 
routinely.

Let me say again, that I don't care what the HF ops do in their 
contests, since their rules don't affect me.  What I objected to at that 
time was that the HF centric rules had been pushed up into the world of 
VHF contesting.  On HF there is a seemingly unlimited number of small 
stations that can be worked.  If the HF contest operators had to run the 
entire contest and only make 295 contacts, their ideas on finding 
stations to work would change.

The ARRL changed the rules for VHF contesting, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!  I 
don't remember how many years ago this happened.  But I do know that VHF 
contesting soared thereafter.  A lot more contacts have been made, a lot 
more activity was generated, and a lot more folks were having a lot more 
fun.  What a deal!!

The K5QE contest station has always made a significant portion of our 
grid count on 2M via EME.....read that JT65b.  IF the rules were changed 
to prohibit SSB and digital modes in the same contest, then we would be 
greatly harmed.  Many others would be hurt as well.

Remember the golden rule:  "If things are working well, DON'T SCREW WITH 
IT!"

As always, thoughtful comments both pro and con are appreciated and will 
be carefully considered.  Flames will go directly to the bit bucket.  
They will not be considered and will not collect $200.

73 Marshall K5QE


On 9/24/2019 3:40 AM, Lew Sayre wrote:
>       Greetings to all Contesters,
> K5QE has written up a fine article about VHF contesting and why we should
> leave the contest rules alone. It is clear that K5QE cares deeply about the
> subject. So do I. I have a different opinion on some of his assumptions so
> I'm sharing them with you. My opinions may be worth exactly what it costs
> you to read them but they may be representative of a significant number of
> operators
>
> K5QE wrote, "HF contesting is all about how you find stations not about how
> you work stations".  I'd like him to explain more fully that statement to
> Ops like KL9A, N6MJ, W2SC,CT1BOH and others who are  performing mutant like
> operating by interleaving QSOs from 2 radios. Why do they do this?  I'd
> guess that by developing their operating skills and winning contests they
> are having fun. I'll get back to this idea of fun.
>
> The ARRL did remove rules pertaining to the use of internet chat rooms and
> telephones during contests a few years ago. Why did they do that?  It was
> aimed at making it easier for stations to find other stations to work and
> diminish slow times.  After reading K5QE's note it is clear that by making
> VHF contesting easier it has been a great success with everybody having
> more fun.
>
> Then along comes Dr. Taylor with his brilliant weak signal modes in WSJT-X.
> Now not only do the operators not worry about looking for stations but they
> really don't need to know how to operate to the same extent as a CW, SSB or
> RTTY operator. The FT-modes now allows minimally equipped stations to see
> and work real DX. It is a whole lot easier and a whole lot of fun which
> explains the runaway popularity of the FT-modes.
>
> What we are experiencing is amateur radio evolution right in front of us.
> Operators are voting with their computer mice over the other modes because
> the FT-modes are easier than CQ or SSB or RTTY, and a lot of fun.
>
> But there is a rub. There is a significant number of operators who have
> developed contesting skills and derive their fun from exercising those
> skills like the 4 stalwarts mentioned in the second paragraph. We have
> already seen that by combining the FT-modes in a VHF contest with CW and
> SSB that the pool of operators for the legacy modes is diminished. Since it
> is not much fun for the CW or SSB Ops they'll find other ways to enjoy
> their recreational time in the future such as SOTA, IOTA, golf or moving to
> a state where recreational cannabis is legal.
>
> The WWROF (World Wide Radio Operators Foundation) has the correct outlook
> here. A few weeks ago they sponsored the first FT8/FT4 only HF contest
> which was well attended.  The VHF contesting world needs to do the same
> thing, which is to delete digital modes in the current VHF contests and
> develop a separate FT8/FT4 only VHF contest.  This would provide a pool of
> operators who would be having FT fun with a percentage of them becoming
> bitten by the contesting bug and then developing the other skills necessary
> to compete in CQ and SSB contests.
>
> We do radio to exercise our radio skills which is rewarding and fun. The
> contests we do should emphasize those rewards and, not by their very
> nature, lead to conflict, malaise and unhappiness..The old VHF rules are
> broken by the success of the FT modes. Separate contests will rectify the
> situation.
>
> 73 and I remain,
>    Lew       w7ew
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