If APRS is to be allowed then we may as well also allow
contest time phone calls and QSO chat pages. Let's just turn
VHF contesting into being a 100% outside of the contest
communications means scheduled operating event. Doing that
would solve the pesky problem of the APRS gear interfering
with the "weak signal" gear. And it would also save everybody
money too, less gear to buy, have, and maintain.
Taking this even further lets allow Q solicitation during the
contest via repeaters as well. That will surely drum up
activity since the goal here seems to be geared toward
finding ways to create more activity at any cost. And then
make sure that people that are brought in are all easy "shoot
the fish in barrel" Q's, let's just not trouble ourselves
with those marginally possible Q's, they're too challenging,
and they slow my Q rate down too much.
Somewhere a long the way the whole point of what VHF
contesting is all about I think has become lost. Are we doing
it just to rack up big Q counts? Or are we doing it to see
what our *weak signal* gear, and *ourselves* are capable of
achieving for cumulative *DX* within a 33 hour period? Or are
we now just trying to see what our out outside of the shack
networking capabilities are?
I simply don't buy the notion that making contesting *easier*
is a worthy goal. And I don't think it will entice many new
participants who will *stick* with it in the *long* run. They
will quickly bore with it, and be gone after just a few
contests. Not unlike the way people quickly bore with
repeater operation.
In addition I just don't buy the notion that:
1. Easier = more fun.
2. More challenging = less fun.
Ham radio from its earliest beginnings was all about seeking
new challenges, not to be looking for ways to avoid them.
Those who get into ham radio and avoid challenges rarely
stick with it, or ever become very active. We just don't want
to take VHF contesting there too.
Look at the general personality traits of the grizzled
veterans of VHF weak signal, and VHF contesting. They are
more often than not those who personally *seek out*
challenges. They also seek to improve their station's
capabilities via better equipment that improves their RF
performance, not their "outside of the shack" data networking
capability.
Don't get me wrong I'm not against technology and computer
integration with radio. Far from it. By I think we
collectively should insist that it be used to increase the RF
processing, and the *direct* signal finding capability
(panadapters, waterfalls, etc.) of our stations. As soon as
we start applying computer technologies as a means to create
a semi-automated, quasi-scheduling networks for making
contacts, then we have crossed the line. APRS clearly crosses
that line.
Duane
N9DG
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