Interesting, same subject is being debated in the Russian speaking
[WW-Contest] reflector now. And few people came up with very interesting
observations. For instance, RU6LA and UX1UA fairly pointed out that Assisted
category looks like handicapped or "minor league" as compared to
full-fledged "only a guy and his radio" one.
Here's why:
a) CQ Magazine does not publish top scores in Assisted category (if compared
to non-assisted);
b) In some ARRL Contests Assisted is counted as M/S;
c) a lot of suggestions to "turn off" the DX Cluster during major contest,
i.e. to "kill" Assisted as a category;
d) a lot of contest sponsors refuse to include Assisted category in their
contest;
e) WRTC selection - less points for assisted as compared with unassisted;
f) a lot more prizes (plaques and awards) for unassisted participants;
and so on...
Below is what CQ Contest Director, Bob Cox K3EST writes about Assisted
category in one of his CQ WW Results write-ups:
(quote)
"...There are lots of reasons to try this category (assisted): helping your
club when you have limited time or just for fun are just a couple..."
Doesn't it make an Assited Category look like "handicapped"? Could it be one
of the reasons for cheating?
Sometimes people would like to enter the contest in old fashoined way - just
as "a guy and his radio" (boy, I loved this!), but sometimes same people
would love to use technology, so why the difference in this category is so
unfair?
73 Yuri VE3DZ
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