On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 17:05:03 -0000, dj3iw@t-online.de (DJ3IW Goetz)
wrote:
>Does the FCC issue new callsigns with area coding?
Yes, but through the "vanity" program, callsigns can easily be changed
to whatever the applicant wants. I expect the FCC someday to stop
issuing calls by the number areas. With the new rules allowing
changes, there is little point to it.
> Why do your
>regulations require you to sign /portable using the "non-existing
>call areas" for portable operation?
In the USA, there is no longer such a requirement. That requirement
was dropped several years ago.
>I am, together with DJ3NG, DL2YCA and DL4RCK an international
>contest sponsor. What do you want us to do? My interpretation
>of Barrys request and the other comments made, is to DROP area
>multipliers for the USA. Alaska and Hawaii would also have to
>be counted as USA, as there are several AH6, KH6, NH6, WH6 and
>KL0, AL7, KL7, NL7, WL7 operating from W4-, W7-, W9-areas etc.
I would suggest putting the "area" in the exchange instead of in the
callsign. Many contests do this already. See below for one
suggestion how to do it.
>Just one country multiplier and (using the DL-DX RTTY and SARTG RTTY
>as an example) just 5 points for in-country contacts for all of you
>in the 50 United States?
>Is it this what you guys want?
It doesn't matter to me. What I really want is to be able to use my
callsign without the /portable designator. Part of the reason why I
obtained a 1x2 callsign was because it's shorter and therefore less
susceptible to error. Forcing the addition of /6 in my case negates
that. Don't most of us agree that shorter is better?
>Otherwise the concept of country multipliers would have to be dropped
>altogether and replaced by something else, like ITU- or CQ-zones.
Yes, or it could be something else, such as Maidenhead grid squares.
I'm surprised no RTTY contests use them (that I know of). They are
fixed and unchanging, unlike countries, states, provinces or other
political entities. There is no interpretation required; your
latitude and longitude determines your grid square and that's that.
My idea of a near-perfect DX contest would be to exchange grid
squares, have the software calculate all the miles (or kilometers) you
worked in the contest period and add them up and that would be your
score. This would go a long way toward eliminating the multiplier
advantage that some geographic areas enjoy. I realize no contest
could ever be perfectly fair, but this comes closer, I believe.
Something to think about anyway.
--
73, Bill W7TI
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