CQ-Contest
[Top] [All Lists]

[CQ-Contest] A voice of reason among the din of accusations

To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] A voice of reason among the din of accusations
From: Hank Greeb <n8xx@arrl.org>
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 11:52:42 -0400
List-post: <cq-contest@contesting.com">mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
Wow! A voice of logic and reason in this cacophony of "Disqualify - they're breaking the rules" crowd!

I'm absitively impressed! Astounded!  Amazed!  Will wonders never cease???

Congratulations!

But, may I ask again - the rules state that only one multiplier by band be allowed for each National Entity. Why must people be forced to either violate their country's regulations, or choose people who aren't as qualified to comply with the rules?Why should it be confusing to folks to work IO1HQ signing 5NN ARI and IO2 signing 59 ARI to "think" that he/she has two different multipliers with the rule specifically stating that one HQ mulitplier per band. Perhaps the "band" needs to be specified so as NOT to be ambiguious about Band/Mode, but that is easily accomplished. What is "practically wrong" with dropping the requirement that the same call MUST be used by stations on the two different modes? Seems very, very, parochial NOT to accommodate our fellow hams in the world who MUST live by regulations which are different than exist @ 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111. Who drew up these rules anyway? Were NOT folks from Italy, Japan, etc., who have the more restrictive regulationgivena chance to understand the implications of this quite restrictive, and unnecessary rule?

BTW, who are members of the "rules" committed of the IARU and the Championship contest? I wish to forward my comments directly to them, and NOT through this forum.

72/73 de n8xx Hg
QRP >99.44% of the time

On 7/10/2013 9:43 AM, cq-contest-request@contesting.com wrote:
Message: 7
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 09:35:42 -0400
From: John Dorr<k1ar@aol.com>
To:cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] IARU HQ Callsigns
Message-ID:
        <CAPAgC8-0mmwg-_RgnLVp4Ovsciebbg_mFgvjrf6vfzL84d3EUw@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Good morning all,

I'd like to shed some light on the IARU HF Championship callsign debate, put 
forth the final action plan and have us move on.

Several years ago, the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation (WWROF) offered to 
take on the tasks of scoring and adjudicating the HQ station logs for the IARU 
HF Championship. The ARRL agreed. As a result, WWROF has been providing 
log-checking and score-calculation services for this event to ARRL since that 
time and have had no issues.

In recent days, we have become aware that the Italian national society (Associazione 
Radioamatori Italiani, or ARI) plans to use more than one callsign on several bands in 
the contest next weekend (different callsigns on CQ and Phone on some bands). The ARI has 
been operating in this manner for a few years. This is a violation of Rule 4.3.3, which 
states "Only one HQ station callsign per member society per frequency band is 
permitted."

This rule exists so that it is clear that working the same HQ station on Phone and CW on 
one band counts for only one multiplier. With different callsigns on each mode, some 
operators may think they are working a new multiplier when they contact a 
"second" HQ station in the same country.

In some countries, it is possible to use a single callsign across all regions (TM0HQ, for 
example). In other countries this is not allowed (Italy, Spain, Japan, for example), so a 
multi-site operation may require the use of multiple callsigns for one HQ operation. If you 
review the IARU HF Championship results for 2012, you will notice that the HQ stations in 
Italy and Japan are listed as "IUxHQ" and 8NxHQ", since each of these stations 
was spread out over multiple call areas and the score computed as if all were using the same 
callsign.

A close review of last year's logs shows that three HQ stations (LRxF, IUxHQ, 
and 8NxHQ) violated Rule 4.3.3 by using different callsigns in the CW and Phone 
segments of several bands. This rule was not enforced last year nor in any 
previous years.

The URE (Spain) has announced their plan for an operation in this weekend's 
2013 contest that is in full compliance with the rule (e.g., the HQ stations 
will use the same callsign on both modes on the same band).

On the other hand, both the ARI and the Radio Club Argentino have also 
announced their plans for this weekend with a planned callsign approach that 
does not comply with Rule 4.3.3.

The ARI has claimed that they received permission from someone at ARRL at some 
time in the past to use different callsigns on a band. Any such permission was 
given in error. However, we will honor that permission this year, and will not 
disqualify the ARI entry or any other entries that violate Rule 4.3.3.

Planning a major multi-site HQ station operation is a significant undertaking, 
and it seems unfair to force the ARI (or RCA, or JARL) to move some of their 
stations to different call areas at this late date in order to comply with a 
rule that has never been enforced. We will note in the results that the ARI 
station (and any other stations in the same situation) did not comply with Rule 
4.3.3.

This is going to be a one-time exception. All IARU member society HQ stations 
will be required to comply fully with all rules for the 2014 IARU HF 
Championship.

It is understandable that some member societies that are working hard to plan 
HQ operations in strict compliance with the rules will be unhappy with this 
ruling. We ask that they accept this decision in the spirit of good 
sportsmanship and that everyone have fun and make lots of QSOs this weekend.

73,
John , K1AR
Chairman, WWROF
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>