I can't keep my mouth shut any longer :-) I probably should.
RE: Bashing the BIG GUN stations that create "captive rovers".
A lot of interesting points being made. The silent majority (the rovers) are
not saying much. Many are mad about the anti rover rules established in 1992
others just dropped out.
You ALL Miss the point. For almost every rover out there SOMEONE got them
started. That SOMEONE usually had some knowledge on how to build a station.
That SOMEONE also probably helped the new rover get going by loaning him
equipment (albeit cheap stuff sometimes) as well as support the first time
out. If we prohibit the motivation for captive rovers we will loose out on
gaining many new rovers.
Can you guess that those SOMEONEs are the big gun contest stations some of
you are complaining about? It is natural for new rovers to want to repay the
help they received. It is also natural for them to become addicted to this
and want to buy ($) and or build more and work more people. This is a "No
Brain'er", Help someone and you are an Elmer. Help someone and they help
you. Help someone and you help the contest and the hobby. What is wrong
here?
If you in some way rule out "Captive Rovers" then you will likely stop the
development of a good many contesting rovers that usually evolve from
captive rovers. These are people, like myself, that would never have joined
in this click called "VHF Contesters" if it were not for having an Elmer who
talked me into trying it using borrowed equipment.
Another thread picks on equipment? Its expensive! Are you all rich? Some of
that equipment (Especially 10ghz Wideband Gunnplexors) was not "Standard".
Most Microwave equipment was non-narrow band and non-standard until DEMI
started making kits from those great QEX articles. In fact if it were not
for groups Like the big gun's and NEWS as well as many VHF groups there
would not be any conventions at all. Narrow bands were very difficult at
first. So what if some poor ($) rover can't afford better equipment and
borrows some non-standard equipment to get started. If he likes it he will
invest more in improving his station OVER TIME. Never having made those
unique Microwave contacts most hams are not willing to try them if it were
not for the "SOMEONE" that got them started. That loaner equipment is not
usually top notch transverters. Its usually the stuff you see at hamfests.
Some quallcom brick with a mixer or Gunnplexors and some nasty offset.
I would rather see an ARRL rule that REQUIRES contest stations to Elmer a
new rover every year than stop new captive rovers from joining in the
contest. It's like saying we only want general class ham's and no-codes or
novices should not be allowed. What logic is being used? K8GP, W2SZ, N2PA,
W2FU, K3YTL people all have helped new rovers (including me) get into the
contest. All those people work hard to help those that helped them. That
sometimes means spending more time making contacts with those that helped
them get into roving but no one in their right mind will be captive longer
than they have to. The captive rover is usually only mono-stationed the
first time out. Contesting is Addictive! Who in there right mind would not
work other stations! That's most of the fun! I only stayed captive on those
bands where I could not afford equipment or did not have enough time to
build it. Now I am totally non-captive.
Personally, except for Last September (19k points!), I am not going out just
to get points. I am addicted to distance records as well(289 miles on 5ghz
so far). I give out points to other stations because they helped me get on
the air. Some help me attempt these distances. Others get my contact because
they helped friends of mine get on the air. I work anyone who points their
beams at me. June's contest was hard. For some reason I worked almost nobody
south of the FN/FM boarder. I called K8GP on 4 bands for hours to get them
to work me when I was attempting to get a VUCC of sorts from my FN11 site. I
could hear them weak but they never heard me and I am not just using a loop,
I have a 12 foot beam and 170 mobile watts!
I have received help from W2SZ people as well as Rochester and K8GP people.
They all seem to work hard at helping rovers get better stations. Just
because W2SZ and K8GP seem to be the top two does not mean you can't start
your own activity levels in your area. Elmer more rovers! They will help you
back AND the hobby in the process. My station still has loaned equipment
from Rochester, PA and W2SZ guys. I have loaner stuff from hams in 6 states!
Instead of complaining why doesn't everybody help a new rover get started?
Tim Ertl (KE3HT/r Pennsylvania)
ke3ht@lmrgroup.com
Rover: http://www.lmrgroup.com/ke3ht/rover
June 2003 contest: http://www.lmrgroup.com/ke3ht/rover/june2003
KE3HT General Info:
http://www.lmrgroup.com/ke3ht
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