This is like saying that operating from a plane is FINE if:
1) The plane is never above an altitude of 10ft above the ground
2) The landing gear remain extended at all times and in contact with earth
3) The engine of the plane is never started
4) No pilot is allowed to be present in the plane during contesting
Pardon the sarcasm, but the folks that would like to see APRS used want to
see it used FOR the specific abilities you have called out below. Using it
for spotting rovers when it requires every fixed station contester to get a
new 2m radio, add a dedicated 2m antenna for receiving, a new TNC and
effectively limit the range down to 100miles defeats the purpose of asking
for the ability to use it.
Our rationale is simple: the ability to track rovers will allow fixed
stations to focus less on tracking them personally and will allow them to
focus on working contacts and will increase contacts (and fun) for everyone.
The single argument against its use I have heard goes like this: "But it's
self spotting." OK .... SO? This generally comes from the HF crowd that
seems to feel that it is self-evident why self spotting is a bad thing. I
believe the deeper rationale is that if everyone self-spotted then the "art"
of finding people in contests would be eliminated and less skill would be
required in contesting. OK, great ... Here in the South, fixed stations turn
off their VHF radios and go to the Zoo during contests because they can't
find rovers and have no clue where they are going (I kid you not). I,
personally, would prefer to lower the bar in what is required to do VHF
contesting and increase the rate and number of participants (and fun). If
it lessens the effect of a few supreme contesters tracking abilities and
scores with rovers, I think the trade-off is worth it.
I have looked at HamIM but I know better than to suggest that every fixed
station go buy a new antenna, radio and TNC and then install software and
learn how to use it for the sole purpose of tracking rovers when there
exists a solution that does this BETTER but is simply prohibited (hence the
why no one is using it when it is allowed).
73,
Steve, N5AC
-----Original Message-----
From: vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ev Tupis
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 05:19
To: VHF Contesting eMail Remailer
Subject: [VHFcontesting] APRS and Contesting
Once again: APRS is FINE to use in ARRL Contests. The ARRL has said so,
publicly.
To do so, one must simply remove the components of APRS that support:
(A) digipeating, when "assistance" is prohibited
(B) IGate-ing of your APRS packet, when "use of non-Amateur means of
communication is prohibited"
(C) assure that your 2-meter APRS station doesn't TX when you're calling CQ,
in events where "more than one signal per band is prohibited"
(D) reception of APRS packets that originate from participants who don't
have the same restrictions as you do in an event are filtered/eliminated.
This is the principle behind the APRS-based "HamIM Strategy". Now, for the
real issue: lots of people seem to ask for APRS during contests (when it
already exists) but few people actually use it.
Ev, W2EV
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