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Re: [VHFcontesting] More Roving

To: <jamesduffey@comcast.net>, <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] More Roving
From: frank bechdoldt <k3uhf@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:18:49 -0800
List-post: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com">mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>

I respectfully disagree with Duffy, I think he a nice guy, though... and 
encourage him to keep roving in out here in the middle of nowhere.  
 
Actually there is a spirit and intent of all rules made by mankind. Every time 
I get a new safety rule at work its because someone did something stupid.
 
Some may skirt one of the 10 commandments by insisting that they are borrowing 
something rather than stealing. 
 
In regards to what I will call “hijacking” of the limited roving class to 
propel a team to win several categories:
 
The intent as stated by some on the VUAC is that “we never dreamt that someone 
would do something like this when we crafted the rule changes.”  Some of were 
in the room when that was said.  I forget by who on the VUAC said that someone 
one here could confirm this.  It does not matter. 
 
I believe the VUAC thought the guys would get the point and appreciate their 
own category to compete. It was an attempt by the ARRL and VUAC to be inclusive 
and some participants chose act in controversial ways that are clearly and 
historically divisive within our community.
 
Its like a city building a fancy skateboard park and the skaters insist on 
using the city hall stairs because they believe its their god given right to 
skate on the courthouse steps.  Sooner or later some old lady gets hurt by some 
young punk.
 
We are not complaining without offering ideas. They have been churned well. The 
ideas have yet to elicit change, but it does not mean they are not valid.  
Simply go back through some of the summer posts on here or look at the pages 
zipped files of months past you will find that most of the top 10 big zipped 
files include a rover related controversy in that month’s post.  A lot of the 
good ideas are lost in the name calling that result.  This is by design.  If 
you turn constructive criticism in to a stink bomb people will walk away.   
I remained quiet about this until QST posted the article which is a small event 
related to this.  
 
I do think the ARRL will get back to this with some community organization 
efforts but I would not call for a boycott.   Go through the HF Blogs and you 
will see the need for open logs.  
 
January 1st would be a good time for the ARRL to make it clear that all the 
logs are posted on line and it would be enough warning to change some behavior 
which is likely a bigger problem below 30 mhz.
 
Roving and portable opps could be a way to get younger people into ham radio.> 
From: jamesduffey@comcast.net> To: vhfcontesting@contesting.com> Subject: More 
Roving> Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:29:52 -0700> CC: jamesduffey@comcast.net; 
k3uhf@hotmail.com> > Frank - You wrote:> > To answer James’s question : The 
issue is more the manipulation of > the rules and lack of forethought in the 
creation of the rules. That > being taking something that was meant to 
encourage new people to our > sport and manipulating it to work as a team to 
win all three classes > roving. This is like having Bobbie Fisher showing up to 
the elementary > school chess club and beating all the 8 year old kids in 5 
moves and > using the results to declare himself national champ. That being 
said > I’m sure some would compete in a limited fashion just to see how far > 
they could go, So it needs to be limited at or below 1.3 ghz. That’s > where 
the commercial stuff is and that what the class was made for. > This would not 
punish the microwave people. They are not beginners.> The process of healing of 
ALL contesting will begin with open logs.> > > I am not sure that the VUAC 
thought of the limited class exclusively > to attract Joe 706 pack to 
contesting, but rather to form a class > where one would not need significant 
resources to compete effectively > as a rover. A four band and a 160 Watt 
limitation pretty well defines > the upper limit of what one can spend on a 
rove and still drive around > in a street legal vehicle. While I am sure that 
the VUAC did not > contemplate a limited rover operating solely on the 
microwave bands > while roving, they did nothing to prevent that in the rules. 
Now that > has happened they can reconsider hte rule, if it should be changed 
and > if something should be changed, what.> > > Rules are rules. One either 
follows the rules or he disregards them. > If one can follow the rules and not 
get the expected results then the > rules need to be changed. But one should 
not blame the one who is > following the rules.> > > There are lots of ways to 
deal with grid squaring. The current attempt > was a good start. It is not 
perfect, nor did the VUAC expect it to be. > It can be made to work. There are 
other alternatives. I outlined some > of them in a previous e-mail.> > > No 
matter what we think of the present situation, it does no good to > complain 
without suggesting a viable alternative. Suggesting that > someone do something 
is not very valuable. Suggesting what > specifically they should do is a much 
more valuable contribution to > the sport. If you don't like the current state 
of affairs in roving, > suggest specific alternatives that will fix the problem 
without > introducing new problems. - Duffey> > > --> KK6MC> James Duffey> 
Cedar Crest NM> > > > > 
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