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Re: [VHFcontesting] Whats up with the ARRL?

To: VHF Contesting Reflector <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Whats up with the ARRL?
From: Zack Widup <w9sz.zack@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:59:50 -0500
List-post: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com">mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Part of the reason given for dumping the Assisted category was the use of
the assisting method to actually assist with the QSO. This would be wrong,
obviously; once you start to make the QSO you shouldn't use any other means
of trying to enhance it.

Not being an EME op, I wonder just how prevalent this practice is, though?
How many people have done it?

73, Zack W9SZ

On Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 5:43 PM, Greg Chartrand <w7my@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I agree with Frank. The ARRL is NOT a democracy, evidence their dumping of
> the assisted category. My only disagreement is that withholding
> participation may not be enough. If they continue to dump on the little guy,
> this little guy simply will will spend his money elsewhere.
> Greg
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> From: frank bechdoldt <k3uhf@hotmail.com>
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] Whats up with the ARRL?
> To: vhfcontesting@contesting.com
> Date: Sunday, August 9, 2009, 9:04 AM
>
>
>
> Though I generally try to encourage vhf activity, it seems that it may be a
> time to make a statement to the ARRL.  Marshall suggested sending in empty
> logs in response to the EME rule change.  I am not versed well in EME but I
> think he has a point. Un assisted may be the ultimate goal, and it is
> definitely more of a challenge, but the assisted should be there to help
> those to the ultimate goal if they can ever reach it.
> Compare it to golf, most of us will never be pros, but we still enjoy the
> game as an amateur or with a handicap.  It seems that the ARRL has wiped out
> the amateur and the Handicaps in this arena.
> This strikes me as odd considering how they have reached out to encourage
> growth in other VHF contests such as the rover category.  Its my opinion
> that they botched  up  roving as well and tried to fix it with a band aid
> when it needed a major overhaul.  That being said, at least the effort was
> there to encourage participation even if  the PSC chose to ignore some of
> the suggestions of the VUAC.
> In comparison to that debacle, it seems that the ARRL went the other way
> with the EME contests.  This shows a total lack of direction from the ARRL.
> It also demonstrates that they are no better then a boat with no sail or
> engine and they will simply go where the winds and currents  of politics
> go.
> This leads me to believe that the ARRL contests are fundamentally flawed
> and lack any serious sense of purpose or vision.  I believe  in some cases
> like grid circling on microwave bands  they are only manufactured short
> range QSOs  to justify the monopolization of otherwise unused spectrum and
> this is why the ARRl allows it to continue.
> Its time we took a honest  look at ourselves as amateur radio operators. We
> have a long history of giving to the human race in various ways.  But we get
> down right mad if they threaten to take away some spectrum way up in the
> microwaves that we will never use more than a few MHZ of.  If that
> technology can be put to better use then we should give it up.
> Or better yet, maybe its time to find a better way to use that spectrum
> ourselves and seek to redefine our licenses as to help more people.  We have
> let the confines of our licenses let technology pass us by and we are
> becoming irrelevant unless a natural disaster hits.
> I challenge the ARRL to do something useful and to lobby for a redefinition
> of our privileges on the microwave bands.  One idea ; Let Amateurs set up
> moderate powered wireless network nodes in our spectrum above 2.4 ghz  and
> let non hams buy equipment to connect to them.  Imagine a more free internet
> using ham technology.  There has to be better ideas than this.  If we are to
> continue we must make ourselves relevant.
> All of this shows that I think the ARRL is lost. The contest system is
> seriously flawed. It can never be perfect but the way they run it is half
> hearted and subject to too much politics and lacks any vision or sense of
> direction.  The things that some of us do to get the little pieces of paper
> are sometimes ludicrous and the fact that there is no real tangible standard
> makes them somewhat meaning less.
> If there was a way to recall the PSC I would do it.  For now I agree with
> Marshall, if you are alienated due to the lack common sense in the rules
> just send in an empty log.  Do the contest and work towards your VUCC. At
> least there is a sense of direction with that award and a definite standard
> and the politics behind it are laid to rest.
>
> k3uhf
> ________
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------
>
> Greg Chartrand - W7MY
>
> Richland, WA.
>
> DN-06IF
>
>
>
> W7MY Home Page:
>
> http://webpages.charter.net/w7my/
>
>
>
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