Last week I was noticed that my single band ARRLDX contest records and
those of my fellow contesters had been "disappeared", and I suspected
that they were eliminated because now self-spotting was allowed and the
LOW Power maximum was reduced from 150 to 100 watts.
The rationalizations I saw coming out of the ARRL are, IMO, pure BUNK.
Old single band records should persist until or unless they are broken,
not because of some rule change effectively putting SO into the Assisted
Class because of self-spotting, or a 2 db drop in power for LOW power
ops. "Old" records were not eliminated after UBN log-checking started
which it tougher to set new records than the previous records. I am not
aware of any practical reason that necessitates the elimination of
existing single op NON-Assisted records and certainly NOT for SO HIGH
power!
In fact, Mark, N5OT states in his excellent write-up that "It's notable
that none of the new category records surpassed any of these now-retired
records". That's PRECISELY my point. It is BIZARRE that a lower score
is now considered by the ARRL to be a "new record" merely because these
LOWER scores were made after 2021. What kind of a "record" is that?
This action by the ARRL completely disrespects the ops and
station-owners of stations where all of those records were set and the
effort and strategy required to set them!
I have never seen pro sports or the Olympics eliminate records just
because rules have been changed, there are new technological
advancements, the run-time of the event has been extended, or for any
other reason. Old records that continue to exist and stand the test
time despite more advantaged conditions now, become the stuff of
legends, NOT stuff to be removed.
The ARRL should restore the old records precisely because they ARE the
records and they should be updated only if and when they are
legitimately beaten under the "new" rules and NOT until then.
73
Bob, KQ2M
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