[RMVHF] Possible solution

[James Duffey]

Lauren - I have a slightly different take on the issue. I favor  
allowing "assistance" for all single operators. So instead of creating  
a new class, I suggest expanding the current single op class to allow  
the use of assistance: spotting networks, internet, APRS on the  
internet, and friends telling you on the air where new ones are.

Out here, where activity is low, this makes a lot of sense. Many ops  
provide assistance to each other anyway, and if this did not happen a  
lot less contacts would occur, people would get frustrated with no one  
to work, and activity goes down.

At HF, it has been shown that unassisted operators usually score  
better than the assisted operators, so there is no real scoring  
advantage to assistance and no uneven playing field to level.  I do  
not see any reason why VHF/UHF should be any different. Based on the  
data, it is an artificial distinction, except perhaps to some egos.

I think that adding a class won't increase participation, it will just  
draw participants away from the single op class. This is what happened  
to the limited multiop and apparently what happened to the rover  
classes. It will dilute competition.

Also, it is not clear to me from reading the rules whether or not  
rovers can use assistance or not. The rules appear to be silent on  
this. As long as you are dealing with assisted operation, can you work  
to implement a rule that clearly states that rovers can use assistance?

Thanks for giving us a chance to comment on this new proposal. - Duffey

On Aug 6, 2008, at 7:00 PM, w0ld wrote:

> The ARRL PSC committee has asked the VUAC Advisory committee to  
> investigate
> the possibility of a Single Operator Assisted Class in the VHF/UHF  
> contests
> sponsored by the ARRL.
>
> The implication of this class would allow APRS, internet spotting  
> and other
> means of assistance for a Single Operator.
>
> I would appreciate your comments as we begin to discuss this as a VUAC
> advisory group.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Lauren Libby, W0LD
> Rocky Mountain VUAC representative
> Chairman of the VUAC Advisory Committee
>
>
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--
KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM