[ILQSO] manufactured contacts

Tue Sep 23 18:26:22 EDT 2008

I think that is what Jim refers to as the N9JF rule.....

There is a thing called "grid circling" in VHF contests where 2 or more 
separate stations travel to corner of grids, all stopping in a different 
grid and working each other on as many bands as they have equipment with 
them. They then all rotate to another grid in the corner and do it 
again. This is repeated until all stations have operated from each of 
the 4 grids and they move off to 4 new grids to repeat the process 
again. While they may work other stations not within their own group, 
most of their score comes from contacts with others within their group. 
They were able to amass a huge score with very marginal stations.  There 
is really nothing in the rules of VHF contest that prevents this from 
happening, but I do not believe they are within the spirit of the 
contest. It stirred up quite a debate amongst the VHF contest community.
I really don't think they contributed to the health or activity level of 
the contest with their efforts and personally, I wouldn't want to see 
something similar to that get started int the ILQP.

Joe is right, it is next to impossible to write rules to cover every 
possible scenario and we decided a couple of years ago to not write 
anything into the rules unless it was apparent that was the only way we 
could head off a potential problem. Our intent is to keep it as simple 
as possible and encourage everyone to play within the spirit of the 
rules and not have to write more rules and restrictions into the event 
unless it is evident that is the only way a problem can be avoided.

Danny  NG9R

Joe LeKostaj wrote:
> Hank,
> 
> I am just thinking of actions like persons A and B, working in concert, 
> traveling to some location and then working each other from, say, 10 
> feet away and claiming credit. Or doing so while traveling in the same 
> vehicle. I consider these actions to be against the spirit of the rules.
> 
> 73,
> Joe K9LY
> 
> 
> 
> At 4:58 PM -0400 9/23/08, Hank Greeb wrote:
>> Joe:
>>
>> Your use of the term "manufactured contacts" brings up several 
>> questions.....
>>
>> For example, in practically every Field Day in which I've participated 
>> during my 57 years of operation, we've always encouraged club members 
>> who couldn't make it to the site to give us a contact on as many bands 
>> and modes as they could muster.  And, sometimes a member would come 
>> out for a picnic held in conjunction with Field Day.  Then, as they 
>> member was going home from the picnic, they'd work the club station 
>> from his/her mobile on several modes/bands because she/he either 
>> wasn't interested in working at the club station or couldn't spare the 
>> time.  Are these "manufactured contacts"?
>>
>> Or, if I advertise on the ILQP and other reflectors that I'll be 
>> operating from a certain location, and ask people to look for me, are 
>> the resultant contacts "manufactured?"  If I do this for my local club 
>> club reflector here in Michigan, specifically stating the time(s) I 
>> expect to be on the bands/modes which have the highest probability of 
>> having the correct skip - are the resultant contacts "manufactured?"
>>
>> Or, if I operate from a four county line in South Central Illinois, as 
>> I did a couple years ago, and a local ham helps me set up.  Then he 
>> goes home and contacts me on two or three bands and modes where he can 
>> hear me?  Are these contacts "manufactured?"  I never asked this 
>> fellow for a contact - he just "knew" where I was (within a mile of 
>> his home), and he decided to get on and work me.
>>
>> Or, if I'm spotted on a DX cluster, operating from a four county line, 
>> and the result is 60 or more contacts (240 Q's in the log book) in the 
>> following 30 minutes, are these manufactured contacts?
>>
>> Or, if I'm mobile, advertise my route and time, and work the same 
>> bunch of stations repetitively from each county, are these 
>> manufactured contacts?
>>
>> In each of the above, the "purist" might say the contacts are 
>> "manufactured."  Others may differ in interpretation.
>>
>> 73 de n8xx Hg
>>
>> Joe LeKostaj wrote:
>>> To all,
>>>
>>> Kudos to K9DUR for stating that he will not try to get credit for 
>>> Hardin County by working his wife with an HT from the other side of 
>>> the campground. This is the spirit of the ILQP that I hope everyone 
>>> will abide by.
>>>
>>> The folks who write the rules may not think of every possible 
>>> "exploit" (to use a hacker term) that a person could use to roll up 
>>> some easy Qs or mults. The rules committee is not paid enough (!!) to 
>>> come up with a completely bulletproof set of rules that addresses 
>>> every possible scenario. So, I feel it is up to the participants to 
>>> play nice and avoid "manufactured" contacts.
>>>
>>> 73 & have fun,
>>> Joe K9LY
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>> for list problems contact ng9r at arrl.net
> 
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> for list problems contact ng9r at arrl.net
> 
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