[NLRS] ARRL VHF+ contest proposals: input invited
[email protected]
[email protected]
Fri, 20 Feb 2004 14:58:15 CST
Even though some of you have already seen this, I thought
it would be of interest to everyone who operates in the
VHF and up contests.
73, Gary WB0LJC
--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: Tom Frenaye <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: [VHF] ARRL VHF+ contest proposals: input invited
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 14:16:54 -0500
To VHF+ contesters:
For the last year or so the ARRL has been studying ways to increase
interest and participation in VHF+ contests (and awards). It was a good
sign that participation was up in last June's VHF QSO Party, and we're
looking to encourage more participation, especially those who have
multi-band transceivers.
Our recommendations had several basic goals. Changes to the contest
rules and awards programs should:
1) encourage more people to work more other people
2) encourage QSOs made over longer distances
3) encourage more people to join in and participate
Major recommendations
1) Changes in the rover rules
2) QSO point changes
3) June VHF QSO Party 50-1296 only
4) New categories in Jan/Jun/Sept
5) Expanded Microwave contest based on 10 GHz Cumulative - UHF
contest dropped.
These major recommendations, and a number of minor ones, are still just
recommendations. We felt it would be important to have further input
from the VHF+ contest community at this point.
After you've had a chance to read through and think about the proposed
changes, we'd like to hear from you. Please send any comments to
[email protected] - we'd like to have your input by March
7th.
January VHF SS and June/September VHF QSO Parties
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Change Rover Rules
After considerable discussion about the impact of the present rover rules
and comments from both rovers and non-rovers, we have recommended
reverting to the rover scoring rules originally established in 1991. The
text of the original rule is "The final score consists of the total
number of QSO points from all bands times the total number of multipliers
from all grid squares in which they operated." This change would
encourage rovers to go to rarer and more distant grids instead of staying
closer to metropolitan areas.
Because rover scores can be so large under the original rover scoring
rules, they can distort the club competition scores. To solve this major
problem with the original rules, we propose that rover station scores
should not be counted towards club competition scores. Rovers would
continue to contribute substantially to increasing the scores of club
members by providing numerous QSO points and activating new grids.
Finally, we believe it is time to be more definitive and state
unequivocally that grid circling and captive roving are highly
undesirable practices and that no rover station should engage in them. We
recognize that due to the great disparities in population and geography,
hard and fast analytical tests for these activities may not be possible
but both these practices are well understood.
Grid circling has been observed quite clearly under both the original and
present rover rules two or more rovers congregate at the intersection of
four grid squares and then circle each other around that corner making
short distance QSOs with each other. Operating practices that look like
grid circling are easy to detect and will result in review of the log by
the contest managers.
The term "captive rover" refers to stations whose primary activity is to
increase the score of one fixed station either single operator or
multi-operator, and who never, or seldom, work anyone else in the
contest. These may or may not be people who are part of the same team or
group. Again, this is easy to detect during the log checking process and
will attract the attention of the contest manager.
2) QSO Point changes
The current rules provide for increasing QSO points as contacts are made
on higher bands plus additional multipliers on each band for each new
grid. We propose to change the values for QSO points for all three
contests. Regardless of band you would receive two points for QSOs with
your own grid and any adjacent grid, and three points for each QSO beyond
that. QSOs with rover stations would count one QSO point each, regardless
of distance.
This change would reward those who can make more distant QSOs, and it
would make a volume of short range microwave QSOs somewhat less critical
to the final score although microwave grid multipliers would still be
crucial to an all band entry. It would also tend to make QSOs with
casual participants and newcomers more appealing than constantly running
from band to band.
3) June VHF QSO Party 50-1296 MHz only
It seemed to us that at least one of the "big three" VHF+ contests ought
to emphasize the VHF bands. We thus recommend that the June VHF QSO Party
be limited to 50-1296 MHz only. June is often the time for sporadic E
openings on 6 meters - as was the case in 2003. We would discontinue the
Limited Multi category in the June VHF QSO Party only.
4) New categories in Jan/Jun/Sept
Getting started in VHF+ contesting can be a bit daunting, and we wanted
to find ways to attract the many people who have purchased multi-band
transceivers that include VHF bands like the IC-706 and others.
We recommend the establishment of a new Limited Single Operator category
designed with the newcomer in mind - 50-144-432 MHz only, with low power
operation only. For those who are "real estate challenged" because of
antenna restrictions or topography, we also recommend a new 6-hour QRP
Hilltopper category. This latter category should also be appealing to
QRPers with radios like the FT817, one of the more rapidly growing
segments in Amateur Radio.
5) Other recommended changes (Jan/Jun/Sept)
a) Simplify the limit for low power operation to 150w for
50-144-222-432 MHz.
b) Allow DX-to-DX contacts for QSO point and multiplier credit, but
the DX station must make at least one QSO
with W/VE on each band for which QSOs are submitted.
c) Eliminate the rules that allow Multi-Operator stations to work
their own operators on 2.3G and up.
d) Offer plaques for the January and September contests, in addition
to June. Work to find individual, club or corporate
sponsors. Otherwise offer plaques to national and regional
leaders at cost.
e) Make sure the rules indicate certificates are awarded for low
power entries in January, and for top DX entries.
f) Resume promoting suggested times and frequencies for "activity
hours" on each band.
New Microwave contest based on 10 GHz Cumulative - UHF contest dropped
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We recommend expanding the format of the successful 10G and Up microwave
contest and expand it to cover from 2.3 GHz and up. The August UHF
Contest would be discontinued after 2004. It never reached a critical
mass of support and entries.
1) Add one more weekend in April or May to the existing two-weekend
cumulative contest.
2) Include 2.3G, 3.4G and 5.7G bands.
3) Have four basic categories - 2.4/3.4/5.7G, 10G only, 10G and up,
and all band (2.4G and up). Each major category would
include portable and home-based categories.
4) Perhaps call them the X-band contests to increase interest.
EME Contest
-----------------
1) The Contest department should work to establish the dates for the
EME contest weekends as early as possible,
and include them with the contest calendar as the yearly
summary is released.
2) Change the multiplier to include US states and Canadian provinces
instead of call areas. The report remains the signal report.
3) Drop the requirement that stations operating outside of their
traditional call area sign with a portable designation.
Changes Already Implemented
-------------------------------------
1) Allow digital QSOs in the EME contest. Implemented for 2003
contest.
2) Work to establish an Internet template for entry of small and
medium sized logs. Implemented in January 2004.
3) Add a club competition to the June VHF QSO Party. Implemented
for 2003 contest.
4) Work to find good authors and to encourage more regional
reporting of VHF+ contest results. This had been in place for more
than a year now. Staff is working hard to identify
authors and would welcome volunteers, particularly experienced contesters
5) Encourage Logbook of The World development to be supportive of
VHF+ awards, like the VUCC. Implemented in September 2003.
6) Encourage more activity by developing a high-quality grid square
map of the United States. A very nice laminated, color grid
square map covering North America was released in June
2003.
Awards
----------
1) Change the entry-level steps for VHF+ awards so more people will
be able to get started in the VUCC, WAS and DXCC
using VHF+ frequencies. Consider changing the steps for
different level awards to a smaller increment.
2) Establish a VUCC challenge-type award, similar to the one used by
DXCC.
3) Create a new award or awards to appeal to entry-level or
rover/portable operation, such as a grids activated or miles per
watt award. Consider GCR certification rather than card
checking.
4) For VUCC awards on 50 through 1296 MHz and Satellite, all
contacts must be made from a location or locations within the
same grid locator or locations in different grid locators
no more than 200 kilometers apart [the approximate distance between
the corners of a grid square]. (Currently they have to be
made from the same grid square or from distances no more than
50 miles apart.)
How we got here
---------------------
The number of logs submitted to ARRL VHF+ contests has been decreasing
for several years and the perception is that activity is not increasing
in spite of the advent of commercial HF/VHF/UHF radios. After a number
of discussions, ARRL Board members voted (January 2002) to have the
Membership Services Committee review the existing VHF, UHF, and Microwave
contest and awards programs and make recommendations on ways to increase
interest and participation. The MSC established a subcommittee of K1KI
N0AX W5ZN and N7NG.
The early work included a survey in September 2002. The survey, intended
as a way to gather ideas, not to measure exact opinion on issues, was a
great success. Some 250 people provide valuable input. Initially, the
subcommittee produced recommended changes for the VHF+ awards. That
progress report was given at the January 2003 meeting of the MSC.
At this point, to increase the expertise relating to the VHF+ contests it
was recommended that the MSC-VHF subcommittee be expanded to include
several knowledgeable VHF+ contesters. The subcommittee was expanded
(K1JX K2UA W3ZZ AA7A KM0T and N1ND were added) and started work in April.
Over the past several months the original discussions were reviewed and
new ideas culled from discussions with friends, from the major VHF+
reflectors and from participating in on the air contest activity lead to
modifications and new recommendations. The recommendations detailed
above are the result of this process.
Again, we'd like to hear from you about the proposed changes. Please
send any comments to [email protected] - we'd like to have
your input by March 7th.
-- Tom Frenaye/K1KI
MSC VHF-UHF Contest and Awards Subcommittee
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, chairman
Clarke Green, K1JX
Joel Harrison, W5ZN
Rus Healy, K2UA* (Atlantic Division Contest Advisory Committee member)
Mike King, KM0T
Wayne Mills, N7NG (Membership Services Department manager)
Ward Silver, N0AX (Northwest Division CAC member)
Ned Stearn, AA7A (Southwest Division CAC member)
Gene Zimmerman, W3ZZ (also QST VHF column editor)
Dan Henderson, N1ND (Contest Department manager)
* unable to participate for the last few months
=====
e-mail: [email protected] ARRL New England Division Director
http://www.arrl.org/
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444
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