[NLRS] ARRL's VUAC looking for your input - SOLP - response

Mon Aug 30 12:04:29 EDT 2010

It's clear to me that proposal "C" is the best with regard to lowering the
threshold to attracting new weak signal participants while preserving a 6 dB
difference between SOLP and SOHP. You don't want to throw everyone else
(other than the "stock" participants) into a single, higher power category
as proposal B would do.
73, Jim
K0MHC

-----Original Message-----
From: nlrs-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:nlrs-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of w0zq at aol.com
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 9:02 AM
To: nlrs at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [NLRS] ARRL's VUAC looking for your input - SOLP

Hello NLRS land.

The ARRL's VHF/UHF Advisory Committee (VUAC) has been tasked by the ARRL's
PSC to review the current definition for the Single Operator Low Power
(SOLP) contest category and to recommend to them if any change is needed.
Towards this task, attached below you will find four different proposals for
SOLP - Proposal A through D.   Proposal D is "no change", while Proposal A
through C offer different levels of change.  These three proposals are based
on several months of informal input from members and discussion within the
VUAC.

Common to Proposal A through C is a clarification that has been added that
indicates that output power for ALL operating categories, not just SOLP, is
measured at the output of the transmitter.  While we recognize that in the
professional world that power is measured at the feed point, we believe that
for amateur operation that measurement of power at the transmitter is more
appropriate and is the intent of the rule from day one.  

Here is a summary of the changes for each proposal - 
* Proposal A - Increases the allowable SOLP power on 902 and 1296 from 10
watts to 50 watts.  
* Proposal B - Sets the allowable SOLP power on 50 through 432 to 100 watts
and raises the power on 902 through 1296 to 50 watts.  The intent here is to
define SOLP as a stock transmitter with no brick.  This proposal goes
towards the core question as to what is low power - is it a stock rig that
many who enter VHF+ contesting start with, or is it a stock rig with a
brick, and given that definition, are we encouraging newcomers to the sport.
* Proposal C - Creates a third operating class that we simply called "Stock"
for now.  Rather than two single-op catagories (SOLP & SOHP) there would be
three - Stock, SOLP, and SOHP.   Stock class is limited to 100 watts on 50
through 432 while SOLP is no more than 400 watts on 50 through 432.  There
would be no power restrictions on 902 and up - your operating class is
defined by the amount of power you run on 50 through 432.  

Please review these proposals carefully and give them some thought before
you reply.  Change is often a hard agent for us to accept, so think about
this for a little bit and think about what is best for VHF+ contesting
before you reply.  Please send your comments to me off the reflector,
direct, and in a few weeks I will summarize what NLRS-land has to say about
this.   If you are outside of Dakota Division, I recommend that you reply
directly to your own VUAC representative but you can CC: me if you would
like.  If you don't know who your VUAC rep is, you can find them listed at
http://www.arrl.org/arrl-staff-vuac-cac and scroll down under the CAC to us,
the "Special VUAC" or simply ask me.

73, Jon
W0ZQ

Proposal A - 

 2.  Entry Categories: The following categories are defined for ARRL
contests on bands above 50 MHz. See the rules for each contest to determine
which categories apply and whether additional categories exist for that
contest.  Power limits for each category are measured at the output of the
transmitter.

  2.1. Single Operator: One person performs all transmitting, receiving,
spotting, and logging functions as well as equipment and antenna
adjustments.

      2.1.1. Single Operator Low Power:

      2.1.1.1  Power limits on any band may not exceed the following:

            2.1.1.1.1.  50 MHz and 144 MHz -- 200 W PEP.

            2.1.1.1.2.  222 MHz and 432 MHz -- 100 W PEP.

            2.1.1.1.3  902 MHz and 1296 MHz -- 50 W PEP.

            2.1.1.1.4  2304 MHz and above -- 10 W PEP.

      2.1.2.  Single Operator High Power: Power limits on any band exceeds
the limits for the Single Operator Low power.

Proposal B - 

 2.  Entry Categories: The following categories are defined for ARRL
contests on bands above 50 MHz. See the rules for each contest to determine
which categories apply and whether additional categories exist for that
contest.  Power limits for each category are measured at the output of the
transmitter.

  2.1. Single Operator: One person performs all transmitting, receiving,
spotting, and logging functions as well as equipment and antenna
adjustments.

      2.1.1. Single Operator Low Power:

      2.1.1.1  Power limits on any band may not exceed the following:

            2.1.1.1.1.  50 MHz through 432 MHz -- 100 W PEP.

            2.1.1.1.2.  902 MHz and 1296 MHz -- 50 W PEP.

            2.1.1.1.3  2304 MHz and above -- 10 W PEP.

      2.1.2.  Single Operator High Power: Power limits on any band exceeds
the limits for the Single Operator Low power.

Proposal C - 

 2.  Entry Categories: The following categories are defined for ARRL
contests on bands above 50 MHz. See the rules for each contest to determine
which categories apply and whether additional categories exist for that
contest.  Power limits for each category are measured at the output of the
transmitter.

  2.1. Single Operator: One person performs all transmitting, receiving,
spotting, and logging functions as well as equipment and antenna
adjustments.  On 902 MHz and up a Single Operator may run any power level
regardless of operating class.

      2.1.1  Single Operator Stock Class:  Power output on 50 MHz through
432 MHz is limited to no more than 100 watts.

      2.1.2  Single Operator Low Power:  Power output on 50 MHz through 432
MHz is limited to no more than 400 watts

      2.1.3  Single Operator High Power:  Power limits on any band exceeds
the limits for the Single Operator Low Power.

Proposal D - 
No change - leave the Single Operator Low Power definition as it is now.

----- end of document ------

----- end of document ------
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