[NLRS] Spotting on VHF, and the major new contest rules

[Paul Husby]

To answer Doug's question, you won't find much spotting this weekend.  
Spotting has generally not been allowed previously, and so is new to 
VHF.  By June it will likely be a major factor.

We are operating under some new rules this weekend, but the major change 
will come in June.  Here is info from N6NB on the VHF Reflector this 
morning:

------------quoted from N6NB:------------------------

There could well be a lot of confusion this weekend under the old "new"
rules--and again in June under a very different set of even newer rules
that have now been approved by the ARRL board.  Here's what has
happened, as best I can decipher it.

A new set of rules was announced in December for the January contest.
Those rules will apply ONLY in January.  Still another set of rules (the ones
just approved by the ARRL board) will go into effect in June.


During January 2015 (this weekend) here are the highlights of what is new:

*Three new categories are being created:  single operator high power unlimited,
single operator low power unlimited and single operator portable unlimited.

*In those three categories and in the multioperator categories, "assistance" will
be allowed.  But rovers who use assistance will be moved to the unlimited rover
category where they will be ineligible for the club competition.

*Assistance is limited to passive monitoring of spotting information, with no
"self-spotting" allowed.


Starting in June 2015, here is what will happen:

*The three new "unlimited" categories being created for the January contest will
cease to exist. Those three categories will be in effect for only one contest.

*EVERYONE in all categories, including rovers, will be free to use assistance under
a very broad new definition of assistance.

*"Self-spotting" will not only be allowed--it will be encouraged as a way of increasing
interest in the contests.  It will be okay to self-spot on the internet, via repeaters,
via email and telephone.  Anyone can monitor anyone else's spots by any means,
including APRS.  If those who control a repeater or an online reflector don't mind,
it will be okay to post or announce something like, "this is N6NB/R.  I just arrived on
Frazier Mountain, DM04ms, and I'm looking for contacts on 144.220" or "I'm QRV
on WSJT right now.  Anybody wanna run with me?"  Anyone can monitor and post in
any amateur or non-amateur medium of communication.