[PaQSO] CL Rules?

[TwelveVDC at aol.com]

n3ntj at earthlink.net wrote:

>  How close does a station need to be to a CL to be considered CL?
>  I worked a station that was within eyesite of the SCH county line while he 
was in COL.
>  Will this count as a CL contact?  What are the rules for this?


   If this thread didn't get so much ink, I wouldn't have thought so much 
about it.
   But the more I do, the better it deserves an *Official* answer, no matter 
how insightful or reasonable our experienced opinions may be.
  Permit me to elaborate just a bit while playing the Devil's Advocate.
  When this subject came up last in my circle, it was after drinking a lot of 
beer.  So we had a bit of fun with it by inventing silly philosophical 
arguments trying to outdo each other.  It went something like this:

  W3ABCD: "Ok, a wire antenna might be easy to physically string across a 
County Line.  But if it's a beam, what part of it counts?  Only the driven 
element?  The director or reflector don't actually produce the signal..."
   N23EFG: "What if you have a high SWR and it turns out it's the COAX that's 
radiating most of your signal?"
   K3WXYZ: "Actually, the signal doesn't originate in the antenna at all.  
It's the SO239 connector on the back of the radio that has to be on the County 
Line."
   W3H6Q:  "I think it's where the OPERATOR actually sits down that must meet 
the criteria."
   A3LMNO: "You're all wrong!  The signal originates in the MICROPHONE!"
   W32PAA: "No it don't.  It's your lips that hafta be on the county line.  
Just shove a GPS receiver up your nose to verify your position."

   We might've went further, but good taste dictates I stop here.  The point 
is, although we all understand the intention of this rule, there is wiggle 
room for *interpretation* (read, flexibility) because there is little 
documentation on the actual application.  Try looking it up yourself and see.
  It's not target practice, where the bullseye is one square inch across and 
really does matter.  Physics gives the signal a broad enough pattern that a 
few feet on either end don't really matter.  Our /R's, /M's and /P's do us all a 
tremendous service activating counties in all conditions without the need for 
us in warm dry shacks splitting hairs.
  In the absence of specific written rules, I advocate a reasonable proximity 
clause.  Let's call it the "RHP" for Rock Hurling Provision."  (I welcome a 
more clever or sarcastic acronym.)  If a CL op can barehandedly hurl a stone 
from his antenna base over the border marker, he's close enough to claim the two 
or more CL positions.  This may allow him to find a safer place to set up, 
and does not corrupt the true spirit of the rule.  The effort to get there in 
the first place has already been honorably spent.
   I expect there are some Type A's who will thoroughly trash my thoughts, 
and that's fine.  But then they should press the contest sponsor to address the 
issue through specific regulation so the matter can be put to rest once and 
for all.  Otherwise it will become, "Don't Ask / Don't Tell."
   Maybe this is a solution without a problem, I dunno.
   Regardless, no flames please!  I'm just a fun-loving op spending my $.02 
worth.
   73.  Fraternally, Pete / NL7XM  (NHA)

   P.S. If my call looks familiar, thanks for the point this weekend!