Mistake by ARRL: Eliminated Assisted Class in EME Contest
Those of you who read my blog know I operate VHF. I have done some roving in the ARRL VHF Contests, put EN39 on the air, etc. In fact, I am planning on doing some more roving coming up in the September contest (but don't hold me to that - I don't know if it will be possible yet, but I surely hope so!)
It has come to my attention that the ARRL has eliminated the Assisted class in the EME contest this year. For those that are not familiar, the Assisted class allows for spotting - via phone, Internet, whatever. It is essentially scheduling contacts with other operators.
Also, for those who may be unfamiliar, it is common for stations to schedule contacts via other means in weak-signal operations. By "weak-signal" I mean modes like Meteor Scatter, Moon Bounce (EME), Long Haul Tropo, Trans-Equatorial, etc. These are highly specialized modes of propagation in which normal radio communications are not easily used and which require specialized gear.
For the weakest modes of them all - Meteor Scatter and Moon Bounce - it is typical to contact stations where the signals on both sides are below the noise floor. This means the signals are inaudible. The way this is done is with digital modes - such as those associated with K1JT's software suite WSJT. The computer is the ear behind the radio and picks apart the noise for signals that we can not physically hear.
Because there is a high population of small stations that, under the conditions of scheduling contacts, can in return get contacts (exchanging the necessary information - call signs and exchange) through these weak signal modes, and who otherwise would not be able to make such contacts and be able to participate in the contest scene, the ARRL has gone against what they stand for - promoting the use of amateur radio and encouraging people to do more with it.
The argument can be said that scheduling contacts is "cheating." However, under the original conditions the Assisted class was specifically set up for these circumstances in the first place. By taking the Assisted class out of the competition the ability for stations to compete - and the majority of them - is cut off.
Thus, the ARRL made a bad choice.
If you are a VHF operator and have any interest in the EME contests, write to the ARRL contest branch and let them know of their mistake - contests@arrl.org.
As a result of the ARRL's choice several big-gun stations are protesting and will be QRT in this year's contest - K5QE for example.
It has come to my attention that the ARRL has eliminated the Assisted class in the EME contest this year. For those that are not familiar, the Assisted class allows for spotting - via phone, Internet, whatever. It is essentially scheduling contacts with other operators.
Also, for those who may be unfamiliar, it is common for stations to schedule contacts via other means in weak-signal operations. By "weak-signal" I mean modes like Meteor Scatter, Moon Bounce (EME), Long Haul Tropo, Trans-Equatorial, etc. These are highly specialized modes of propagation in which normal radio communications are not easily used and which require specialized gear.
For the weakest modes of them all - Meteor Scatter and Moon Bounce - it is typical to contact stations where the signals on both sides are below the noise floor. This means the signals are inaudible. The way this is done is with digital modes - such as those associated with K1JT's software suite WSJT. The computer is the ear behind the radio and picks apart the noise for signals that we can not physically hear.
Because there is a high population of small stations that, under the conditions of scheduling contacts, can in return get contacts (exchanging the necessary information - call signs and exchange) through these weak signal modes, and who otherwise would not be able to make such contacts and be able to participate in the contest scene, the ARRL has gone against what they stand for - promoting the use of amateur radio and encouraging people to do more with it.
The argument can be said that scheduling contacts is "cheating." However, under the original conditions the Assisted class was specifically set up for these circumstances in the first place. By taking the Assisted class out of the competition the ability for stations to compete - and the majority of them - is cut off.
Thus, the ARRL made a bad choice.
If you are a VHF operator and have any interest in the EME contests, write to the ARRL contest branch and let them know of their mistake - contests@arrl.org.
As a result of the ARRL's choice several big-gun stations are protesting and will be QRT in this year's contest - K5QE for example.
posted by Steve at
6:44 PM
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