More on EME Contest Rules - Elimination of Assisted Class
After reading "Rules for the ARRL International EME Competition" published by the VUAC I think it is clear that there is a big flaw in their thinking.
Let me draw your attention to the third issue on the list (bottom of page two) - Assisted category? If you read through there, the ONLY benefit they list is:
"The principle argument in favor of assistance is that real-time self-spotting and
arranging of schedules allows higher QSO totals for stations using them."
Furthermore, they go on to say that the counter-arguments are "many."
The only attention they gave to smaller stations is the fourth point down:
"The Assisted category was “intended to encourage smaller stations and operators who may be new to EME” [see rules 5.3.4, 5.3.8], but in practice it has not worked out that way."
They have failed to draw attention to the fact that assistance (in the form of spotting and scheduling) makes it more likely for small stations to make contacts IN THE FIRST PLACE! They say "but in practice it has not worked out that way". This is the primary argument FOR having the assisted categories - it helps the smaller stations. It also helps the bigger stations.
Because this is a contest, and the object of contesting is to make as many QSO's as possible in the contest time period, it is hard to say that "it isn't a numbers game." However, the way I am going to use this term is it is NOT just a numbers game. If you take a 100w station with a single yagi and toss it in the contest the only way that station is going to be able to make contacts is with JT6m or similar. CW won't work, maybe if you are working KB8RQ, W5UN, or RN6BN, but only in optimum conditions even to work the biggest of Big Gun's. In order to make JT6m work you have to be right on frequency and in the right sequence. You can't just simply tune around the band like you can on HF. You are trying to find a needle in a haystack, and if you aren't timed right or are slightly off you will never find it. Small-station EME is a very big challenge and should be given more credibility than the VUAC has put on it - they failed to adequately address them as a consideration.
Even with assistance there is nothing saying you will make a bunch of contacts. For a 100w single yagi station it will be hard to get a hand full. Take out their spotting and scheduling and I bet that station would be lucky to get one.
There are two ways to make contacts in this case:
1. Sit on a frequency assumed to be clear (it will be very difficult to detect if someone is there in the first place) and call CQ hoping that someone stumbles across your signal.
2. Scroll the band parking on one frequency for a few minutes running the decoder on even and odd minutes. If no traces show up, move a little bit and scan again.
For HF this would be no issue. However, even the weakest of signals on HF fail to compare to what small EME stations are up against. For EME these methods are highly inefficient.
The VUAC is drawing attention to all the negatives. Whether people abuse the use of assistance or not is a valid argument, but without the assistance there will be people (many) who simply won't be able to compete because they can't make any contacts.
Let me draw your attention to the third issue on the list (bottom of page two) - Assisted category? If you read through there, the ONLY benefit they list is:
"The principle argument in favor of assistance is that real-time self-spotting and
arranging of schedules allows higher QSO totals for stations using them."
Furthermore, they go on to say that the counter-arguments are "many."
The only attention they gave to smaller stations is the fourth point down:
"The Assisted category was “intended to encourage smaller stations and operators who may be new to EME” [see rules 5.3.4, 5.3.8], but in practice it has not worked out that way."
They have failed to draw attention to the fact that assistance (in the form of spotting and scheduling) makes it more likely for small stations to make contacts IN THE FIRST PLACE! They say "but in practice it has not worked out that way". This is the primary argument FOR having the assisted categories - it helps the smaller stations. It also helps the bigger stations.
Because this is a contest, and the object of contesting is to make as many QSO's as possible in the contest time period, it is hard to say that "it isn't a numbers game." However, the way I am going to use this term is it is NOT just a numbers game. If you take a 100w station with a single yagi and toss it in the contest the only way that station is going to be able to make contacts is with JT6m or similar. CW won't work, maybe if you are working KB8RQ, W5UN, or RN6BN, but only in optimum conditions even to work the biggest of Big Gun's. In order to make JT6m work you have to be right on frequency and in the right sequence. You can't just simply tune around the band like you can on HF. You are trying to find a needle in a haystack, and if you aren't timed right or are slightly off you will never find it. Small-station EME is a very big challenge and should be given more credibility than the VUAC has put on it - they failed to adequately address them as a consideration.
Even with assistance there is nothing saying you will make a bunch of contacts. For a 100w single yagi station it will be hard to get a hand full. Take out their spotting and scheduling and I bet that station would be lucky to get one.
There are two ways to make contacts in this case:
1. Sit on a frequency assumed to be clear (it will be very difficult to detect if someone is there in the first place) and call CQ hoping that someone stumbles across your signal.
2. Scroll the band parking on one frequency for a few minutes running the decoder on even and odd minutes. If no traces show up, move a little bit and scan again.
For HF this would be no issue. However, even the weakest of signals on HF fail to compare to what small EME stations are up against. For EME these methods are highly inefficient.
The VUAC is drawing attention to all the negatives. Whether people abuse the use of assistance or not is a valid argument, but without the assistance there will be people (many) who simply won't be able to compete because they can't make any contacts.
posted by Steve at
12:21 PM
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