Time To Change The Contest Rules

K1ZZ (ARRL Exec. Director) is a contetser. What do you think the chances are that ARRL will advocate any meaningful contest change?

Hint: LESS than zero.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KD5PSH @ Mar. 29 2004,14:49)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I've listened in on contests; never understood why anyone would do that. ...

KD5PSH[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Contests are great for when you just want to test your antenna pattern, audio filters, operating software, etc. without having to listen to medical details, an equipment list or a weather report.

73 de KF4PV/3

 

So many contesters argue that "the bands are open all week for non-contesters". Well, how about we limit contests to weekdays. That way contesters could have 5 days per week to "your 5/9 Tuskaloosa" and the rest of us could have two days a week for hamming.

Sounds fair to me.

If contests were LIMITED to weekdays, then 90% of problems would dissapear.

 

Top Seven thoughts on contesting:

1) If contesters have the best engineered stations, then why do they splatter so wide and sound so bad?

2) If contesters have the best operating skills, then why do they come up on existing QSOs?

3) If contesters believe that "might makes right" why do they whine when you squash em like a bug?

4) If contesters are such skilled operators, how come they vaporize so many bandswitches on amps?

5)  If contesters are such skilled operators, why must they ask a 5/9 station to repeat so many times?

6)  If contesters are so skillled, why can't they tell the difference between 5/9 and 3/1?

7) If contesters are so smart, why don't they contest durring the week when the bands are less crowded?


Just a few things I have been wondering about.

 

i like my contests. if the contest on cw qsy to fone if on fone qsy to cw if you can copy cw try psk31 mode 73            

 

Contests and contesters certainly need some limits. I do a LOT of listening and am surprised at the lack of operating courtesy and adherence to FCC rules that a lot of the contesters display. It appears that when a contest is underway, all courtesy by those contestants to any other types of operating (nets, ragchewers, SSTV, etc.) are dispensed with for the sake of racking up a bigger score. There is a prominent contester for example in New Hampshire that always operates typically within 1 Khz of the low end of the 20 and 15 meter phone bands during all of the major DX contests. I've yet to see of any disciplinary action taken for this kind of poor (and illegal) operating practice.

Frankly I would welcome some additional FCC rules relevant to contesting despite what some others say about not needing any additional rules. Since the ARRL, CQ, and others sponsor so many of these contests, they should also show some leadership by being sensitive to the needs of the non-contesting hams. Maybe with a strict UNBIASED disqualification plan to be enforced during one of their sponsored contests, it might help get some of the offenders back on track.

As someone posted earlier about drag racing not being allowed on public streets, so should contesters not be allowed to "run wild" over the rest of the ham community during a contest. No doubt that contesting is an extremely popular activity, it's just out of control.

Bill Sievers
W5IQJ

 

I thank everyone for your fine responses.  I appreciate the "flowers".  I have enjoyed reading them all, both pro and con.  

A few of you are missing an important point that needs to be very clear.

A modification of the current contest rules does not require any authorization from the FCC.

CQ Magazine, The ARRL and any other entity that sponsors or hosts a contest make the rules (times/dates, modes ....) not the FCC.  Likewise, the contest sponsors are free to make changes to the rules without any consultation with the federal government.

In my opinion, if CQ, The ARRL, RAC and all the other so-called "voices of ham radio" really cared, they would pay attention to your responses.  Sadly, I'm afriad that they have moved beyond caring and have grown to be just another coporation with investors and a bottomline to protect.

However, YOU can make a difference and together, perhaps our collective voices can effect some changes.  I urge you all to write to the contacts in the original posting and make yourselves heard, loud and clear!!

73 to you all......Tom VE3II

 

Lets get a written petition together and take it to the folks at CQ and the ARRL

 

Contest free zones would only work if enforced. They were declared for the 10 meter contest, but ignored.  Contests need to have referees. If a station is heard operating in the non-contest portion, then a fine is subtracted from the score. If heard outside the band, take away the contact and multiplier and exact a fine. Signal not confined to band, remove contact and fine. Would sponsors have the guts to do it. Probably not.


I just don't see the sense why nets and qsos try to compete with contests. Would you try to walk your dog in the middle of the start of the NY marathon?  Despite popular comments, major contests are not every weekend. Find somethng else to do. Emergency net? What would you do if a jammer kept your usual frequency unusable? Why not try a different band or section of the band for you net, or take a weekend off. The world will not end if a certain public service net cancels for one weekend.



While I can say I see the most widespread violation of various FCC rules during major contests, I have also had the experience of operating on a frequency for a long time in a contest and having people from a nearby net start up and then start jamming me and using some of the worst profanity I ever heard on amateur radio.  So not just the contesters can be accused of inconsiderate operating.  Why not take the weekend off, instead of getting an ulcer trying to fight it out because of feeling one has the "right" to do what they want, when they want.  Contesting is what thousands of contesters around the world enjoy, and many are only on the bands during contests.  They have a "right" to do what they enjoy too, even if others don't understand it or see the value of it. As far as contest qrm, amateur to amateur interference isn't illegal, only malicious or intentional interference.  In my experience, the vast majority of contesters would qsy if they know they are causing interference to net. But, don't expect them to move after they have been on a frequency for an hour, and someone thinks they have the right to try to drive them off because they want to start a net, or because a net can't be heard when desired.  The contester has just as much right. Just some thoughts.  73 Duane

 

Interesting comments,

It go's both ways guys, I have had rag chewers claim that they own the frequency or where on first when I had been on the frequency all night long. When they where confronted they replied that they had been meeting on that frequency every day for years and that I had used it enough. They then proceded to interfear with my communications.  I'm not saying that the contesters are the best all the time but I have heard "rag chewers go crazy for no reason too. It's the sign of the times! me me me grow up and stop complaining, this is what the commercial interests want, they love it when their is fighting within the ranks it makes it easyer for them to point the finger.  I do agree that the contesters should allow the nets to operate and the same go's for any emergency communications as that is the real reason for this great hobby.  As for moving to a different band I say that is a great idea, I do alot of 17 meter mobile both CW and SSB and have always found enough room give it try you may like it.

73
Al
NS1O

 

I don't think that there is a need for additional rules.

The rules enforceable for malicious interference and bad operating practices are already on the books, and should supercede the rules made by any sanctioning body of a particular contest.

The problem is that they are not enforced on contest weeekends, the contesters know it, and that I believe is where the bullying of the contesters comes into play.

When was the last time you seen an enforcement letter due to bad contesting practices?

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Lets get a written petition together and take it to the folks at CQ and the ARRL
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

That's a nice idea, I don't know about CQ but the ARRL has already proven to me that they really don't care about what we think.......

 

Hi all, and thanks for listening to my response to contesters. First off, I am not a contestor. However, I feel that contests have a very important place in amateur radio. I feel that contesting trains many operators to accurately copy under dificult conditions. This is needed when we need trained operators during an emergency.

So, even though some operators are rude, or some may not use the best techniques, most do, and they are in training for the day that they may be needed!

Steve/WM5Z

 

Rules changes would not be necessary if courteous operating procedure was followed. This last weekend, nets like MidCARS and the Maritime Mobile net were constantly chasing contesters off. These contesters operated is some cases right on or no more than 50 Hz (Yes, I said Hz, not KHz) away. Sometimes, they still wouldn’t move, blasting a splattering 7 KHz wide path of frantic “CQ CONTEST!, CQ CONTEST!” over ships and HF mobiles trying to get checked in. Any contester ham knows those nets are there. Those SSB nets serve more than regchewing and need to be observed.

The competitive nature of contesting may force folks who would be otherwise ashamed to QRM normally to do so without hesitation under heated contest circumstances. Others may simply not care about their behavior. Points and paper are all they want.

It comes down to those who sponsor the contests. If they insists on good, courteous practices, and don't hand out points, awards or anything for ill-gotten contacts under discourteous conditions, contesters will do what is necessary to keep in bounds...otherwise, they won't get what they are on the air get in the first place. If contesters and sponsors are not willing to self-discipline their activities and rules changes or restrictions are the only way to do that, then so be it.

ARRL and CQ...demand your contesters behave like the amateur bands require and not like its “11 meter day” on the amateur HF bands…ALWAYS.

Don't reward discourteous practices. Reward contesters that do a great job making contacts appropriately, WHICH IS MOST OF THEM.

KB8WFH

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am not an avid contester.  I do participate in maybe 2 per year. I get a kick out of it occasionally, and I don't count points or submit logs.

Mass exodus on the bands as displayed during a contest could simulate what may happen if a worldwide catastrophic event would happen.  Contesting could and will improve operating skills during such conditions.  Although it is not required for every ham to operate in all modes and circumstances, it is a good practice occasionally if we should ever need it.  

Tom, I don't necessarly agree that we should set band limits for worldwide contests, not all countries have the same band limit we do.  I do agree that there are folks who go overboard, 5-20 KC wide on SSB, 200 cycles away from an ongoing qso, etc.  This is unacceptable as far as good operating practice would dictate.

When the ARRL or W5YI (VE proposal) gets pushed thru the FCC and approved, the half a million or so techs that are grandfather into general class that go buy an HF radio and jump onto 20, 40 and 75 meters will solve your qrm problem for you.  The term "QRM" will be redefined.  

Mark Ryan
KM5WV

 

On another forum i told how i solved all the problems.I dropped out of the arrl 2 or 3 years ago,shut down and have most of my gear sold.To me ham radio has came down to the level of you know what.If one doesn't run a leener now they don't stand much of a chance.A group,net or what ever will come on your freq and tell you how they have been meetng on that one since they came over on the mayflower or fought in the civil war.So face it,nothig is going to get any better.And if you think it is bad now wait until it is dumbed down even more,if thats possible.