An Open Letter to the EME Community
In what can only be described as a "coup at midnight" a few Anti-Assistance folks on the VUAC have removed the Assisted classes from the ARRL EME contest. This was done essentially in secret, out of the view of the bulk of the EME operators. Only one VUAC member voted against this insanity--Wayne, N6NB. The effect of this, will be to make it very hard for the small EME stations to work anyone in the EME contest. Why these people decided that they needed to harm the smaller stations is hard to understand, especially since the Assisted classes were the most popular classes--there were more logs submitted in the Assisted classes than any other class.
Using digital EME, small stations can work other small stations if they can use coordination to set up schedules. They can then slug it out against the conditions until a valid contact is achieved. Without coordination, a small station will be able to find a few of the "big guns", but they will not be able to work each other because they literally cannot find another trace.
I will not be participating in the EME contest this year, as there is now no class for me. I will submit a Protest Log with NO contacts. I urge you to do the same. Other small EME stations are saying the same thing and will not participate for the same reasons. I believe that there will be a significant drop in participation from the smaller stations because of this extremely ill advised action. I ask that other EME capable stations to contact the ARRL and let them know that you are very upset. It is very important that you send your comments to Sean(skutzko@arrl.org) and request that your email be forwarded to the VUAC representatives.
I don't know why the Anti-Assistance people believe that their way is the only way and we must operate exactly the way that they do. But that is precisely what they believe. Bumbling around the band hoping that you might bump into someone to work is just a very poor way to run a railroad. Please contact me if you agree with these thoughts, we need to get the word out to as many EME operators as possible. Thank you.
Below, is a list of ARRL Officers, Directors, and Vice-Directors. Please send your letters to each and every one of them. Politely, but firmly, voice your outrage at this action, which can only hurt the smaller stations and limit their participation. Please pass this email along to anyone that corrently operates EME or is interested in EME. We need to maximize the participation in EME, not restrict it. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Marshall Williams, K5QE
Sean <skutzko@arrl.org>
Joel <w5zn@arrl.org>
Kay <n3kn@arrl.org>
Rick <k5ur@arrl.org>
David <k1zz@arrl.org>
Bill <n3llr@arrl.org>
Tom <w3tom@arrl.org>
George <w9gig@arrl.org>
Howard <k9km@arrl.org>
Jay <k0qb@arrl.org>
David <k5uz@arrl.org>
Jim <k8je@arrl.org>
Gary <ki4la@arrl.org>
Frank <n2ff@arrl.org>
Joyce <ka2anf@arrl.org>
Bruce <k0bj@arrl.org>
Clifford <k0ca@arrl.org>
Tom <k1ki@arrl.org>
Mike <k1twf@arrl.org>
Jim <k9jf@arrl.org>
William <k7zm@arrl.org>
Bob <w6rgg@arrl.org>
Jim <k6jat@arrl.org>
Dennis <w4pwf@arrl.org>
Patricia <n4ros@arrl.org>
Brian <n5zgt@arrl.org>
Dwayne <wy7fd@arrl.org>
Greg <w4ozk@arrl.org>
Jeffrey <wa4aw@arrl.org>
Richard <n6aa@arrl.org>
Marty <n6vi@arrl.org>
David <k5rav@arrl.org>
John <wb5syt@arrl.org>
Mickey <k5mc@arrl.org>
David <k5uz@arrl.org>
If you agree that deleting the Assisted Class from the EME contest was a major error, please send an email to all the ARRL Officals listed in An Open Letter to the EME Community. Please copy me on that. Express your outrage and tell them that you wish this terribly bad decision to be reversed. Tell them a little about your station and especially if you are a smaller station, tell them that operating without coordination for a smaller station is almost impossible. Thank you...Marshall K5QE
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