There have been a lot of posts about packet here recently, so
many that it's hard to tell which one you're rebutting sometimes.
It's pretty clear that we're not here to gripe and to disapprove.
We may put our ideas in the form of gripes and disapprovals, a
bunch of "ABSOLUTE DISGRACE" statements, etc., but what
we are really doing is talking about is the things that would make
contesting more fun -- hopefully more fun for all of us.
Those who tell us that casual contesters use packet and packet
increases casual contester's contest contact totals have a great
message.
Those who tell us that highly competitive contesters don't always
personally enjoy using packet, despite the fact that they get a
marginal score increase, make a great point too. Perhaps this is
because highly competitive contesters see themselves as receiving
less benefit from packet than do the less competitive contesters.
The highly competitive contesters are also particularly keen on
avoiding scenarios where cheating is encouraged by poorly
selected poorly written, or poorly enforced rules, or where the
rules create an uneven playing field where an even playing field
is practical.
My opinion is that this discussion is needed. If we don't discuss
these things, then contests with problematical rules (example: the
present WAE packet rules) are allowed to proliferate.
Truthfully, I believe that most DX contests do a very poor job
of creating an even playing field. I believe this, even though I'd
have to point up that most VHF contests are worse in this
regard. It's just built in to the nature of the beast. I'd really
like to see a good DX contest where the level of difficulty for
each contact is somehow factored into the scoring. Perhaps
in such a contest the use of packet in locating the station should
count against the score awarded for the contact, just to be fair.
There is a pretty good precident for these kinds of approaches.
We've had contests with power multipliers, contests with point
advantages for CW contacts over phone contests. Difficult
contacts such as those with countries not yet contacted in the
contest are routinely rewarded seriously by the scoring systems.
So let's keep the new ideas on the table, and avoid cursing
them as "gripes" and "disapproval". My favorite new idea is
cutting packet out of the equation for the competitive multi's to
allow mutiops to be more fun for the operators.
----- Original Message -----
From: <kr7x@attbi.com>
To: "tombaugh" <tombaugh@discoverynet.com>
Cc: <CQ-Contest@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 11:04 AM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Rebutal to Scourges of Contesting
> Tom:
>
> Thank you for you comments. I agree whole heartedly.
>
> Having had the opportunity on several occasions to operate at big
gun DX
> stations, I confirm your view.
>
> The use of packet or other spotting methods by casual operators
helps keep the
> rate up and the multipliers coming. Not all are captured by running
but at
> least 90 percent are.
>
> If the use of spotting spurs the participation by casual operators
then the
> contest benefits and the activity level is increased. Is this not
what we want
> as contesters?
>
> The policing of activity should be self directed and the exclusion
of
> participants is the domain of the sponsors and their log checkers.
>
> This thread is churned after every major contest and is getting
thread-bare.
> Contesting is a leisure activity and participation is not life
critical.
>
> Get on, participate and have fun.
>
> 73
>
> Hank Lonberg, P.E.,S.E.
> Lonberg Design Group Ltd.
>
> KR7X -- IH9/KR7X -- IH9P
> Pantelleria Contest Team
> Tikirriki Contest Club
>
> > All of these gripes fall into the same category of disapproval.
> > Contester A is unhappy with the rules as they are for one reaosn
or another.
> > In an apparent effort to try to sway the contest sponsors to
change the
> > rules to something which THEY prefer, they gripe on reflectors
such as this.
> > Changing categories, offering shorter contest, removing packet,
adding other
> > categories all fall into this same scenario. Personally I am
thankful to all
> > of the contest sponsors for providing all of the coordination
necessary to
> > run such successful contests and hope they will continue to try to
bring us
> > the most active contest possible. Perhaps the continual bickering
will cease
> > when folks take their own advice by not participatig in these
activities
> > which are so degrading the very hobby. Without participants,
contests would
> > not be as much fun, and without packet, there would not be as many
> > participants. The "casual operator" is the one who makes the
contest. The
> > casual 'lil pistol, tribander and wires operator is the reason why
> > successful contests exist. The sooner contesters realize that the
sooner
> > they'll become successful. Top notch multi teams don't need packet
because
> > they're too busy making contacts. Although packet may be part of
the reason
> > these big gun stations are successful, it is not THEIR use of
packet but the
> > 'lil pistols use of Packet to find them. If you wish to deter
casual
> > (tribander and wire) type operators from getting on for a few
hours to
> > finding their "new one" remove packet. I'm still not sure why
people all
> > over want to change the existing rules. It's similar to the "I'll
take my
> > ball and go home mentality." The difference it that this is NOT
your ball.
> > Play the game by the rules. If you don't like the rules, don't
play the
> > game. As for the distinguished OM's one of the author's referred
to, I
> > assure you (with no intended disrespect the those mentioned) that
most hams
> > have no idea who they are. Even many of us in the contest world
have no idea
> > who they are. Although they may be rolling over in their graves,
they would
> > surely be happy that their beloved past-time still exists.
> >
> > Tom Baugh
> > AE9B
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------
> > The world's top contesters battle it out in Finland!
> > THE OFFICIAL FILM of WRTC 2002 now on professional DVD and VHS!
> > http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~jamesb/
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> >
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