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[CQ-Contest] Response to KA1LMR's Posting About Spotting

To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Response to KA1LMR's Posting About Spotting
From: Cqtestk4xs@aol.com
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 06:12:32 EST
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
In a message dated 3/10/06 4:12:23 AM Greenwich Standard Time, 
ka1lmr@yahoo.com writes:
PS: I notice alot of stations ask the statsions they work to spot them over 
and over I guess that really ought  to be considered self spotting  as well, 
   So apparentaly  not your self , not a friend, or even some one you work 
should spot you!? In that case why allow spotting at all!!??  maybe that would 
make the the socialistic , "nothing better to do doers",  P&Mers happy?!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...........................from an old fart (contesting for most of my 44 
years).

Lot so of things bothered me about your response to K1TTT's posting. The 
thing that bothered me most was your parting shot.

Yes, lots of stations ask me and others to spot them.  Most experienced 
contesters agree that those actions put them in the assisted class or higher.  
I 
have no problem with stations asking for those spots, so long as they claim 
assisted category.  So the answer to the first part of your rhetorical question 
is 
no, you should not ask someone to spot you.  That includes asking your friend 
(if you did ask him) to repeatedly post spots for you and almost no one else. 
 By the way, almost none of the superstations and first class ops do this for 
a good reason...ethics and pride in their reputations.

You may or may not know, not allowing spotting at all has been rehashed many 
times on this reflector.  I personally don't use it, preferring to get my 
mults the old fashioned way. However, I have no problems with guys using it, as 
long as they claim assisted or are in M/S or M/M category.  The problem is not 
packet, it's the lowlifes who use it to cheat when they claim unassisted.

Finally, I'm sure K1TTT has lots of things better to do than analyzing the 
spots...like regularly opening his station to anyone to use for contests and 
acting as an Elmer to them(keep up the good work Dave!). But, he loves the 
hobby 
enough to selflessly do this stuff........and take crap when someone gets 
caught with his fingers in the spotting jar.

If you have heard from contesters on this, my feeling is they are probably 
experienced guys and they are trying to self-police....a very difficult and 
noble thing to do.  It's hard to approach someone about questionable operating 
habits.

They are not "socialists" who are trying to run your contesting life.  They 
are guys (and XYLs) who want to keep everyone playing by the rules.

My shack's walls, like yours, are lined with plaques and certificates from 
contests.  I know, and visitors do too, they were gotten by hard work and 
fair-play.  Regardless of how many first place finishes one gets, and how many 
plaques and certificates one hangs on the walls, without the respect of his 
fellow 
contesters, those trophies are meaningless and hollow.  

Once someone gets the reputation as a cheat, whether it is for abusing 
packet, running illegal power or some other thing, his accomplishments are 
always 
tarnished by that, "I wonder if he cheated in that one too ?".

Bill K4XS
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