As someone who operates QRP a great deal of the time, I applaud
the sentiment put forth by Randy (W6SJ). I'm not sure if a band plan
segment is the right answer, but certainly it is true that the really
big
stations have a special responsibility to ensure they aren't just
trampling the little fellas. At QRP levels, the amount of disruption I
can make on the bands by not listening carefully before taking over
a frequency is limited; you full-legal-limit guys with stacked
monobanders
have the potential to do a lot more damage!
Pete (N4ZR) had two interesting points: one in jest and one more
serious. The one in jest concerned scoring. Actually, there is some
merit to the idea that working weak signal stations _should_ be worth
more to the big gun station. We've got computers doing all the log
checking, cross-checking, and score computations already. It wouldn't
be difficult to make that change to the programs, it seems to me.
NOTE: I'm not suggesting we do this to any existing contest! I'm just
agreeing that it is an interesting idea, whether made in jest or not.
("Jesters do oft prove prophets.", Act V, Scene 3, King Lear -- or,
for those of us who screwed around in English class like I did,
the translation is: "Truth is often told in jest.")
Pete's second point is well taken. During a contest doing anything
that makes your call longer or harder to copy is a Bad Thing(tm).
When I'm in a contest operating QRP, I just give my call. That's
it. No "/QRP", etc. That said, _outside_ contests, during regular
DXing, rag-chewing, island-hopping, etc., I _do_ sometimes give
"/QRP" or "/M" (if I'm in the car) as DX stations often have some
fun working a small or mobile station, and make it a point to have
"the QRP station go". Different world/different rules.
I've made it a point at every opportunity I've had to thank people
for taking the time and putting forth the effort to work the "little
guys"
like me. When I operate QRP in a contest, I do believe I owe half
my points to the good operators--with good listening skills--on the
other end. I really do appreciate it. I have had ops take the time,
pull my signal out, ensure we got the exchange right, and then
THANK ME at the end of the QSO. Guess what? The guys who
put in this kind of effort also end up at the top of the heap when
the scores come out. Funny, that. :-)
-- Scott (NE1RD)
B. Scott Andersen | "Magic is real, unless declared integer."
bsandersen@mac.com | -- The collected sayings of Wiz Zumwalt
Acton, MA (NE1RD) | http://homepage.mac.com/bsandersen
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