I have entered a LOT of contests in the past 5 years. (hundreds in
fact-check www.3830scores.com for VE9AA) One of the main reasons (besides my
own fun) was to get my call in peoples built-in brain SCP (a la K1AR) and
also to use my built in SCP in my skull and build up my own mental database.
I know not everyone uses some form of electronic SCP/call history file, so
it's important to get your call out there. Three or four contests per year
likely won't do it unless you are a fella with a commanding signal and a
short unique callsign and been at it a long time. (I have none of that) Who
wouldn't want a beachfront property in Lubec Maine with 'stacks and a call
like W1DX , eh ? I digress.
I have SCP running in N1MM+, but as someone else eluded to, it's use is a
slippery slope and I always (well, 99% anyways) ensure I copy what is sent.
Occasionally I'll get lazy/tired and usually that means more busts and
dupes.
I check my LCR every time I get one and often do quite well. Sometimes I
surprise myself, or sometimes I score lower and always want to know why. I
know that is not thanks to SCP but my head. (well, mostly anyways-hi hi)
\
Also, since I rarely contest assisted (unless it's the same class as
non-assisted) here's a good piece of advice: DO NOT TRUST THE CLUSTER ! Too
many busted calls out there.
Yes, there are times if I have heard a super weak station in the mud calling
me 5 times and botched it 5 times I may as a cop-out eventually send back to
him what my SCP is guessing he's sent, but more often than not I will just
use
it to save me time typing, as I am not a touch typist, and basically type
with 3 or 4 digits per hand and a thumb on the spacebar. (I also don't use
ESM in N1MM+.yet anyways.maybe I will as a future time saver)
Doug, I certainly see where you are coming from. I respect your opinion.
The cat is out of the bag, the horse has left the barn and the worms are out
of the can though !
I know for SS and some other QSO parties etc. you really have to listen,
'cuz guys like K8MR (&K1TN) move around (a lot!). (believe it or not, I
already know when I hear K8MR *NOT* to trust SCP even 1%....that's my built
in SCP at work)
Last year for a couple contests I disabled call history/SCP and all I found
I was doing was that I was scrambling a bit at times to keep up typing. I
did OK, but for most contests it's just easier to use prefills, so your
brain can concentrate more on verifying rather than typing. Lazy? I guess
so. If I was a better typist I would in all likelihood not use SCP. Too
many guys moving, using different weird names in every contest and oh, those
loooong EU special prefixes.(eghads I hate those-whoever thought they were
cute is oh, so vy wrong)
Mike VE9AA (p.s.- I have been called VE9DX and/or Andy more times than any
other call period and AA and DX do not sound alike, at all.even a little
bit.) I know this is either from :
A: someone knowing Andy is one of the very few active VE9 stations..and they
just caught the prefix and did not hear the suffix:
B: SCP at work and them not listening.being super lazy
C: grey matter SCP not working very well.
D: ??
Andy, VE9DX is a good guy, so I always just take it as a compliment, but
correct them !
Y*kMV
(*k=kilometerage)
MikeAA
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
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