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Re: [CQ-Contest] When do we spot? Should it be required?

To: k5zd@charter.net
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] When do we spot? Should it be required?
From: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2015 22:06:40 -0500
List-post: <cq-contest@contesting.com">mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
There should be a rule allowing the software to automatically submit a self 
spot after you have logged perhaps three QSOs on the same frequency - same rule 
for everyone.  After all, when you call CQ on CW you are, in effect, self 
spotting.  

There is a huge advantage in being spotted and, on SSB, there is a huge 
difference in the number of spots for different stations giving advantage to 
those who are spotted frequently and quickly after a frequency change.

73... Stan, K5GO

> On Oct 26, 2015, at 9:29 PM, Randy Thompson K5ZD <k5zd@charter.net> wrote:
> 
> I am not sure where the prohibition against asking to be spotted came from.
> Perhaps it is time to remove that from the rules?  Or go even one step more
> and allow self-spotting.
> 
> We sure noticed the lack of rate until after a spot here at PJ4Q this
> weekend.  
> 
> Randy, K5ZD
> 
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
>> Peter Dougherty (W2IRT)
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2015 1:15 AM
>> To: cq-contest@contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] When do we spot? Should it be required?
>> 
>> As a stateside op who likes to run I'm often frustrated by the lack of
>> spots generated by DX stations for guys on this side. I don't like the
>> rule about being unable to ask to be spotted but I'll never violate it.
>> What I *might* say to a caller, if I'm CQing to generally dead air, is
>> "thanks for the call, it was gettin' pretty lonely here." Once in a very
>> long while someone will give me a sympathy spot. And if not, I'll just
>> try to find a new fishing hole. If it were permitted to ask for spots I
>> bet the average score amongst mid-sized stations would go up by a million
>> or two per contest due to longer runs.
>> 
>> When it comes to me spotting I have the "spot all S&P QSOs" feature
>> turned on in N1MM. This spots any QSO that didn't appear in my bandmap
>> that I enter manually. I doesn't re-spot posted calls, however. I wish
>> that feature was set to on by default or would stay on once engaged but
>> that's a policy decision by Tom and his crew.
>> 
>> I try to remember to spot my fellow FRCers when I run across them, and
>> I'm extremely grateful when one spots me in return, but at the end of the
>> day, it seems that EU and Caribbean stations will be spotted far more
>> than US stations. In my own case, I was spotted 15 times during CQWW but
>> a quick search of a few of the Caribbean powerhouses with well over 100
>> spots. It's no wonder they never run out of callers!
>> 
>> 
>> ---------------------------------------------
>> GO FRC!
>> Peter, W2IRT
>> 
>> www.facebook.com/W2IRT
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
>> Edward Sawyer
>> Sent: Monday, October 26, 2015 2:23 PM
>> To: cq-contest@contesting.com
>> Subject: [CQ-Contest] When do we spot? Should it be required?
>> 
>> Taking a look at my spots this morning.  It is very surprisng when you
>> are spotted and when you are not spotted according to DX Summit.  Are
>> there other locations where spots exist on SSB that is not shown here?  I
>> had a number of runs during the contest and was never spotted according
>> to DX Summit.  A nice JA run on 15M and very loud and fast 20M run to EU
>> on Sunday afternoon, neither of these ever appear despite producing
>> probably 400+ Qs in the log over a few hours.
>> 
>> With CW, the RBN system is an effiient harvester of signals that
>> basically instantly populates the band map with spots.
>> There is no such system on SSB.
>> 
>> The major contests call asking to be spotted a violation. Every contest,
>> I either hear or am asked a few times regardless.  I am very fine with
>> this being considered unsportsmanlike.  However, with the increasing
>> number of contesters having a contest experience that is nothing more
>> than clicking on spots, its becoming equally unfair for stations to be
>> spotted in very disproportionate frequencies.
>> 
>> I put this question to the contest sponsors and the assisted and multi-op
>> contest community: What is your responsibilty to make spots of stations?
>> Are you just a harvester?  Or do you contribute to the process?  It would
>> seem to be in everyone's interest that doesn't "spin the dial" much, or
>> at all, anymore to make sure that the interaction is bi-lateral.
>> 
>> Should a minimum spotting requirement be added?  We have a minimum ID
>> requirement in CQ major contests?  How about a minimum spotting
>> submission requirement for those using the system?
>> 
>> I personally like the unassisted experience.  But being a "ghost"
>> in the bandmap world doesn't help anyone in contesting anymore.
>> 
>> 73
>> 
>> Ed N1UR
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