I don't think Paul is an instinctive defender of the status quo. He's really saying that you need to define what's unique about sailboat racing, and preserve that, while encouraging technology to evo
I'm retiring on April 1, and at that time I will need to move the World Contest Station Database off my desktop work machine. My cable internet provider at home doesn't permit web hosting on clients,
Interesting ... I normally use 3-4 seconds between automated CQs, and don't recall ever being bumped off a frequency as a result. I wonder what the general consensus is? BTW the Ctl-Q facility in TRL
This won't change, because all the contest administration is done by part-time volunteers. Even more important, the magazine itself would probably close down if it no longer had a monopoly on reporti
Nice thread indeed -- I entered my first contest when I was 15 or so, but that was in 1956 -- quite a different era, and I'm reluctant to draw any conclusions, but in those days DX was hard enough to
For whatever it's worth, when I'm running, my software (TRLog) is set up so that if I change the call-sign I've copied, it automatically acknowledges the correction. I think that's fundamental. As fo
With respect, I think this is equally bad practice, but in another sense. KE9NA's last transmission (above) should have been "IB0JTF (or phonetics) QSL QRZ". Otherwise the IBO never does know for sur
Want to hear it done right, listen to ZD8Z. Granted, the call is nice and tight -- not E4/G3WQU or something -- but he gives it every time while running. Even alternating one call-sign with two "Than
The unit mentioned in the latest QST for integrating rig and sound card fot PSK31 operation is also advertised as an interface for use with contest sound card software. Anyone used the unit yet for t
I've finally gotten my 1992-vintage K1EA DVP to operate reliably without (much) hum, but my recorded messages seem to contain a lot of background noise - computer fan, etc. I have a hunch that some c
Recently I saw a message posted (here, I think) in which the writer took for granted that computer robot ops already exist that can do as well as a skilled human in operating a contest. The writer sa
While you're at it, also check out the date of that message ... you've been had, rather skillfully. Chip Henderson and Domingo Siete, indeed! 73, Pete Smith N4ZR n4zr@contesting.com -- CQ-Contest on
control op, sure, but are your "hard-core" folks really that "hard?" On our FDs, there is always plenty to do till the gun sounds, but lots of operating time available on the "regular" stations, and
Hi Dick -- No, of course not. What I wanted to shed some light on is whether technology is to the point where rules need to be written to prevent it. Over the last few years, there have been several
I normally agree with Will, but in this case I don't share his rationale. There are many types of competition -- sailboat racing and sports car racing come to mind -- where the proliferation of categ
Bob's absolutely right -- having each number represented by 5 elements makes it a lot easier in QRM/N. Many, many times on 40 last weekend I found myself able to copy one digit of a serial number by
... Depends... if I'm serious about a contest, and I start on a band where the signal to noise ratio is high, I tend not to keep the leading zero, because I don't think it adds anything when most eve
I'm interested in installing emergency power for my CONTEST station (and for some other essential home services). I understand the rationale for a transfer switch, but most of the systems I've seen "
After a long and complex series of technical difficulties, the World Contest Station Database is available again now at http://www.qsl.net/n4zr. The database itself is being hosted by Leigh Jones, KR
... I can't resist commenting. This is one of the more heartening developments in my 4th decade of contesting. Nothing will do more for the health of the sport than credible log checking in all the m