Contesters,
I have to speak up about the various ideas involving changing
times, bands or rules regarding radio contests. If these changes to
better the contest are due to "natural phenomena" such as propagation or
providing a window for more participants.... then lets discuss it and
implement the rational changes.
If rule changes are considered on the basis of bully -boy tactics by
sociopathic individuals who obtain their kicks by interfering with
contesters, then I would go out of my way NOT to change any aspect of the
contest. There are legal and illegal methods of dealing with these
sociopaths. I would hope the members of this reflector would utilize the
legal methods: Tx identifiers, tape recordings, FCC, etc. etc. The
illegal methods, while emotionally satisfying, may be costly individually
and for amateur radio, if used against the "Good Old Boys".
Dealing with these types is very difficult and frustrating. Kind of
sounds like a contest itself doesn't it? But it has been done since
contesting started and will always be a part of using the limited
frequencies that we have available.
I have every right to a clear frequency... especially during a
contest... and will use every method I know of to use that frequency...
especially when being the object of flak from the deviants. I have in the
past and will continue as long as I seriously contest.
The intense emotions that come out of these confrontations can be
unsettling. But keep in mind that the sun will come up in the east in the
morning, the solar cycle will continue and nobody died as a result of the
deviants trying to get you upset!
In other words, Don't let the b**tards get you! Which is what I'm
getting at here.... Don't make any changes to any test due to jerky
behavior that you have no control over! I may turn the other cheek in a
fight, but I won't leave the ring. I think radio contesting should
operate the same way.
73 and I remain, Lew
Lew Sayre N7AVK lew@teleport.com
P.O.Box 3110 Fax 503-391-2258
Salem, Oregon 97302 160M thru 1296MHz
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