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[CQ-Contest] contesting in the 21st century

Subject: [CQ-Contest] contesting in the 21st century
From: jayt@comtch.iea.com (Jay Townsend)
Date: Fri Jul 25 08:15:23 1997
Pete Smith wrote:
> 
> Just let me register my agreement with Glenn and Cornelius.  What needs to
> happen is for there to be a consensus about what elements constitute the
> essentials of the sport of amateur radio contesting - certainly, sole use
> of amateur radio as the communications medium

Lets start with one point at a time. I would think that consensus on this
point would at least be fairly easy to obtain.

> and sole use of human brain
> power for decoding are two good places to start.

Since the "sport of amateur radio contesting" already includes elements
that do not support your above element it should be dropped. RTTY
contesting which has a long history in amateur radio contesting has used
mechanical devices to decode for years. It now uses electrical or just
computer devices and software to do the same.

In much the same manner that keyboard logging by computer has pretty much
replaced hand logging in the sport. And the use of computer programs to
"encode" has replaced hand keys, why then, would it be unreasonable for
the sport to evolve to using decode devices. And why would anyone care?

Your analogy of sailing as a sport was good. Hasn't there been many
changes and advancements (or steps backward if you will) over the years.
To preclude change in a rapidly evolving sport is to limit growth or
indeed to create stagnation.

Since decoding probably at this point refers to CW decoding; Do programs
like S56A's cause you that much concern? The guys like Rich, HC8A, who
hand log don't seem to worry. Wouldn't another 1,000 entries using CW
decoding machines make it just more fun ?

I think that the second premise to agree on is that it should be fun.
Isn't SS more fun with pins and sweep cups ? Don't we get more entries.


-- 
Jay Townsend, WS7I  < jayt@iea.com >






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