Allow packet for all? Please don't do it!
As I see it, part of the test in "contest" involves the radio skills
needed to find as well as work stations - understanding propagation and
band occupancy, making decisions about if, when and on what band to S&P
for mults, making effective use of the receiver as well as the
transmitter. If you split these tasks so that some of the receiving
parts (i.e. multiplier search) are done for you by other people via
packet, don't kid yourself that you are any form of single op! If you
want to work dx as a priority or feel that packet is a necessary tool
then there are already 3 kinds of multi-op categories (including
"assisted") for you. Isn't that enough? I sincerely hope that CQWW as
the world's premier contest, will continue to cater for true single-op
contesting.
I too came across what I took to be packet-induced pile-ups. Look at it
this way - these are QRM sinks! There is probably another mult just up
the band that's not been spotted and is on a clear frequency (QRM sucked
onto the spotted station) This happened several times for me working
Carribean on 10m - though, regetably, I also wasted too much time in
pile-ups. Live and learn....
Steve, G0AEV
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