I don't know about the rest of the cluster systems, but I can tell you how the
FRC system works.
The FRC Network is dedicated strictly to contesting 4 weekends a year. THIS
network was established and paid for by contesters to be used during contests.
The DXers get the benefit of it the rest of the year. You don't do casual DXing
on the FRC network on those four weekends a year. It is policy here that you
don't spot SSB during a CW contest, and vice versa. If you do, you will hear
about it. If you do it too often, you will be locked out for the weekend -
fast. And, if you don't like the rules on those four weekends a year, you can
go play on the internet, or in your dollhouse, or wherever.
We spot busted calls so that our M/Ms and Assisted ops know that a spot is
wrong. We don't like incorrect spots, and we all try to listen to get the calls
correct, but mistakes DO happen. With CT, it's a simple matter of going into
the spot window and deleting the BUSTED call, along with the original spot for
that busted call. It is done during the contest and not after, as was
originally suggested. We do it to improve the overall score of the FRC. We do
it to avoid penalties imposed by the contest sponsors for having busted calls in
the log. It's not an "individual" thing at all.
Personally, I don't like internet spots, and I couldn't care less if our BUSTED
routine messes up the rest of the world on contest weekends. If somebody
doesn't like it, don't connect to our network on contest weekends.
I also don't care if someone doesn't like the ASSISTED category, but then, they
certainly have the right to their own opinion. What is fun for some, may not be
fun for others. That's why they make rye bread with seeds and without.
73, Gene..N2BIM..>>
SYSOP - N2BIM node on the FRC network.
--
CQ-Contest on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/_cq-contest/
Administrative requests: cq-contest-REQUEST@contesting.com
|