Interesting to see a couple of negative comments about the AlfaSpid Antenna
Rotator pre-Dayton announcement (but not others...).
The (somewhat-out-of-date) FAQ for the CQ-Contest mailing list says that
advertising is OK (as long as it is approved in advance).
http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/cq-contest
In this case VE6JY contacted the cq-contest list administrators well in advance
(3 months) to make sure it was OK. Personally, I think Don/VE6JY is doing
all the right things - and I assume his product(s) are top-notch as well. I
hope some of you will take a look at it at Dayton and report back what you
think on CQ-Contest.
For those saying they want no advertising, I suppose that means no announcement
of the Contest dinner or Contest forum at Dayton, no announcement of the
Florida/Baltic/Indiana/Italian/NewEngland/VHF QSO parties, no messages from
N6TR about TR software, or K1EA about CT, or N1ND about ARRL contests. I
guess my point is that the line may be hard to draw, and everyone may have a
slightly different view of where it should be - if there is one at all.
The practical solution has been to allow announcements(advertising) in
moderation. As long as it done once in a while (not every day or week or
month), is from someone who is already a list member, and represents something
that would be of real interest to contesters, it seems reasonable to me.
Believe me, some messages with announcements have not made it past the approval
process.
Like K7LXC suggested, I think there is room for more - I know K5RC sells some
quality masts, for example, and there are others on the list who make or sell
good products as well. A product sold by a contester that I know and who has
been a participant in CQ-Contest discussions automatically has my attention.
I like to support people who have something in common with me.
-- Tom/K1KI
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e-mail: frenaye@pcnet.com YCCC --> http://www.yccc.org/
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444
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