I hope not the way DXing went. With lists, nets, net controls, phone
patches....
To me, it was destroyed with the use of "crutches," it lost meaning
counting new ones, Honor Roll. So that part of competitive Ham Radio was
diluted by few "clever" ones: "Last heard, you were 3 by 5...., good
contact!"
Now the technology and its "clever" use is catching up with contesting.
Terminology and meaning is being twisted and massaged to fit personal
interpretation, meaning of intent and rules.
If someone installed outboard engine on the sail boat and went to
compete in sail boat category, that would be nuts and not acceptable. If
cyclist put motor on his bike and went to compete in Tour de France, it
would not be allowed - outside of rules.
But in Ham Radio we are not that stupid, we allow technology to
"improve" our competitiveness and fun. First we call it Assisted, then
we blend it all together and come out with "better" rules, ignoring the
purpose and tradition of competition. Slap the engine on it and click
away on the world of spots. Take it! If not, you are Luddite and
irrelevant, "progress" is unstoppable in Ham Radio. Stoopid Tour de
France or Americas Cup just don't get it. We hams are waaaay ahead.
The results?
More "clever" ways around, not just pushing the power a bit, but now the
Internet connection to rest of the world's clicking hams, remote secret
sites, Skimmers across the World, rentaStations, pretending to be on
Spratly, ...... Mostly pretending to still be in the sail boat
category, telling the rest to hop on board, that is the future.
Impact on bands? Horrendous pileups on poor multiplier. Endless CQing,
hogging the precious frequency while clicking away on multipliers, ...
The trend and push is now on blending the SO categories, mount your jet
or rocket engine on the sail boat and show those Luddites with just sail
how it is done! All the fun you are missing!
We are in technology hobby/sport and should not ignore the tradition
(sails) in application of modernization (engines) to our contests. Want
new category (sail and jet)? Add it. But do not force the rules to
eliminate the tradition and records for those who enjoy it.
For me, the contesting is approaching the status and "fun" of DXing.
With personal events, station building problems I am primed for
retirement, perhaps occasional MM help or fun expedition, but serious
contesting has lost my interest. Will start disposing equipment that I
accumulated and get back to photo/video that has technology now
exploding.
I treasure and am proud of old days as OK3BU, VE3BMV, etc. when I build,
modified my stations, Big Bertha with Razor Beams on 48x100 ft city lot,
with horrible power line noise and results and records achieved without
crutches of Internet. I built, modified and operated my sail boat and
competed with others likewise. I loved every minute of it, learned a lot
and used it to better myself and in my professional engineering life.
I just wish that Hams used logic in shaping the contesting and rules.
Assisted - should be anything by SOMEONE ELSE outside of my shack, by
any means, Internet. SO should be ME and my radios and gadgets in MY
shack, my antennas, my skimmer, my computers, my radios licensed to my
QTH, nobody "hunting" stations for me and feeding info via whatever. But
this must be so hard to comprehend.
Flame retardant pajamas on and 73!
Yuri, K3BU.us
www.MVmanor.com <http://www.MVmanor.com>
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