Self spotting obviously did not ruin the ARRL SSB, and it is definitely one now
legal way to increase score. But, it just doesn't feel right. Below is what I
sent to Bob W5OV in the ARRL contest forum and directly to the CAC.
Context: Bud AA3B both independently put in similar but slightly different
feature requests to the N1MM Logger+ team to support comment field labeling of
self spots. Bud's implemented - you can now include text in your self spot, Bud
suggested "QRV" and a few were doing that. Bud's goal was to make finding self
spots more easily. The version pushed out before the ARRL DX SSB includes Bud's
suggestion.
Mine was rejected - I wanted a default value put in the text field so I could
choose to filter out self-spots. Right now the AR cluster syntax doesn't
support doing so. That would hurt me more than it would hurt any self spotter,
but, like not using history files, it is what I'd like to do.
I'm going to check to see if there has been a feature request turn Spot All S&P
Qs by default, which I think is a much better solution.
73 John K3TN
Hi, Bob - I feel like self spotting goes against the values we've had in
contesting and contesting rules for many years.
In the past there have been little things, like MultiMulti ops not being
allowed to go home and work the MM from home. That was never going to swing the
results but it represented a value that QSOs should be made the right way,
kinda like fishing in a barrel is not an acceptable norm in fishing.
I sent in comments that I was against it in HF non-SSB contests where we
already have skimmers doing a fine job of spotting stations large and small.
I'm not a big VHF contester so don't think my opinion shouldn't count there -
but I feel the same way there! Contesting and skeds to me should not go
together, nor should self-spotting.
The rules changed, so be it. I'd like a way in CW and RTTY contest for me to
not participate. I doubt that is a meaningful punishment to anyone but me, and
it let's me maintain my values. The other way would be for me to only look at
skimmer spots, which would punish me a bit more!
I would have much, much, much rather see the CAC and members talk with the
contesting community to think of ways rules could be changed to encourage more
spotting in SSB contests - that is the real issue that was trying to be
addressed, since there is no shortage of spots in CW and RTTY tests.
A feature request to N1MM to make the "Spot every S&P QSO" the default would
have been a simple step. The ARRL using RBN stats after the contest to have
"Top 10 Human Spotter" listings in the results, maybe even offer $20 coffee
cups to the top spotters, etc. Many other ways to get more spots in SSB tests.
I've been a fan of leaping on most technology changes that have caused
controversy, like FT8 and remote operating. But to me this (and history files
that I choose not to use) are like post contest log manipulation. A norm that
I'd like to see N1MM Logger+ enable choice in, just the way Logger+ was changed
years ago to make post-contest log manipulation harder (not impossible!).
73 John K3TN
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