Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List

[Trey Garlough]

  CQ-CONTEST at TGV.COM Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List


What is CQ-CONTEST?

CQ-CONTEST at TGV.COM is an electronic mail reflector dedicated to hams
interested in all types of amateur radio contesting.  This is a good
place for score reports, expedition rumors, and other contest-related
discussion or announcements.  This forum is more like the NCJ than
QST; INFO-HAMS at UCSD.EDU and rec.radio.amateur.misc are good places to 
look for a more rounded discussion of the hobby.

Although there is overlap between contesters and DXers, CQ-CONTEST is
not a DX-oriented group.  Currently there is no CQ-CONTEST equivalent 
for DXers, although there are plans for one.  Details will be 
forthcoming.

Each message you send to CQ-CONTEST at TGV.COM will be sent out to all
the other subscribers, kinda like a two meter repeater that has a
coverage radius of 12,000 miles or so.	Think of sending mail to the
list as the equivalent of an ANNOUNCE/FULL message on Packetcluster.
Use regular email to send a message to a specific individual.

Electronic mail is also different from packet radio, in that many
subscribers receive their email through commercial services such as
Compuserve and MCImail.  In essence, many people are paying for each
byte of every message sent to CQ-CONTEST.  In order to minimize
spurious messages, some operating hints are detailed below.


How do I join CQ-CONTEST?

Send subscription requests, change of address requests and questions
of an administrative nature *only* to CQ-CONTEST-REQUEST at TGV.COM.
Make the subject of your message SUBSCRIBE if you want to add your
address to the list.  Send messages to be broadcast to *all* net
members CQ-CONTEST at TGV.COM.


What are the suggested "operating practices" for CQ-CONTEST?

Put your name and call sign on every message you send.	We don't all
know everyone by just a call or a nickname.

Use a subject line that indicates the true subject of your message.

Wait a while before answering someone's question.  Six other people
have probably answered it already.  Many (if not most) answers should
go directly to the person who posed the question, rather than to the
list.

Unlike PacketCluster, many people pay $$$ when they receive messages.
Some people pay per message, some per byte.  Therefore, please take
this into consideration when writing a response; in other words, would
you pay $0.50 to read the message that you just wrote?

Eschew flamage.  If someone sends a flame to the list and you can't
bite your tongue, send your flaming reply directly back to the flaming
individual, not back to the list.  No one wants to pay $1.00 to read
these messages (the original flame + your reply).  Treat flamers the
way you would two-meter repeater jammers - ignore them.

Make sure there is something of value in each message you send to the
list.  Avoid messages that are a complete reprint of someone else's
message, with nothing but "I agree" or "Me too" added to the bottom --
not much value there.

Some people pay by the byte, so when following up to someone else's
message, be sure to include only the essential pieces of thread of
note.  Don't include those 20 extra header lines that your mail
gateway tacked onto the original message.


How can I find out the email address of a particular contester?

John Pescatore, WB2EKK (pescatore_jt at ncsd.gte.com), and George Fremin,
WB5VZL (george554 at austin.relay.ucm.org), maintain fairly current lists
of contester email addresses.  Send a note to them asking for their
lists.


73,  The Wouff Houng