Thanks & Pranks & WRTC

[BK1ZX70SFL at aol.com]

The Radiosport IS just another contest....not even one of my favorites -
although I helped write the rules years ago!

WRTC is a contest within that contest that is an attempt at showing these
really good guys going at it without geographic or hardware advantages...i e
the usual excuses you see here on the contest reflector after a contest when
the scores roll in.

WRTC is an event for contesters, yup....and event akin to 2:00 AM in a
hospitality suite at Stouffers during the Hamvention ...no question. But to
say that it is just another contest does a great disservice to the organizers
who are highlighting some world class operators' skills and contesting in
general. 

If you don't think that contesters are any different than any other hams, in
most ways you are right, they are just another microcosm of society, but when
it comes to operating techniques like knowing if a short or long CQ is needed
or pullling that weak one out on the first try when another unseasoned
operator wouldn't even know there was someone calling - contesters are the
best and perhaps at the WRTC some of the best of the best will get some
recognition for their years of training.  Don't suppose you are gonna watch
any of the Olympic games from Atlanta either, eh? 

Jim   K1ZX       bk1zx70sfl at aol.com


>From Tom Lindtveit <Tom at utd.com>  Fri Mar 15 13:12:29 1996
From: Tom Lindtveit <Tom at utd.com> (Tom Lindtveit)
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 1996 08:12:29 -0500
Subject: What would You measure?
Message-ID: <01BB1247.43D919E0 at ulster-port17.mhv.net>

Hi all. First, a disclaimer: I am not a big gun, never expect to be. I =
am new to contesting, only 10 years. Please don't jump on me if this is =
not of interest to you, just ingore it like a "wrong mode spot".
 Over the years I have learned a brainfull from my fellow club members, =
and we have done well as a club (GO HVCDX!). I have slowly improved my =
station to produce better scores each year (relative to conditions).Now =
I find I need to improve my sixth sense for where to be, and when, as =
well as what to pay attetiion to during the contest, and what to ignore. =
All those things that come with time, time, time. Some of which can be a =
little intangible.=20
 We all know the best way to learn is to watch an expert. But what I'm =
looking for now is not what a good op does, but how he thinks.
 Pursuant to this, I have secured the help and logs of my fellow club =
members for the recent ARRL DX SSB contest. I'm using a datbase and =
spreadsheet to compare logs and identify strengths and find out where, =
when, and how I missed the boat. I'm looking for places to concentrate =
my improvements for next year as well as how to set my goals going into =
the next contest. Also, do I have any bad habits (like excessive mult =
chasing, that took a while to break), or misconceptions to adjust? I'm =
hoping log analysis will provide light on these questions, and if it =
doesn't, it will give us all some pretty graphs to look at and argue =
about.
 What I've done so far is to breakdown each log by hour, listing the Q's =
and Mults for that hour  and showing the percentage of the total for =
each that each hour represents. This way a 2 meg log can be compared to =
a 500k log. I summarize the log with Total Q's, Total Mults, Avg Q's per =
hour (which turns out to be VERY Interesting), avg mults per hour, hours =
of operation, and the value of a mult (expressed in Q's) at the end of =
the contest. I am not trying to compare scores and show how's best, I'm =
trying to learn (and share) some new insights, so I don't split =
statistical hairs here.
 Now heres my question: If you were doing this, what would you measure? =
What would you look for? How would you want it to be shown? What would =
you be curious about? Any other suggestions?
 Responses can be sent to Tom at utd.com or here if they're not too long.
 I will compile direct responses if I get more than a few.
=20
Respectfully, Tom N2GQS

GO HVCDX! (or do I repeat myself?)

>From ik0hbn at isa.it (Sante Lillo)  Fri Mar 15 13:13:29 1996
From: ik0hbn at isa.it (Sante Lillo) (Sante Lillo)
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 1996 14:13:29 +0100
Subject: Log non-counter QSOs?
Message-ID: <9603151313.AA14716 at net.isa.it>

Although calling a "cq contest" running station, when surely for him you
count less than nothing, is not very polite, I mean that not logging those
stations is a right: It's the same thing to go to a pub for a glass of good
beer and to receive a good coffee. Well, I love coffee, but if I wish a
beer, why have I forced to drink a coffee? 
For what my opinion worth's, I don't log them, but I say them clearly.
For QSLing, usually a card would be "the final courtesy", but sending
hundreds of cards to KY1H every contest I work them, is also not a good idea.
I resolve that making a database: I send to each one only one card for each
band, so when I qso on all the six bands, he will not receive cards anymore.
Of course if I got a card for the same band, I surely answer with "Tnx for Qsl".
An humble prayer to USA friends: " Why don't you put your county, printed on
your card?" A lot of times we can't resolve county and worse, there is not
any way to do it.
I hope don't cover old ground.
Best 73 es cu in pile up.
Sante


73 es DX de Sante

Sante LILLO  (IK0HBN)
Localita' Saineta, 3
01030 Bassano in Teverina (VT) Italy
home telephone: +39 (0) 761-407543  (FAX on demand)
internet : ik0hbn at isa.it
packet adr: IK0HBN at I0INU.IUMB.ITA.EU
DX cluster : I0JBL-6