[CQ-Contest] Has the contest ended?

[James Neiger]

Jim White, K4OJ wrote:
> 
> The tall guy writes........
> 
> "AGREE WITH YOUR NO. 2, AND TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH YOUR NO. 1."
> 
> Hmmmmmmmmmmm..............from this I gather you have been taping, mebbe I
> have missed the boat on this somewhere along the way over the
> years.......perhaps its that New England Puritan thing.
> 
> .......it just seems that listening to it AGAIN, AFTER the contest is over
> and then enhancing the quality of my log would somehow be sort of like a
> take home exam.
> 
> My perception of what a contest is, I guess.......
> 
> 73,
> 
> Jim, K4OJ
> 
> Florida Contest Group - visit our website at:
> 
> http://www.4w.com/deemer/fcg.htm
> 
> The Florida Contest Group sponsors the Florida QSO Party, check out the FQP
> website@:
> 
> http://home1.gte.net/wd4ahz/fcg/ssqp.htm

K4OJ de N6TJ
Hello, the other tall guy:

TU Jim for the nice response. I don't tape too many of the contests
anymore, but always fun to listen to after the fact.  Great education,
at least.  Have tried to keep many of my D44BC and ZD8Z  tapes,  and
when I'm too old to cut the mustard anymore (soon?) it will be great fun
to sit in the wheel chair, grandkids on lap, and remember how I "used to
do it".

As to using the tapes in any post-contest application, I think maybe
I've done it twice.  Some I know, have recorded the contest entirely as
their primary log, and then transcribed it into a computer log.  I
personally don't have a problem with that!

Let me just say, I think it's a different animal for stateside ops as
opposed to DX ops who may have thousands of more QSO's.  Why?  Primarily
because of the penalty!!  You bust a call, for any reason, and you lose
FOUR QSO's.  And when your multiplier exceeds 700, the score can drop in
a hurry.  Also, big difference in S&P vs. running.  In the latter, you
here the call ONCE in a pileup with sometimes HUNDREDS calling.  BIG
diff if you're S&P and can sit and wait for the DX station to send is
call again, and again.  

Fundamentally, there's no rule/policy on any of this, and if/when that
changes, then all ops of integrity will of course play by the rules,  I
know I will.  On the other hand, I NEVER use packet, and NEVER compare
my logs against others, and NEVER compare it with a data base.  NEVER. 
If the compelling maxim is to have the most accurate log possible, and
the rules allow me the time to do so, I guess I'd be pretty stupid to
not be serious about it.  This all assumes that I'm in a TO THE DEATH
competition for world-high (like OH2BH and me last October). Anyone who
thinks Martti Laine and the other Finns  DON'T think this is a war with
the Americans haven't read pages 6-12 of the July/August CQ CONTEST.  
If I know I'm not in a neck and neck with someone, even though it may
be  a new world record and/or world high, I don't spend too much time
with the log.  Just make sure (1)it's duped, and (2) I got all the
multipliers right.

And for those who say, "get a life", or "this is supposed to be fun", I
say, BRAVO SWANEE! (or equivalent).  If I invest 2-3 weeks of my life,
spend thousands of bucks to travel to some banana republic to be the
most competitive I can be, it is now SERIOUS BUSINESS.  And some of us
are doing it multiple times a year, year after year.  Most people
wouldn't even get on some of the airplanes some of us have to take to
reach our cherished destinations.  I'm amazed that I do, but I always
rationalize that if it ends this way, I at least went doing what I love
best.  NO COMPLAINTS OR EXCUSES ON THIS END.  It's definitely NOT for
everyone; and for those it isn't, I recommend they stay home and
continue to do it however they choose.  But, please, UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE
IT, don't be so quick to judge.


                      73

                         Jim Neiger
                         N6TJ


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