[CQ-Contest] 10 Meter contest write-up - IT STINKS!

[Jimmy D. Roller]

Jim, well said, indeed!

While the current comments are in regard to the ARRL 10 Meter contest
results, I would share that this is not a new problem, as you and others
have indicated. You are not paranoid! While Field Day is not a contest
(heh-heh), our little group has worked long and hard (six years) to get
to the top of the 1A category. We finally did this in 1997. Imagine my
chagrin when I opened November QST and saw us listed in 2nd place! A
phone call to the contest desk revealed that the score of a California
2A operation was listed in the 1A category in error. A correction
(buried, of course) in QST was promised, but, to date, has not been
seen. Least we kill the messenger, e-mail was NOT the culprit - the N4IR
entry was a PAPER submission.

This experience and others related on the reflector indicate one or two
problems, or a combination of them. One, the contest staff is underpaid,
overworked and cannot handle the amount of work required of them. (So
what else is new in this brave, new, downsized world we live in, eh?)
Two, the contest staff is either incompetent and/or insufficiently
motivated to do the quality work the job entails. If you leave out the
log-checking, which seems to be the case most of the time, accurate
reporting of contests should be a no-brainer. An entry level clerk with
proper training should be able to handle this with no problem at all.

I commiserate with all who have been slighted in the 10 Meter contests
and other contests as well. Your consolation is that of wetting yourself
while wearing a dark suit - you get a warm feeling, but nobody notices.
I would submit that contesting in general and contest reporting in
particular at ARRL be more than a "look into this matter" situation.
That obviously doesn't work! Instead, let's get this problem cleaned up
once and for all. If it is a matter of people power and funding, I'm
sure there are any number volunteers in the contest community who would
be glad to help out at no cost to the League. If it's a lack of
competence or motivation, then the Excutive Vice-President and/or the
Board of Directors have all the authority necessary to clean house. What
ever it takes, let's get it done! I agree with you, not only in regard
to the 10 Meter contest, but in all ARRL contests lately - IT STINKS!

73,

Jim Roller, N4IR


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