[CQ-Contest] IOTA Contest 99 and Darwin

[W1HIJCW at aol.com]

> When will they realise that two letters only and
>  stupid list systems do not increase your run rate, which is the objective 
in
>  a contest? 

Stewart, 

I usually promise myself not to enter into these kind of debates, but ...

The two letter crap comes from people who think that if one talks fast enough 
and loud enough one will be the first to be heard --- same kind of people who 
think that the solution, when faced with trying to communicate in a language 
one doesn't know, is loud yelling in a language one does know. 

The no-call-sign mentality (except for the situation you describe of pileup 
control) comes I think from a self-centered view -- "I know what my call is, 
the rest of the world should also".

I was struck by the vast difference between the 99 and 98 IARU 'test 
behaviour (at least on CW) regarding sending callsigns more often, and 
verifying that both calls were correct. Might it have something to do with 
the fact that serious logchecking was done in IARU 98 for the first time, and 
it was not the subject of any special announcement???  I know I was a lot 
more careful this year than last.

>  There MUST be a way of teaching operating technique to radio
>  amateurs. Otherwise we have a hobby totally out of control. I could go 
on...
>  
It's really simple -- it's called negative reinforcement -- if the technique 
is poor, don't work them ... Undoubtedly some of the people will figure out 
that if they do give a full callsign, they get a QSO quicker, and maybe the 
lesson will stick. It works for my dog.  --- and for the ones who don't 
figure it out --- well, that was Darwin's point. 

Cheers/73,

Bill
W1HIJ


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