[CQ-Contest] QRL?

[Bruce Sawyer]

K3ZO posts:
"My stock answer is:  'If you had to move the dial to tell me it was in
use, then it wasn't', and I mean it!"

Then W4AN chimes in:
"I just found a frequency in that 1KC-clear zone you are talking about
and start CQing.  Within a few minutes the frequency was clear of those
folks lower in the food chain.  

And then N6TR sez:
"...Also, if I am a DX station in the ARRL contest - I will pretty much
decide what frequency I want to be on, and clear it out.  Why?  Because
I can."

All I can say is, I'm sure glad these guys don't act like they talk. 
I've never heard any of them behave in other than the most courteous and
considerate manner.  But the words here surely send a confusing
message.  Just think, Guys--most of the people I see posting on this
reflector are not in ANY of my contest logs.  What kind of message do
you think they are taking home from these kinds of comments?  They may
actually take these comments to heart and get on the air some day.  Then
we will have instant bedlam.  

I've played in a no-holds-barred game before, and everybody loses under
that scenario.  Absolutely everybody.  That isn't the case in ham radio,
so I stand by my earlier comments.  I still believe you need to have
some consideration for the people around you.  Otherwise, you just might
be trying to shoehorn somebody like me--or Ivo--out of your way.  Do
this kind of crap to me and I'll stay and fight just to prove you can't
get away with it, even if it costs me the contest.  (Unfortunately, some
of my scores show I have that reaction far too often!)

And to all those folks who claim it's OK to saddle up reeeal close to
somebody as long as you can copy through his QRM, let me rephrase an old
Bob Dylan line:  "I'll let you work through my pile-up if you'll let me
work through yours."

Bruce, ZF2NT

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