[CQ-Contest] Its back, SO2R whining and winning - Round Deux

[K4OJ]

...as much as I hate disagreeing with a W7, heah SS isn't that far away!

Bill, W7TI asks:

>
> A better question is how long until this goes away?  Here's the answer:
It
> will go away when the problem is fixed, and not before.
>

The thread I, and several others have been trying to convey is that it ain't
broke. Several besides W7TI have written me and I am afraid Bill you are
much so in the minority in my in box on this view, albeit you are
passionately vocal about it!

There is a strong parallel here with political approaches to the ills of
society...I am for smaller government (surprised?)  Do not create new laws
(contesting catagories) but enforce the existing ones
(hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm)


> You and the other two-radio guys are missing the point completely.

Hint, Bill....most of us used to have one radio and a wire and a tribander
for a LONG time....as a matter of fact I was the kid with the nice station
while some punk kid with a heath line kicked my butt in the seventies...he
still does, but he has a newer radio than I do these days, honest!


No one
> is denying that the two-radio guys are doing a better thing.  Let me
repeat:
> they are making more QSOs, have better stations, have learned new skills,
> are piling up more points, etc, etc.  No one disagrees.  It is not
necessary
> to include the above arguments in your posts.  We agree they are true.


So are you saying this is NOT a further extension of the skills used by the
"SO1R" crew?  They are not doing more of what the SOI1R guys are
doing...they are doing something "different".


>
> What some of us want is to compete against similarly-equipped stations.

....and why are you not able to do that?  Who is stopping you????


 And
> no, I don't mean EXACTLY the same... of course there can and will be
> differences in antennas, location, time available, etc, etc.  But having a
> second receiver is a quantum leap forward in effectiveness, and while we
> WOULD NOT DENY anyone the right to have a second receiver, we feel they
have
> a distinct advantage and we DO NOT WISH to compete against them.


So in order to compete you have to have a cartegory which matches your
station...didn't you just say that wasn't necessary??


  It's the
> same reason there are low power and high power categories.  It's a
different
> level of competition.


I think this is your achilles...competition is only within the operator...he
ordaines what it is...if you chose to allow printed resuilts which do not
highlight your SO1R effort as hampering your score you are not competing
with the guy who does not let that get in his way!  You cheapen the efforts
of the low power guys by saying they aren't as competitive as the HP
guys....and I guess you really kick some sand in the faces of the QRP
guys....

I say they are as competitive as they wanna be and aren't effected by what
W4AN or K1AR has for a station


Not everyone has to race Indy cars.  Lots of folks
> race stock cars or midgets or dune buggies or whatever and have a great
> time.  But NOT IN THE SAME RACE.
>

And they are all competitors!

> And please, lets dispense with the "there will be too many categories"
> argument.  We can have as many or as few categories as we want.  Or is
space
> so limited that another category will crash your computer, destroy the
> internet and make all the magazines run out of paper?
>

In my opinion more catagories creates meaningless paper...if it truly is the
sheet of paper that motivates the person, I really question why this person
is contesting...sounds more like a DXCC hound or a county hunter or award
seeker to me!  Many contesters have their certificates in drawers...they
like the commpetition part.


> There, now is that all clear?

I uinderstand how you do not understand that I don't understand your
point...my point is that this is not an issue for a competitor to expend his
energies on!  Anyone who gauges his performance souly on others is asking
for disappointment.  You-all (in my opinon) should only compete with
yourself...if you continue to keep whuppin your own ass then you probably
whup a lot of others, too!


  You may disagree, but please find it in your
> heart to say you at least understand the point of view.
>

I understand your point of view....very clearly...IMHO it is contrary to the
competitive nature of radio contesting.


By pushing oneself to the limit every contest weekend, one is a better
operator for it...some may not find this fun, some do.

If you do find it fun, and you can't sit down cause you have given yourself
a good ass whooping then you win...no matter how big a score the other guy
turns in.

If you nail it, you know it...and you certainly have nothing to be making
excuses for or about it...

Compete with yourself...life is too short to be spent making excuses why
your score isn't as big his...its not how many points you made but how you
made them!

The excitement of the contest is not found after it is over in a piece of
paper...if you ain't living it between 00:01 and 23:59 you ain't contesting!

Back to antenna work...


73,

Jim, K4OJ
k4oj at arrl.net

Proud member of the Florida Contest Group, visit our website at:
http://www.qsl.net/fcg

The Florida Contest Group thanks K1ZZ and the ARRL for the opportunity to
host W1AW/4 in the 2000 IARU HF Championship.




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