[CQ-Contest] overwhelmed by packet spot dumper inners

[K4BEV at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/27/00 12:27:40 PM Central Standard Time, 
k4oj at tampabay.rr.com writes:

<< Poor operating technique in general coupled with low signal levels of DX
 stations causes these big packet generated pileups to cover the juicy
 multipliers with QRM. >>

INDEED !
You can sure tell when someone you're working gets spotted. Seems that half 
the world's ops come up at the same time on your freq. While looking for 
African stations in CQWWCW I heard a vy faint ZL6 long path, turned the 
antenna around and he was gone. Back to long path and there he was. Turned 
the AGC off to copy his call and got him with my first call.....cool..... 
during his exchange it was obvious that he'd been spotted - MANY stations 
IMMEDIATELY started sending their calls...obviously never listening at all. 
Most were probably swinging to short path and I was between the East coast 
and the ZL. The 765 survived - my hearing may recover eventually.

Spotting nets are a nice DX chasing tool, but should be BANNED in the big 
contests other than SS (just my opinion). Its hard enough to play in DX tests 
LP with limited antennas without thoughtless computer generated QRM to 
contend with too. At least I hope that the software dumps your call when you 
activate a spot. Surely the big name contesters whose calls I heard in these 
messes weren't intentionally transmitting without listening..... I may be 
fairly new to ham radio, and do some dumb stuff, but even I'm not that bad a 
lid.
Listen - Decide - Transmit ---- In that order. Fairly simple concept.
de K4BEV


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