[CQ-Contest] When the going gets tough....

[Mark Beckwith]

Doug Grant said:

>there is unfortunately not much overlap between the
>big-signal contesters and the public-service-minded hams. 
>Well-meaning hams with below-average stations attempt 
>to impress Scouts from the Web/MTV/cellphone generation 
>with how cool ham radio is by struggling to complete 
>a shaky QSO using their tuna-fish-can QRP rig and 
>random-wire antenna. Duh.

Seems true enough.  But there *is* justice in the world - when there are
real communications emergencies I have noticed sometimes high-rate
high-efficiency ops come out of the woodwork when special skills are truly
needed (contest ops).

I think Doug is right, that JOTA is an excellent opportunity to make a good
impression.  The tuna-can crowd and the shack-on-a-belt crowd are not the
ambassadors I like to see out there representing me.  They can be
embarrassing.

Like Doug, I think this conversation *should* be held on this reflector.

Mark, N5OT


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