[CQ-Contest] ROTTEN OPERATING

[James Neiger]

AA4LR WROTE:
> >
> I wonder if the complaints about all the duplicate contacts come from
> operators who give their call every 10 minutes or so (whether they need
> to or not <grin>).
>

My response (long):

THIS complaint about duplicate contacts is coming from an operator who has
EARNED the reputation of signing his call TOO OFTEN.  Perhaps rightfully
earned, as sometimes I  resort to signing after every QSO.  I've tried to
emulate my friend and hero KH6IJ is this regard:

When done in a predictable sense, it tells the worked station, and pileup,
three things:

          (1) I QSL your transmission of my
                report and your call sign,

           (2) It tells the pileup WHO I am,

           (3) It tells the pileup I'm NOW
                 READY for the next callers.

It's amazing how effective  this can be, and with a short, fast call (like
ZD8Z) I've been able to sustain CW rates of 230 - 250/hour.  I wouldn't
necessarily recommend it, for obvious reasons, if your call is, for
instance, C56/DL0XXX.

And now back to the point:  WHY are guys duping me?

  Simply stated, and to paraphrase KH6IJ, it emanates, predominantly from
what I call ROTTEN OPERATING.

ROTTEN OPERATING NO. 1

Too many stations are relying STRICTLY on packet for identification of the
station running the pileup.  And it's amazing (and scary) how these packet
spots are propagating BUSTED CALLS.  I perceive that there must be some
hidden glory to being the first in your neighborhood  to spot a station on
packet, whether you've  copied the call correctly, or not.  And, by
examination of my UBN reports, and even though my computer  accurately sends
ZD8Z everytime, and with perhaps a half million ZD8Z QSO's under my belt
since 1968 (i.e., it should not be exactly an "unknown call"),  guys are
working me as ZD7Z, ZD9Z (dream-on), ZD8ZZ, 2D8Z, ZZ8Z,  etc.  Now, if they
earlier, or later, work me as ZD8Z, they think they have at least another
QSO (and maybe a new multiplier).  What do I have?  A DUPE!

ROTTEN OPERATING NO. 2

Some operators JUST DON'T CARE and are inherently sloppy.  During the
pileups from Brazil in WW SSB and Ascension in WW CW, when plagued by a
sudden spurt of dupes (thinking perhaps I was a victim of R.O. NO. 1,
above), I took the time to stop the pileup, and asked the offending station,
"just whom do you think you're calling?"  (that's allot of fun on CW), or
"what do you think my call is?", and it was absolutely amazing to me HOW
MANY guys (at least honestly), confessed that they had NO IDEA who I was.
Wonderful!  Result: DUPE for both of us.

ROTTEN OPERATING NO. 3

Although not exactly pertinent to the subject at hand, but certainly endemic
to the IMPATIENCE of operators today, (besides, I'm on a roll here), one of
the scourges of CW contesting is those who plop their big, er, posteriors
right on top of a station I'm trying to copy, and send a "?".  Really
helpful to all, guys.  May I respectfully suggest you QRX a second, LISTEN
(remember when we used to do that?), and then you actually might learn
what's going on, on the frequency, before you impress us all with your
obvious skills?

REAL PROGRESS DEPARTMENT

Last month, a major improvement ( a 95% European phenomenon) in stations NOT
ASKING WHAT MY QSL ROUTE IS, during a contest.  Either they all now have
Ascension Island confirmed, or, they're starting to "get it". A definitely
positive sign, in either regard.

Now if we can just throw a rope around R.O.'s 1 -3, we can make real
progress in the reduction of dupes and the enjoyment of contesting.

Thank you for reading this far, or, ..........


Vy 73, and Happy Contesting in 2002,


Jim Neiger
N6TJ/ZD8Z


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