[CQ-Contest] Spotting

[Chuck K3FT]

IMHO, 

Spotting/announcing done outside the actual 'contest period' seems like it would not 
fall afoul of the rules in any context or intent, but could be construed as a bother or 
a bit 'much' based on the quantity and type of 'spot' provided.  Too much of a good 
thing is not good! HI!

I don't think anyone will argue that repetitive spotting during a contest period is a 
bad thing, especially if different stations do it at random (unscheduled or 
unplanned) times within a given period. Those kinds of repetitive spots are not bad even 
if they appear fairly closely spaced in time. New stations are coming to the clusters 
all the time and what's 'old' to me may be a new mult to them.

For example - W3LPL spots a station at 1524Z. I'm running stations and not paying close 
attention to the spots. The screen scrolls quickly (as it often does) and LPL's spot 
disappears off the screen. Then I do S&P and at 1538 I tune across the same station as 
previously spotted by LPL, I don't need 'em so it wasn't on my list of avaiable 
mults/calls so I don't know it's already been spotted, but someone else might so I spot 
'em. If you have already worked 'em he won't show.. if not. he will.

 Likewise, as others come across the same station they might spot 'em at fairly close 
intervals.  This is repetitive, but usually it's just the spot without the repetitive 
'cheerleading comments' that are usually appended to the repetitive spotting being 
disucssed such as with the ZF2MM example.

Repetitive spotting by different stations at closely spaced times does not seem to be a 
problem with anyone. What bugs people (me included) is the same station(s) doing 
specific stations over and over and over and over. Couple this with the comments and 
they are OBVIOUSLY trying to attract attention to teh station for some reason.

One COULD intimate that the spotter is a shill for the station and has prearranged to 
act as the contest spotter for that station. This would appear to be the case with the 
ZF2MM example given and many (myself included) would have valid concerns that this is 
nothing more than a dodge used to (technically) avoid running afoul of the ARRL rule 
that clearly prohibits stations from either asking to be spotted or stations 
self-spotting themselves during the contest.

Yes, it can be argued that ZF2MM was not *TECHNICALLY SPEAKING* (during the contest 
period) - asking for, nor self-spotting himself. But the context of the comments and the 
repetitive nature of spotting by one or two stations makes it abundantly clear that such 
can be legitimately construed as the reason for all the spots since it appears quite 
likely that it was a Club member at ZF2MM and a Club member doing the spotting.  Even if 
not so... there is a definite odor to the effort that raises eyebrows and 
raises questions about conflicts of interest and the like.

Perhaps the basic action in this case would be for stations to apply the well-understood 
premise that the 'spirit and intent' of the rule be observed rather than the 'strict 
letter or the law' which normally applies.

As for the station who works at a M/M then goes home and spots the station they just 
operated from, technically, again, not a violation, IMHO, but does raise an odor and 
questions. ONe thing I've learned about M/M's .. they usually find themselves being 
spotted quite a bit, regardless, based upon the nature of being a M/M and being on the 
air on many bands for a L O N G period of the contest.

73

Chuck K3FT