[CQ-Contest] Improper packet spotting?

[Barry]

On 3 Dec 2003 Tom Frenaye wrote:

> At 02:40 PM 12/3/2003, WM5R wrote:
> >On Wed, Dec 03, 2003 at 12:57:18PM -0000, W2UP wrote:
> >> During the contest, I noted a W1 station doing a lot of spotting of
> >> stateside stations, many of whom were his fellow YCCC members.  As
> >> a result of this, one of my fellow FRCers started spotting some of
> >> us (myself included). Is this an accepted practice?  
> >
> >I think it is cheating.  The only way this is any different than
> >self-spotting is that the beneficiary of the contacts generated by
> >this solicitation on the network is a club score and not specifically
> >the station that generated the spot.  It is still a form of
> >self-spotting in the context of the contest, and I think it is
> >disreputable behavior.
> 
> 
> I didn't check the packet logs for Saturday, but on Sunday I didn't
> find many USA stations spotting USA stations.
> 
> Out of 18,000 spots on Sunday, I ignored those on SSB, or on 10-18-24
> MHz, or on 6 meters.   Even including the 160m spots (where we missed
> zone 3) there were only about 60 USA-to-USA spots - made by 32
> different stations.   Less than half appear to be of other club
> members.
> 
> Hardly the stuff to get all puckered up about.    A quick glance at
> Saturday suggests a similar amount.
> 
> Plus, it was the W1 station's first time using packet, and first time
> over a 100 or so QSOs.   I'm sure that the nasty comments I saw from
> other stations made his day.   
> 
> What's wrong with spotting members of your own club, by the way.  
> That's been done by all of the big clubs for years.   It isn't done as
> often in DX contests.  Besides, most packet systems allow you to
> filter the spots.  If you don't want to see USA spots, filter them
> out.
> 
>                     -- Tom/K1KI

I will filter out the US spots now.  In the past there was no reason 
to do so.  Spotting one's own club members is similar to self-
spotting, which is prohibited. It's a fine line...

Also, if you knew that W1 was new to packet, one of you guys should 
have explained packet "etiquette" to him, rather than have to wolves 
jump down his throat.  A little Elmering never hurt...

Barry W2UP--
Barry Kutner, W2UP              Internet: w2up at mindspring.com
Newtown, PA                     Frankford Radio Club