[CQ-Contest] Effect of spotting on rate

[Doug Smith W9WI]

(ARRL 10-Meter Contest, Single-op, CW only, high power from Tennessee)

Presented for what little it's worth...  A couple of times there were little
"bubbles" of rate.  I got really curious as to whether they were the result
of being spotted on packet.  So, after the contest I looked myself up in the
archive on DX Summit.  Found myself 20 times, and put together the following
table:

Time:	time I was spotted
Spotter:who spotted me 
Hr:	QSOs in the hour centered on the spot (0040-0140z for first spot)
10Q:	QSOs/hr for five QSOs preceding and following spot
Post:	QSOs/hr for ten QSOs following spot
Next:	Next five stations worked after spot

Time	Spotter	Hr	10Q	Post	Next stations worked
====================================================================================
130110	N4GN	7	9	12	N4KN	N7DLS	K5MA	W0SD	ZL1ALZ
130250	ZL3GA	11	13	12	ZL3GA	W0VD	W5VX	KE5C	ZL/W3SE
131134	N4GN	13	32	42	K3CR	K3ZO	K1SE	W1RM	VA3EC
131538	N5MT	54	65	72	KD5TFD	W7SE	K8BL	W7KW	VY2TT
131631	AD6WL	61	40	42	K4GKD	N6ZI	W0YK	W6CWM	WA5RNV
131715	K6OWL	84	83	96	K6OWL	K6OQ	KB7Q	W7OM	WA6FGV
131724	ND5S	71	90	66	ND5S	KF7AJ	K2LE	N9CK	W4MA
131857	KB0VVT	83	180	120	W5EKF	N7OG	KS0M	KB7N	K0LUZ
132004	AD6E	50	55	66	N3FR	K1DW	WU8Q	W6KC	ZL1BYZ
132134	RL3A	30	50	42	WA6OEC	K4JLD	VE6YC	OH3RR	N7JB
132136	WA6OEC	34	47	54	K4JLD	VE6YC	OH3RR	N7JB	KJ6C
140401	K1TTT	30	39	54	N4FNG	WO2E	N2RI	VE2CU	W8FJ
140426	AA1K	31	26	12	W1AMF	KD1OG	WS4G	K3ZO	K5LH
141438	ND5S	79	80	84	WB2Y	AA3YV	KE4VV	VE3XAT	K8OQL
141453	W6YX	77	98	72	WB0KGN	KD2HE	N5ZU	K8OOK	W2GD
141524	N6EE	87	75	96	NF6S	N3ZD	KU3G	W4AU	K4JLD
141807	W6YX	38	21	36	W6SZG	KK1L	RW1ZA	K6RG	N6TU
141846	AD6E	27	36	6	K6RFM	K8MP	JA6WFM/HI8	K7BG	KH7U
142015	YL2KA	33	27	12	VE6EZ	N9AZZ	ZF2NT	N5XM	VA7MM
142103	YL2KA	34	48	48	LA5LJA	SM5E	KN6DQ	W7RGL	N4TN

I find it interesting that in six of the 20 cases, my rate actually *dropped*
after being spotted.

Another strange thing...  was that of the 11 spots posted the 13th UTC, in
nine cases I worked the spotter within five QSOs either side of the spot. 
(the exception were both spots by N4GN, who I'd worked S&P 40 minutes before
he spotted me)  Of the nine spots posted the 14th, in only *one* case (AA1K)
did I work the spotter within five QSOs of the spot.  K1TTT, N6EE, and YL2KA
I didn't work at all.  (was YL2KA the op at YL0A?)  

Note the absence of TCG members on the list of spotters - no worries about
packet ethics around here<grin>!
-- 
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN  EM66
http://www.w9wi.com