[CQ-Contest] Packet/internet spotting

[Martin Luther]

Okay, I am getting better at this CW stuff but I do want to comment on the
effect of packet/internet spotting on contesting from the further reaches of
the known universe i.e. Australia.

Some important points:

* Each band only opens for quite a limited period from here to each
population centre. By open I mean when I can hold a frequency and run on it.
* I am strong into the target area for an even more limited period. That is
when I can command the frequency with my maximum of 400 watts p.p.
* I could invest even more of my life and funds in the antenna farm but
there have to be limits. Towers and hardware generally is much more
expensive here than in the US. I now have three 70ft towers, a 60 footer and
an 80ft used as a vertical.
* Packet spotting has been around for ages. I well remember getting called
by strings of  W1's as the message went out in New England and then 3's as
the PVRC came on board etc. It is just now bigger!
* Once a frequency has been established from this far away , I do not want
to lose it if possible. Finding and creating another is hard (400 watts,
long distances and no 200ft towers). So while I have used the option with
spotting piles of just moving, it is another form of disadvantage to me.

I carefully monitored the effects of spotting on my rate. On cw I can get up
to about 150/160 when I am going well. If I stuff up the operating it can
slip down to about 100 and pick back up as I get myself going again. It is
not hard to keep at 120 during openings. This may last no more than an hour.
Getting the best results in that hour is critical to my scores.

The effect of packet is to slow my rate, I saw it go down as low as 60 while
I was wrestling with a particularly unruly mob who were just not hearing me
well enough. At no point did a packet pile increase my rate! I accept that
it may have brought stations to my frequency with beams in my direction.

The critical point is that this happened right in the middle of, for me, a
good opening. Without packet I would have had a minimum rate of 120. With
packet it was probably a bit more than half that.

Yes, I know the smart alecs will already be in print, before they even read
this, to tell me to get better skills. Well that is a load of B/S. It is not
the skill I need (although more is always better and at CW I'm certainly
nowhere near the best !). It is the signal strength to command the frequency
and keep the mob in order that is most important. I simply will not have
that without more power, bigger antennas or a new location in the carribean
or N.Africa!

The problem with the spotting phenomenon is not the shear size of the pile.
That is usually manageable. It is the nature of the calling. Some of the
following are relevant:
* Many call without identifying the called station. They do not know which
signal to listen to for instructions.
* Many do not use their intelligence. If they hear CC? Then it is likely to
be the called station asking for a fill of the call from someone with CC in
their call. I'm not sure what they think it is but they call and call
anyway.
* Good stations slot their call in well. It is interesting to note which
high scoring stations I get first time in the pile and not just because they
are loud. Timing is everything. To get the timing right requires
listening............something packeteers do not seem to wish to do.
* Some give long calls. In this contest I was sending de vk5gn and listening
between until the pile stopped so I could get a partial call, who was
weaker, to come back. It took me seven transmissions of de vk5gn pause de
vk5gn etc until the frequency became quiet. (To the smart alecs, prior to
this I had been getting back to the pile with  a call or partial call very
quickly so there was no reason for it to build into a mess) It was just a
couple of stations calling and calling and calling. They were not all
contest neophytes either.
* I heard a pacific station work a couple of stations. Not in the test just
giving out a few points. Someone spotted him and every multi in the US
called on his freq at the same time. He never came back! He may have gone to
another frequency but I didn't hear him again.

I know all the arguments made in favour of spotting, I even agree with some
of them. However, there is a down side to this and as usual what advantages
some, disadvantages others. In this case I am on the bad side of the ledger
as is every station that is a long way from population centres so has
difficulty in getting in a big enough signal to control the mob.  Of course,
as is true here, we also have no or limited access to the spotting
information.

What to do?

I am not arguing to ban spotting nets. It has all become too pervasive. I
will always argue that any use of these things is inappropriate for a single
op. They are an adjunct to multi operators.

The problem is getting control by the spotted station. It is unreasonable to
expect that all spotted stations have the best and strongest possible
signals so the users of the spots should be expected to contribute to the
orderly use of the technology.

I think we should promulgate a set of "rules" or guidelines.

1. Using spotting nets of all types makes the operation multi operator (see
below - *)
2. Make sure you can hear the spotted station before calling on the
frequency
3. Understand the mode of operation and the instructions given by the
spotted station before calling on their frequency.
4. If in any doubt do not call. Make sure you understand any automatic
features in your station and how to keep them from embarrassing you!
5. Only put your call-sign out once, there is no need for long calls. Good
operators get through with one call correctly timed.

* - (t has been argued that spotting is now so pervasive that policing is
impossible and therefore all single op classes should allow spotting. I do
not see why this is any different to power, one operator at the controls
etc. They all depend on trust and honesty. It is not part of the philosophy
of single operator doing everything for themselves.  Further, it would
represent just another disadvantage to the already geographically
challenged!)

Any other ideas?

This could be added to newsletters, web pages etc to try and educate others.

Of course those on this reflector can set a good example...please!

73


Martin VK5GN