[CQ-Contest] Contesting IS Fair

[K4RO Kirk Pickering]

I think I've figured something out (more or less on
my own, amazingly) about contesting and "fairness."

The truth is, contesting is probably quite fair indeed.
While we can always find someone with a decided "advantage"
over us, everyone is pretty much free to pursue and exploit
those advantages.  I also suspect that anyone with the right
attitude and sufficient determination will create those same
advantages through planning and hard work. I suppose it's
appropriate that such individuals come out on top.  The point
is, I'm not trying to take away from anyone who is a guest op,
and I admire the determination of those who do whatever is
required to win.  These folks get recognition and respect,
and they deserve it.

I guess my "hidden agenda" is to get some recognition for the
owner/operator, who seems to be disappearing from the top ten.
I'm not the first to "cry" for more recognition via score
reporting.  Why, even some hall of famers have tried to steer
rules and scoring to their advantage.  Just read some NCJ's
from the 70's and 80's.  It's nothing new.  As competitors,
we NEED some kind recognition.  Why do you think we've chosen
one another as peers in the first place?  I guess in the end,
us owner/operators do get some recognition now -- we don't have
an "@" in our call sign.  Perhaps that's enough.  As for me,
I plan to keep operating (>20,000 QSOs in 2002) and setting
my sights higher and higher.   C U in the pileups.

-Kirk  K4RO