[CQ-Contest] An experiment in Assisted operating

[Sylvan Katz]

>I simply tried to work as many of the different multipliers that I found on
the DX cluster as I could hear.  I did not call CQ once and only worked
stations that were new multipliers.

>In the end I had fewer multipliers than I had when I operated as single
operator unassisted, calling CQ, hunting and pouncing and hunting
multipliers on the second VFO.

Larry, I have had a similar experience. I tried experimenting in some
contests which I was not really participating but I wanted to explore the
"assisted" issue. I found the same thing. The "assisted" issues appears to
be a non-issue! There is so much junk posted and besides the propagation
differs so much from place to place the post frequently have no value. It is
probably different when a group of people in the same geographical area set
up their own exclusive spotting nets. If anything, like you I found packet
assist to be a hindrance. Search & pounce seemed far more productive.

Perhaps we need more experiments and less hearsay before we can adequately
resolve this issue. It might be a non-issue.

... Sylvan

Sylvan Katz, VE5ZX
Saskatoon, SK
http://www.dynamicforesight.com/~ve5zx