[CQ-Contest] RE: SCOURGES OF CONTESTING, CHAPTER 3

Thu Jul 3 18:41:38 EDT 2003

Hi all,

Some history of technologies we use:

At the beginning there must have been comments when
spark transmitters were replaced by oscillating devices.

I believe there were strict comments in the
1920's when hams were pushed to frequencies over
10 or 15 MHz.

I know for sure there was a great debate in 1948
in the US because some did not fancy FRC spotting
net on 53.5MHz.
These happenings took place in the 14th ARRL DX contest.
ARRL committee sat a 72 hour meeting and allowed new ideas
and thoughts being brought to our radio contesting hobby.

There have surely been comments when rotary antennas
were replacing the rhombics, also SSB was introduced
and AM was ramping down, or when when some stations gave
up straight keys and used a semiconductor keyer.
There was a huge thrill when new technology pencils
did not need sharpening.
There has been a lot of discussion when the tubes started
to be replaced by semiconductors even in the finals of
the exciters.
Majority of contesters were really pissed off when
late 1980's pioneers of contesting introduced idea for
callsign database and said they already had such a thing !

..now we have the internet making the private spotting
networks less valuable among a couple of other things..

Personally, as I am not a YM anymore, I have seen the
developments since new technology pencils were introduced.

All this shows contesters' ability in finding new
technologies, letting the operator concentrate to the
operating, not tuning the separate TX or sharpening
the pencil.

This all converges to one thing:
*   We concentrate on the operating  *

We are finding ways to bin everything distracting
us from the operating.
Anything standing in between us and the higher, more
accurate logging and higher peak rate are waste of
our precious 24, 36 or 48 hours.

Pioneers find the new technology pencils first
and get some heat.

That is how life works.

The operating is the fun.

73,
Jukka OH6LI

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ext n6tj [mailto:n6tj at sbcglobal.net]
> Sent: 02 July, 2003 02:31
> To: Klemola Jukka (NMP/Salo); cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: SCOURGES OF CONTESTING, CHAPTER 3
> 
> 
> SCOURGES OF CONTESTING, CHAPTER 3
> 
> Oh No!   First we had to listen to Martti Laine equating competitive
> contesting to Formula One driving, racing teams, etc etc.
> 
> NOW, Jukka thinks we're racing HORSES, for Pete's sake.
> 
> Gentlemen:  Please return to Earth.  This is NOT car racing.  
> This is NOT
> horse racing.  This IS the very un-scientific, down-to-earth, very
> individualistic (at least that's what some of us thought it was),
> competitive endeavor to communicate with like-minded radio amateurs
> world-wide, faster, and more accurately, than anyone else. 
> Uh, using radios.
> Remember them?
> 
> And it started-out being endeavors based upon a modicum of 
> skills we all
> have, should have, or aspire to have.
> 
> And as to Jukka's "pioneering the radio" nonsense, it IS 
> maybe trying to
> "advance the score", but it is unfortunately directly contrary to the
> demonstration of any skills mentioned above.
> 
> With 49 years of contesting behind me now, and only 35 more 
> years to go, I
> dread to think what Jukka's Pioneers of the 21st Century will 
> concoct next.
> 
> Jim Neiger  N6TJ
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <jukka.klemola at nokia.com>
> To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 11:56 PM
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] List of stations using the latest 
> technology in the US
> !
> 
> 
> > The stations listed below are known for utilising the
> > available technological means to advance the score.
> > I.e. they are pioneering the radio..
> >
> > Pioneering on 21st century !
> > Pioneers, the frontrunners rarely get rewards as they run faster..
> >
> > > ..make opinions..
> > -snip-
> > > K1AR, K1DG, N2AA, N2NC, KR2Q, W2RQ, N3ED, N3RA, K3UA,
> > > K3ZO, KM3T,
> > > W3ZZ, N5KO, N5NJ, N6AA, K6NA, N6TR, N6TW, N6ZZ, W7EJ, N8BJQ,
> > > N9RV, or W0UN.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 73
> > >
> > > Bill Fisher
> > >
> >
> > Bill's interpretation shows 'some mismatch' to my interpretation,
> > but I believe the good guys win at the end.
> >
> > Those are the guys with the fastest horses !
> >
> > 73,
> > Jukka OH6LI
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------
> >     The world's top contesters battle it out in Finland!
> > THE OFFICIAL FILM of WRTC 2002 now on professional DVD and VHS!
> >        http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~jamesb/
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------
> >
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> 
> 