[CQ-Contest] Becoming a better operator? A TEST!

[Grillo's]

Bob -

I would love to be in a multi-op set-up with you as a team member.  I would have more fun laughing at your quips than plowing through the QRM....heck with the score.

Great post OM!  This one should be published....!

73,
Pete
W0RTT
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Shohet" <kq2m at earthlink.net>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 9:38 AM
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Becoming a better operator? A TEST!


> It is always insightful and amusing (and sometimes annoying) to read new
> posts on old topics.  I have always been a believer in the "scientific
> method", that is, when an assumption is made, it should be tested to see if
> it is valid.
> 
> I think it was W5GN who talked about "throwing money at towers and
> equipment", the implication being that this was enough to improve the
> station and contest scores.
> 
> Rather that simply reject this notion out of hand as silly, I decided to be
> objective and fair and use my training (B.S. in Nutritional Biochemistry
> from Cornell University) as a scientist, to test this theory.
> 
> Experiment 1:
> 
> Method:
> 
> I walked out to the base of my 130' tower, opened my wallet, took out all
> the paper money, $187, and threw it at the base of the tower.
> 
> Result:
> 
> No change in the station, except the tower base now had wet money.
> No change in signal strength.  Operator felt wet and somewhat relieved**.
> 
> Experiment 2:
> 
> Method:
> 
> I picked up the wet money and proceeded inside my house.  I used a paper
> towel to dry off the money and then proceeded into the basement where the
> shack is located.
> 
> I took the same $187 (now dry) and threw it on the operating desk, on top of
> the computer keyboard.
> 
> Result:
> 
> No change in the station or signal strength.  Again, you can imagine my
> relief!**  My curious 4 1/2 year old daughter who was watching this process,
> asked "Daddy, why did you throw that (money) there?"  I replied that I was
> doing a scientific test.  She then asked me "Daddy what is a scientific
> test?".
> 
> Conclusion:
> 
> Based on my experiments, which in the interests of advancing scientific
> theory and practice, should be repeated in large numbers by contesters all
> over the world, and THEN subject to confidence testing using the accepted
> Chi 2 (Chi Squared) method, I have concluded that throwing money at towers
> and equipment does NOTHING to improve the station or signal strength, or
> operator ability.
> 
> You can just imagine my GREAT RELIEF** that there was more to being a good
> operator and making good contest scores than just throwing money at these
> things.
> 
> As additional proof of my conclusion, I offer the following:
> 
> Several years ago I decided that it would be in my best interest to build in
> automatic band switching since I make many HUNDREDS of qso's every contest
> on the second radio.  It is terribly fatiguing and time-wasting to have to
> switch everything MANUALLY.  So I spent the money and bought the appropriate
> equipment from Top-Ten devices.  But I never hooked it up, and still haven't
> as of April 3, 2004, so I STILL have to switch everything manually.  UGH!
> Now, if W5GN's theory was correct, then just the fact that I purchased this
> equipment should have improved my station, but of course we know that this
> is NOT true, since equipment that is not plugged in and not hooked up, can't
> possibly be used to increase one's score.
> 
> Ok, back to reality....
> 
> It is VERY wet in Connecticut since it has been raining for the last five
> days.  There are some who would claim that bad weather could affect the
> results of my tests.  They may be right.  It certainly affected the texture
> of the money and the interest of vendors in receiving it.  "Hey what is this
> s__t you handed me?!!".  Oops, that was Long Island, NOT Connecticut.    :-)
> 
> There may even be some doubters out there of the validity of my scientific
> tests.  I can just hear it now....
> 
> You dummy, don't you know that throwing money at towers and equipment only
> works on SUNNY days?  Or,
> 
> Hey nut-job, your location is already so good (Eastern half of the US) that
> the enhancement is valid only from WEST of the Mississippi?, Or,
> 
> Hey lid, don't you know that INCREASING contest scores is a function of
> IMPROVING YOUR SKILL AND STRATEGY, and/or IMPROVING the design and
> efficiency of your equipment and antennas and/or MOVING to a better station
> location, or some combination of ALL OF THESE THINGS?
> 
> Hmmmm....  That last one implies lots of work and effort!    I suspect that
> it MIGHT be true but I just don't know.  Guess I will have to do ANOTHER
> scientific test.   Any suggestions?
> 
> 73
> Bob KQ2M
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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