[CQ-Contest]Packet or not

[Paul O'Kane]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dallas and Lucy" <ludal at dmv.com>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>


> Jim makes an excellent point, and that is only one example.
> Packet is not for everyone, but for some it's just peachy.
> It's why they make chocolate and vanilla.  

Nothing wrong with chocolate and vanilla, but isn't there a
time and a place for everything?

My objection to packet is that, in the context of amateur
radio contesting, it's an inappropriate mix of technologies.

Why? Because amateur radio is a wireless (legacy) technology
using RF and (typically) the ionosphere. There is no man-made
infrastructure supporting the technology.  

Packet is an automated wired (and possibly wireless) technology
with a significant man-made supporting infrastructure.

Mixing the two, for the purpose of contesting, makes as much
sense as letting sailboat racers use engines because "it's
more fun" and "you get there faster".

There are times and places for using engines in yachts, and
for using packet in amateur radio, but (racing) or contesting
is not one of them. There's nothing essentially wrong with it,
it's just inappropriate.  Engines fundamentally change the
nature of sailing just as packet fundamentally changes the
nature of contesting.

73,
Paul EI5DI