[CQ-Contest]Packet or not

[Mike Brown]

Is it time to quit beating this dead horse yet?

1. Packet isn't going anywhere. Do you guys 
really expect the guys that put their hard earned
money and work into the packet networks, 
to shut them off during major contest?

2. There will probably always be packet users
who claim "single-op". Are these the guys that
win, or even make the top ten? I doubt it. So
why worry about it?

3. Lets not forget the person who is more of a 
dx'er then a contester. A Dx contest is a great
place for them to add to their DXCC totals. I 
would imagine the top stations don't mind getting
q's from these folks, or for that matter, any
casual operator. 

Personally, I have a small 100 watt station with low
antennas. I have neither the skill, or equipment 
necessary to challenge anyone but myself. I do it 
for the fun of it, and to give a q to the guys who 
are hard at it to score well.

I have used packet during a contest, but learned that
for me, it was more of a distraction. But, that doesn't
mean I'm against someone else who can benefit. And
of course, claim "assisted".

As far as the use of packet being too high tech for
contesting, I just don't see that holding much water. 
We use logging programs that do everything but blow
your nose. We have cw and voice messages sent with
a single keystroke. I just don't see how we can single
out packet as a "bad" technology for contesting. 

Back to my main point, too many people have spent 
too much time and money developing the packet cluster
networks. Love them, or hate them, I don't think they
will be going anywhere, anytime soon.

As Dennis Miller would say "that's just my opinion, I
could be wrong".

73 - Mike K9MI