[CQ-Contest] zero pointers etc

[Michael Tope]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Tessmer" <Mike.Tessmer at hillmangroup.com>

>
> I think one can only call it wasted if one can verify that a 1, 2 or 3 pt
> QSO was lost at the time each 0 pointer was worked.  Otherwise it hurt
> nothing and your frequency stayed busy.  Or if the 0 pointer occured at 
> 2PM
> on 40m (USA perspective) there probably wasn't much of anything lost.  Be
> friendly now and maybe the "bozos" will call back in something like WPX.
>
> One might also look at it as a marketing opportunity....contesting can
> never have enough of that.  Coca Cola is a well-known product world wide,
> yet they still spend millions in advertising every year.
>
>
> 73, Mike K9NW
>

Well said, Mike. Go read some of the general ham radio forums sometime.
Contesting doesn't always have such a stellar reputation among the general
ham population. Anything we can do to improve relations with the "civilians"
is good (winning hearts and minds). I had to bite my tongue a few times 
during
CQ WW SSB when the 0 pointers were coming one right after another.
Some of those folks clearly had no idea what the rules were. They were just
trying to give me a point. Part of ham radio's basis and purposes is to 
foster
international goodwill. It can't hurt to foster some goodwill at home as 
well.
If I start to get too many 0 pointers when the band is open elsewhere, I 
just
call "CQ DX" a few times so that they know I am looking for stations outside
the US. No need to be rude (I was tired and got kind of rude with a zero
pointer once during the contest and it turned out that the guy needed my
zone - oops).

73, Mike W4EF.................................