[CQ-Contest] Incorrect conclusions about un-assisted versus assisted

[k3bu at optonline.net]

> <BR>> The top operators like the challenge of finding the mults on their own, and
> the fact that the competition in the unassisted category is tougher proves
> that point.
> 
> Tree N6TR
> tree at kkn.net


The top operators pay attention to station and antenna setup. That gives them edge by having better ears/signals, which allows them to work the stuff before the packeteers get to it and the following never ending pileup bedlam starts slowing things down for the assistedees. Multipliers come with QSOs.

When I was QRP and scanning the band for new ones (forced to S/P due to weak signal) and found the fresh meat, CQing with hardly any takers, sometimes I would succed to work the station, sometimes biggie or M/M would find it too, work it, put it on the "assisted bulletin board", then I would just move on or wait half an hour for pileups to die. 
So it is almost like M/Ms sadistically enjoy spotting the stuff and enjoying the competition to waste time in the pileups (both pile-pers and pile-pees :-)

I think the conclusion that assisted category is sought by those who enjoy easy way, point and click hunting, and more on the leisurely side is about right. But that is slower than finding CQers and working them along.

The fallout from spotting is that instant pileups get out of hand, never ending calling and less skilled ops get overwhelmed and drastically slow down or quit/QSY. It gets especially bad on low bands, where everyone wants to be the last one in the (never ending) pileup. 

Another side to the spotting game is that some stations have assistance from friendly spotters (see K1TTT reports) who spot their race horses everytime their pileup dies. Looks like if the spoting was kept down, the usage would be less and less problems, but I guess technology is here, genie is out of the bottle, we need to adapt. Definitely separate categories should be kept, if nothing else, as a way for those with crutches to have their lower pointer group. 
Better contesters prefer to do it without "assistance" from slower compadres. Theoretically, assisted should be a higher class category, something half way to M/S, but appears that because of who chooses to operate in it, it does not dominate the single op competition.

73 and Merry Christmas to all, assisted and unassisted!

Yuri, K3BU