[CQ-Contest] 2x4 County designators (was Contest Rules)

[Michael Coslo]

On Oct 10, 2006, at 12:04 PM, Ron Notarius W3WN wrote:

>
> For one thing, there will be confusion… I think someone noted  
> yesterday that some stations in the CaQP were still sending the  
> “old” 3 letter abbreviations, not the “new” 4 letter ones.  This is  
> a problem that will persist for years, as some people will (for any  
> one of a dozen reasons) fail to update their software or hardcopies  
> to show the new abbreviations.  So, what are you going to do, DQ  
> them?  I doubt it – the last thing anyone really wants to do is  
> tick off active participants, to the point where they no longer  
> wish to participate.  (And I sure hope that some of those who  
> publicly swore off the upcoming Pa QSO Party, a few months back,  
> for adding RTTY & PSK-31 modes, have a change of heart and will be  
> active, but I digress)


	Actually Ron, I think that  this statement cuts to the heart of the  
issue. I'm still taking heat - from around the world - for those  
additions. Which is why I get a little amused when I hear about   
sponsors being dinosaurs. My examples are real, they aren't thought  
experiments or "you would think" statements  The fellow who writes  
the best software for the party declines to update it for the  
changes, People swearing they'll never participate again,  Abrasive  
and negative comparisons to past directors. I can only imagine the  
reaction to a change that doesn't help anyone except county hunters.

	All that being said, I believe that the changes I made are  
positioning the party for the future, and are by and large a good  
thing. Good changes have a tendency to become cherished traditions  
after the shock wears off. But I just can't envision anyone saying  
how glad they were that the county names were changed. 8^)
	

-73 de Mike KB3EIA -