[CQ-Contest] technical challenge

[Paul J. Piercey]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com 
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mark Beckwith
> Sent: May 28, 2007 22:16
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] technical challenge
> 
> > Knowing other peoples scores during an event adds excitement and 
> > motivates us "non top-10ers"
> > to "eek out" a few more QSO's before
> > packing it in.  It's fun. :)
> 
> I'm not sure this statement represents everyone, Ev.  There 
> are plenty of times where someone has pitched it in after 
> learning that the op they were chasing was so far ahead of 
> them, they threw in the towel rather than "eeking out" a few 
> more QSOs.

This might be true if the sole purpose of their contesting was to win. Seems
to me that these guys might not have been "into it" to begin with. I know
that the two times I've logged onto the site, it's pushed me to try a little
harder; harder than I would have in the past. Besides, there's always
someone else to chase :)

> 
> The dynamic of contests where people know how the competition 
> is doing compared to contests where they don't is not a new idea.
> 
> The element of NOT knowing how your competition is doing is 
> not without merit.
> 

In serial number contests, it's fairly easy to have a general idea of how
the competition is doing anyway by the serials they are giving out. There is
always the option of sending but not receiving the data so you can still be
in the dark if you want.

> Not all contests should be the same.
> 
> Etc.
> 
> Mark, N5OT 

True. Although I am a proponent of using the website, it is not the primary
inspiration for me in a contest. I print out the summary of last year's
contest and try to beat that. I also see myself at a level, whether it be
number of Qs, points, mults, etc, and try for the next benchmark in them;
this causing a ripple effect that, once I get a certain number of mults, the
next goal is in the points category.

Anyway, it's just one of those things that are available for use but not
mandatory. Live web cams is another. Do people really watch another
station's shack during a contest?

It's all good.

73 -- Paul VO1HE