[CQ-Contest] Web Poll (Signal reports yes/no)

[Sandy Farley]

   David Kopacz david.kopacz at aspwebhosting.com 
writes:
  I had a KI4 work me in WPX SSB this past weekend and being a new
contester I had to help him with the exchange.

Several minutes later (app. 10) he called me again and asked which state
I was located in. I politely informed him we were not in a state but
were located on the Island of Jamaica in the Caribbean. He got pretty
excited having learned he worked a DX contact so I took a few seconds
longer to give him the website address and QSL information.

The time it took me to make the extra effort of being courteous had
little to no impact on our score (see 3830 for new NA record) however,
in my opinion, had a significant impact on how new hams view the hobby,
amateur radio and contesting in general.

Contesting is a blast, but let's not forget, we were all new many years
ago.

David ~ 6Y1V
   
   
   
  No question, David.  I spend a lot of time cultivating newbies to contesting -- and happy they got up the courage to jump into the fray.  I've wondered if they find a woman less threatening to call.  Every serial number 001 I logged counts as good as a four-digit serial number, but I'm betting none of them called you just to flirt.  A YL amplifier can be a mixed blessing.
   
  BTW isn't Jamaica located in New York?  ;^)
   
  73/88, Sandy N7RQ (aka WA7XX, N7AP, N7A)