[CQ-Contest] Operator vs equipment was Skimmer - What shall we do?

[Bob Davis]

Michael Coslo wrote:

>My experience has been different. I do often find that a lot of  
>people think that you have to spend a lot of money to do well. While  
>if all things are equal, the "hotter" setup" will outperform a more  
>modest one. If I had to choose between the expensive setup or the hot  
>Op, give me the good operator any day.
>  
>
Amazingly enough, I agree with this. ;-)  Gear without skills is pointless.

That doesn't mean I'm contradicting myself, because what you're saying 
has nothing to do with what I said.  What I said is, quite simply, it is 
impossible for someone like me to operate SO2R without spending more 
money.  I have one radio, a couple of simple antennas, no bandpass 
filtering, no switch box for the radios, yadda yadda yadda.  I don't 
care if I suddenly develop mad skills and turn in to Gawd's Gift to 
Operators; if I don't have the equipment to operate SO2R, it is simply 
impossible for me to operate SO2R.  You dig?

>>Sure, SO2R also requires skill.  But if you don't have the dosh to  
>>build
>>what is essentially a second station, all the skill in the world isn't
>>worth a bucket of warm spit.
>>    
>>
>
>	Respectfully Bob, I have personal experience that the opposite is  
>true. I have my home station, which would be considered okay, but  
>nothing special, and access to a mountaintop station in a good  
>location, and the difference in operating isn't as big as described.  
>Probably the main difference is that my signal will be heard - i.e.  
>it stomps on others, at the mountaintop station. That doesn't make up  
>for operating skills though.
>
I appreciate your personal experience, even though it boggles my mind. 
You're going to have to explain how you can operate equipment that 
doesn't exist! Because that's what I was trying to express.  :-)

To be crystal clear: I'm not denying that operator skill matters.  Far 
from it - a station full of the most expensive gear in the world isn't 
going to make a good operator.  A good operator can do well with 
mediocre equipment.  A better operator than I could come into my station 
and do much better than the station owner in any given contest.  But 
there's no way in Hell he could operate SO2R without my buying - or him 
bringing and installing - a lot more equipment than I already own.

That's it, that's all I was trying to say.  Claiming that skill can 
completely overcome a lack of equipment is bollocks.  Partly, yes; 
completely, no.

Cheers,

Bob NQ3X

P.S. Thanks for all of your hard work with the PA QSO Party!  You rock!