[CQ-Contest] Get out of jail free card - SO2R

[BobK8IA at aol.com]

Hi Dave;
 
Good to see you on the reflector again. I nope all is well with you  and the 
MI gang!
 
SO2R, as a technique, pre-dates your assessment by at least two  decades. My 
first contest was in 1957 and W2IOP/W9IOP and W4KFC were employing  the 
technique (in SS CW at least) way back then. So, I have to think that they  were 
using it even before that time too. I am sure some of the real oldtimers in  
PVRC/FRC recall much more than I do. There were probably a bunch of other SO2R  
guys as well, just not as proficient.
 
Larry and Vic were the Top SS dogs back then. I still recall that  pic of 
Larry sitting in front of two 75A4 receiver/KWS-1 kw xmtr combos. Top of  the 
line gear back then. Very impressive, and they were both top  ops.
 
You are right re "complaints". No one complained. Like you said, it  was an 
operating technique designed to maximize contest performance. Nothing has  
changed, in that regard, but the ridiculous complainers that now leech out  of the 
woodwork. ;-)
 
Take care.
 
73, Bob K8IA
Arizona USA
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 3/13/2008 3:32:16 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
k8cc at comcast.net writes:

I have  to agree with K9NW on this one.  SO2R was quite common in SS back 
at  least as far as 1978, at least on CW.  The top ops figured out that  
they needed to utilize their CQing time to look for mults or new QSOs,  
and invented their own systems to make it work.  Nobody complained  that 
is was unfair, or should be put into it's own category.  People  who 
hadn't figured out that they needed to do this simply went about their  
contesting with one radio...

Back in 1978 there were no logging  programs or rig switchers that 
supported SO2R, so everybody had to build  their own SO2R systems which 
became very personalized.  Because of  CQ-Contest and publications like 
the NCJ, many of the SO2R non-adopters  figured out what they are 
missing.  Now you can buy everything needed  to do SO2R over the counter, 
and my feeling is that many people have  adopted SO2R.

However, there is a vocal segment of contesters who are  unwilling or 
unable to adopt SO2R themselves, and so constantly try to  have the 
high-achievers restricted to their level.  While they're  certainly free 
to have their opinion, I'm glad that the contest sponsors  so far seem to 
see no merit in their  arguments.

Dave/K8CC







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