[CQ-Contest] Self Spotting Rationale (or, The Curmudgeon Awakes)

[Art Boyars]

I'm surprised that K0HB -- "A Boy and His Radio"  -- has not already melted the Reflector with his response to this one.

My own belief is that the risk of overloading the spotting network had nothing to do with it.  Rather, the idea was that you had to make your contacts with the RADIO (this might seem weird to younger op's).  Just as you were not allowed to arrange contacts by other than Amateur Radio means during the Contest (no calling VY1JA on the telephone during SS to see when he might be able to listen for you), so were you not allowed to use non-radio spotting to attract people to you.  If you can't get responses calling CQ, too bad.

This idea of making all your contacts with the ham radio only, all by yourself for single op, has been a tenet of contesting for a long time.  I noticed a few months ago that some reasonable person even holds that the common ethic is that you may not arrange skeds even BEFORE the Test.  And I have written previously (before the Internet!) about not using relay stations to help you get a QSO.

My own well-known anti-packet bias says that overloading the spotting network would be a good thing.  Then people would have to go find ther own QSOs.

Packet, Skimmer, Call History Databases, Dueling CQ's...  C**p!!  Who needs musicians, Martha?  Just wind up the player piano!

Back into the woodwork.  Looks like my radio will not be fixed in time for NAQP CW.

73, Art K3KU