[CQ-Contest] Do serial numbers in contests hinder participation?

[Tim Gardner]

Same here.  Zero VA qsos while I searched for OK and ND (even though the VA stations were mostly loud all weekend).

While I don't especially like serial number exchanges (particularly when the "county name" is a sufficient exchange), that alone won't normally stop my participation if I am interested.  This weekend, I avoided VA due to the added hassle.

We still need a generalized contest logger that will handle multiple simultaneous contests.


Tim - N9LF





________________________________
From: Jim Reisert AD1C <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>
To: cq contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 4:35:03 PM
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Do serial numbers in contests hinder participation?

Hi Folks,

This weekend there were two fairly active state QSO parties: Oklahoma
and Virginia.  I made over 80 QSOs with OK stations, but less than a
dozen with VA.  Why?  VA required a serial number, I was logging in my
every-day logging program, and had no real way to keep track the
serial numbers I sent (short of scribbling them on a piece of paper).

So while I'm in favor of a contest exchange that isn't necessarily
pre-determined (i.e. CQ Zone), using such an exchange hindered my
participation.

Any thoughts?

I remember seeing something in the NY QSO Party comments about serial
numbers.  Note that two of the most popular state QSO parties (CA and
PA) both use serial numbers in the exchange.

I'm not lobbying for change, but just wondering how much use of serial
numbers impact casual participation in a contest.  Please don't get
started about using checksums based on what the other guy sent!  :-)

73 - Jim AD1C

-- 
Jim Reisert AD1C/Ø, <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.us
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