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

[Hank Greeb]

When in Rome, do as  we ugly Americans do - try to bully our own values 
onto the local populace.

I personally like contests where the receiving operator has to think, 
rather than being a robot receiving "5NN STATE"

My general logging programme has a place for comments, so if I'm 
partooking of a couple contests I keep track of my s/n in the comments 
section.

No big deal.   If I'm trying to win, I'll set up a programme for the 
specific contest.

73 de n8xx Hg

Jim Reisert AD1C <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu> wrote:
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:35:03 -0600
From: Jim Reisert AD1C <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Do serial numbers in contests hinder participation?
To: cq contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>

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, <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.us