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

[Michael Coslo]

On Mar 23, 2009, at 4:35 PM, Jim Reisert AD1C wrote:
>
> 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!


As a wild guess, I'd say you don't like serial numbers in general?

Looking at what is in the logs, PAQSO gets a lot of casual activity. I  
usually have a dozen or more Ops myself who ask what the exchange  
should be, since they are just getting on to make a few QSO's, and I  
tell them I'll mark them down as number 1 and their county or section.  
Then I thank them for getting on the air with us.

I suspect that the use of serial numbers is more of a hindrance to  
people who don't like them to begin with than it is to people who  
don't have a problem with them.

-73 de Mike N3LI -