[CQ-Contest] Consider This Fellow Contesters

[K1AR at aol.com]

All,
 
Over the past few  weeks in particular, there has been a significant 
increase in personal attacks  and mudslinging on this channel. Someone aptly 
pointed out recently that rather  than celebrating the enormous accomplishments 
at WRTC-2010, we spent more  time complaining about the impact of packet 
spotting-related issues. It's no  wonder that the majority of actual competitors 
have  avoided posting celebratory summaries of their experiences. Someone 
might  chew them out for their airline selection between London and New  York 
or the fact that they used the Internet to catch up  on email during the 
flight. Or, they might simply be thinking, "Why bother with  this crowd?" That 
is a huge loss for us all.
 

 
I'd like to again ask  for some balance. My broader concern has more to do 
with the perception about  contesting that is created by the subtle (and 
sometimes not so subtle) bickering  that takes place here. In many cases, I'm 
not proud of the image we're creating  for new or potential contesters. 
Frankly, we often spend more time bitching than  contributing useful insight that 
benefits contesting at  large.
 

 
While Tom and I try  our best to allow for an open forum, this is a 
moderated list. I'd simply like  to ask, via this message, that you think twice 
before launching your next  "nastygram." In an ideal world, the archived 
version of CQ-Contest should be  great fodder for the advancement of contesting 
and new contester recruitment. As  it currently exists, we have a long way to  
go.
 

 
Think about it and  thanks for reading.
 

 
73 John,  K1AR