[CQ-Contest] Do I need to operate assisted to figure out the calls?

[Michael D. Adams]

While I like it when running stations identify frequently, I have to
ask:  is this really something that needs to be addressed as a rule?

Trying to prescribe style or good manners seems somewhat excessive.  I
can think of plenty of other examples of poor operating behavior that
(to me at least) are more troubling than stations that don't identify
as frequently as I might like.   Couldn't an argument be made that
keyclicks or calling when the running station is aksing for a
completely unrelated partial call are also bothersome phenomena that
are at least as deserving, if not more deserving, of penalties or
disqualification as infrequent identification.

If a station isn't identifying as often as local laws or regulations
require, there are already rules in place to address that.  Don't most
contests have blanket rule requiring compliance with local
regulations?

If a station is simply not identifying as often as we like, but is
complying with local regulations, a nice short list of options already
exist to circumvent the problem:

* Don't work them
* Move on, and come back later
* Stick it out and wait for identification
* Bust the pileup and ask.

Stations that don't identify frequently enough make for an interesting
problem of strategy, and I like puzzles.   That's more than can be
said for certain other behaviors.

Now, if there is really a need to regulate etiquette or dictate
compliance with best practices, perhaps some though should be given to
crafting a "Contesters' Code of Conduct", and discuss whether
compliance with such a code should be a part of contest rules.  I
think that would still be a bit much, but at least that would be a
discussion that sits better than complaining, "we don't like it when
stations fail to identify as often as we like; therefore there ought
to be a rule against that."

--
Michael D. Adams (AB1OD)
Poquonock, Connecticut | mda at ab1od.org