[CQ-Contest] Self-spotting explanation from CQWW blog

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

Why do we have to have cars?

Nobody has to have anything.  Spotting and RBN exists and I doubt that 
it is going to go away anytime soon.

Nobody has to use spots.  It is sure nice to get spotted at times.  It 
is a huge advantage to get spotted and stay spotted. Why?  Obviously 
because a bunch of people, participants, passerby's use packet to find 
DX or to work mults in domestic contests for whatever reasons they have.

It is so important that people people have broken rules to get the spots.

The world is changing.  People now have more options on entertainment 
than ever before.  Peoples time is being used up like never before.

Not specific to contesting, but to spotting, I can be working my home 
office job and be notified of things I want to work with spots that 
would otherwise be unavailable to me.  It allows me to be more active in 
my hobby than if I had to sit and tune myself. People have many other 
interests other than radio today.  Is it the end of the world to miss a 
spot?  No.  Does it allow me to play more radio, yes!   This is a good 
thing.

If we turned off all the packet clusters, spotting, Facebook and RBN and 
every other form of spotting today,  not one operator is going to 
suddenly get smarter, they won't know any better how to break pileups, 
everything that is a problem in contesting and blamed on technology is 
still going to be there.

W0MU






On 4/20/2017 10:03 AM, Tom Osborne wrote:
> If someone could explain why we HAVE to have spotting, it might make the
> discussion more relevant.
>
> We got by for 60 years without it and now all of a sudden we can't do a
> contest without spots???  Sheesh.  73
> Tom W7WHY
>
> On Apr 19, 2017 5:47 PM, "W0MU Mike Fatchett" <w0mu at w0mu.com> wrote:
>
>> How can you shut it all down?  Do you realize how many people are involved
>> with the clusters?  Plenty of people contest using the clusters and derive
>> great enjoyment from it.  The clusters were created for DXing not
>> contesting.
>>
>> The solution is to quit blaming the technology and start teaching.
>>
>> W0MU
>>
>>
>> On 4/19/2017 4:59 PM, Ed Sawyer wrote:
>>
>>> I too have been doing this, like Jeff, for a long time.  I don't think the
>>> "point and click" thing is a god thing for the hobby.  There's an easy way
>>> to make in very simple and uncomplicated.  Just shut off the RBN and
>>> cluster
>>> feeds during the contest.
>>>
>>>
>>> I can hear the next complaint with self spotting allowed.  Why do I need
>>> to
>>> give my callsign on the air.  Everyone knows I am on this frequency from
>>> the
>>> spot.  Oh and the spot comment field has my exchange too.  So just a
>>> broadcast of the caller and his exchange is necessary.  The self spotting
>>> running station can just say thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>> Is this honestly the desired outcome of the contest community?
>>>
>>>
>>> Re read Jeff's post and see if a different conclusion is more desirable
>>> than
>>> allowing self spotting.
>>>
>>>
>>> Laziness is killing us folks.  Harder is more interesting and rewarding.
>>>
>>>
>>> 73
>>>
>>>
>>> Ed  N1UR
>>>
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>>>
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