[CQ-Contest] Self Spotting

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

I am very surprised that nobody has created a huge multi user version of 
DR. DX for the internet.  I would be great fun.  DR. DX was pretty 
amazing for the time.  I know there is a modern day equivalent but it 
has not been implemented on a large scale where everyone is tied 
together, scoreboard, etc.

This is one reason that Ham radio is having problems attracting and 
getting people on the air.  You can engage with people all over the 
globe very easily and for free.  No huge towers or investments needed.  
Talking to someone in Russian, Germany, Japan, or wherever is much more 
common today.  I probably have more foreign friends on Facebook than I 
do local.

Radiosport and ham radio are about having fun and learning for me.  
Sitting and calling endless CQ's on RTTY is not fun.  The point of 
contests should be to make lots of contacts.  If the rules are reducing 
the amount of contacts then we have failed. Are more contacts made when 
packet is allowed?  I think so.  NAQP RTTY last night might be an 
example.  Packet is discouraged and I noticed a number of people that 
were discouraged from the contest for just that reason.

There is nothing magical, mystical or fantastic about unassisted 
anymore.  For me it is something that has become archaic, old and very 
much behind the times.  I have a buggy for my draft horse and it is fun 
to drive now and then but I much prefer to hop in my pickup truck to get 
around town.  Many of the rules are difficult at best to enforce, power, 
packet, etc and then when the rules are enforced the decisions of the 
organizers are criticized when there has been no real proof provided by 
either side.

Interesting times we are in.

W0MU




On 2/26/2017 6:21 AM, Ed Sawyer wrote:
> Why don't we just skip the radio part and just work each other in a chat
> room.  That would be the fairest right?
>
>   
>
> Radiosport is ABOUT communicating over the airwaves and putting what we hear
> in the log.  Not about accepting what the bandmap populated and hitting
> enter.  Its also about the technical challenge of producing a good loud
> signal and being able to hear.  Otherwise its essentially gaming.  There are
> lots of outlets for people wanting to game.
>
>   
>
> I was CQing on 160 last night and had 2 EU stations call me that clearly
> could not hear me but were broadcasting a Q (faking it), from the spot, to
> try and get the Vermont Mult into the log.  I can hear them with my
> beverages no problem.
>
>   
>
> I personally think Self Spotting is the end of contesting as we know it and
> should NEVER be allowed.
>
>   
>
> At least with the RBN, a radio does have to pick you up to put it on the
> net.
>
>   
>
> Until there is an SSB RBN, the effort should be for fairer spotting.  The
> easiest way is for the major contest clubs around the world to implore their
> members to set the "spot all S & P" on their software programs and for that
> to be the default position for programs going forward.  How hard is that?
>
>   
>
> Ed  N1UR
>
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