[CQ-Contest] R: Ea8's banned from RBN? Hmmm

Tue Feb 28 19:12:54 EST 2017

Frank,

what EA8RM is trying to explain you is about your auto-forwarding/spotting service to the classic dx cluster system once a rare/semi-rare dxcc/station callsign (flagged in your database) is spotted over RBN network by a US site.

His point is that your service is basically nothing else but a cheerleading machine. And actually it is even if you don't intend to do so.
So he's complaining the fact that from EA8 not only he has to compete against other rarer AF stations that attract more callers as per nature but that he needs to face the unfair advantage provided by your feature as well.

It's a known fact that a classic dx cluster spot nowadays still attracts/generates much more traffic/pileup compared to a RBN spot. We see such a boost even from Italy.
It's also true that you stopped doing so in CQWW/ARRL but there are other major contests like WPX, IARU, WAEDC, RDXC, etc and in these contests your feature is on and it's pretty annoying to say the least. 

FYI I can tell you here on the European side we see the same effect reported by EA8RM.
On one side we have the "W3LPL group" which includes the semi-rare European countries (ie. LX, E7, CU, T7, etc, just to name a few) but even common countries on specific bands that are relevant for US (ie. ES/YL/CT on 160, etc) while on the other we find I, F, G, DL, EA, 9A, etc.
The picture is that semi-rare EU stations/countries in your database get an instant pileup everytime they change QRG/band (and they already have some advantage as per nature), all others have to wait some humans to spot them if that ever happens.

It would be wise if you turn your feature off at least in all major contests, not just CQWW/ARRL (the world doesn't end there).
AFAIK this is something I already asked you several years ago privately by email.

Regards.

Matt

-----Messaggio originale-----
Da: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] Per conto di donovanf at starpower.net
Inviato: martedì 28 febbraio 2017 20:10
A: cq-contest at contesting.com
Oggetto: Re: [CQ-Contest] Ea8's banned from RBN? Hmmm

Juan, 

With all respect for your excellent contest results over many years, the issue you're describing SIMPLY DOES NOT EXIST in the CQ WW and ARRL CW DX contests because the W3LPL automated CW and RTTY DX spotter HAS ALWAYS BEEN TURNED OFF during both of those DX contests! 

Perhaps your complaint is about the Reverse Beacon Network, If it is, I don't understand your complaint... 

73 
Frank 
W3LPL 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Juan Hidalgo EA8RM" <ea8cac at gmail.com> 
Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com 
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2017 2:52:25 PM 
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Ea8's banned from RBN? Hmmm 

Hello Mike: 

What happens if LPL system spot all NA stations and not V31MU when you're there??? 
Will be you happy with that ? 

Or imagine that the system don't spot PR stations (common dxcc) and just spot you every 10 min (uncommon dxcc( , both in NA. it's that's fair ? 

That what I mean Mike 

It looks CQoIP !! 

73 de EA8RM 

Enviado desde mi iPhone 

> El 28 feb 2017, a las 14:03, W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu at w0mu.com> escribió: 
> 
> LPL has created a tool that does something different. It is what it is. When that system first came about many Cluster owners decided to ignore those spots until the system was refined better. EA8's are spotted just fine. LPL does not sponsor and run contests. It is just one tool that appears to be created for DXers. 
> 
> There is nothing stopping someone else from creating a tool that does something else is there? 
> 
> The LPL system is dumped into the regular cluster system so what exactly is the problem? There is no secret gateway to LPL spots that only certain contesters use etc. Smart folks will connect to many different clusters to make sure they get the spot as soon as possible to avoid packet pileups. 
> 
> There are plenty of tools out there to be used. Pick the ones that work for you. Not being spotting on LPL's system is a non issue. 
> 
> W0MU 
> 
> 
>> On 2/28/2017 7:07 AM, Eric M. Guzman, P.E. wrote: 
>> Mike, please allow me to jump in. 
>> 
>> I think Juan RM is not referring in general to RBN network. It looks like W3LPL (at least) has some kind of RBN to "Normal Cluster" gateway in which RBN spots that meets certain criteria, are forwarded to "Normal Clusters". Apparently the criteria is rareness. 
>> 
>> So Juan point is, during a contest, he is competing with another AF station. He finds unfair that W3LPL keeps forwarding his rare AF competitor RBN spots to normal clusters while not forwarding his spotd because he is not rare enough. 
>> 
>> I think Juan has a valid point if it is tbe way he describes. 
>> 
>> 73 Eric G. NP3A 
>> 
>> 
>>> On February 28, 2017 2:19:51 AM "Mike Smith VE9AA" <ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca> wrote: 
>>> 
>>> N1EN says".Keep in mind EA8's aren't banned from RBN.." 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> EA8RM says (in part)". The EA8s are banned from the system I don't know why, 
>>> but it is very easy to 
>>> 
>>> check.." 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From Mike VE9AA: 
>>> 
>>> Juan, 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I am not sure where you got your information from, and I am not an authority 
>>> on the RBN by any means, but I find that statement quite odd indeed ! 
>>> 
>>> You can check this out yourself and prove that it's just not true my friend. 
>>> (I did a search myself of EA8's and see 100 CW and RTTY spots from several 
>>> EA8's just this afternoon in the past couple hours alone. 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Go to some band that is open. (20m in the daytime, 40m in the evening). 
>>> 
>>> Pick a clear frequency. 
>>> 
>>> Use a good antenna and normal power and call CQ EA8RM TEST 4 or 5 times. 
>>> (all at the same speed) 
>>> 
>>> Repeat a couple times on the same frequency just to be sure. 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Go to: http://www.reversebeacon.net/srch.php 
>>> 
>>> Type in EA8RM. Hit enter. 
>>> 
>>> I am sure the page will be full from all over EU or NA (or both, depending 
>>> on your power, antenna, prop,e tc). 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Try it. 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> GL ! 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> CU in the next contest. 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Mike VE9AA 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________ 
>>> CQ-Contest mailing list 
>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com 
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________ 
>> CQ-Contest mailing list 
>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com 
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> CQ-Contest mailing list 
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com 
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest 
_______________________________________________ 
CQ-Contest mailing list 
CQ-Contest at contesting.com 
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest 

_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest