[CQ-Contest] Working Split in Contests

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

Just realized that I forgot to share this with CQ-Contest

73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the new Reverse Beacon Network
web server at<http://beta.reversebeacon.net>.
For spots, please use your favorite
"retail" DX cluster.

On 11/13/2021 9:20 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote to K3TN:
>
> Hi John - I guess we'll have to table our disagreement as unresolved 
> for now.  I was watching my Available window all day on Sunday, and 
> count myself extremely lucky to have gotten that last section.  I 
> would be interested to know the actual numbers of sweeps during the 
> last several Sweepstakes, because it was certainly harder for me to 
> get NT this year than in most years past. The argument about splitting 
> taking up valuable real-estate is not very persuasive to me on Sundays 
> in SS, when the actual QSO rate is so very low.
>
> Regarding NOSPOTME or whatever - From the standpoint of the operators 
> of the RBN, I don't want to see this implemented.  Several reasons - 
> if this were done at the central server level, it would require an 
> additional "lookup" action for every single spot, with uncertain but 
> certainly negative effects on the network's ability to handle the 
> volume it does.  You may recall the times, in the RBN's early years, 
> when CQWWCW's volume caused repeated crashes. If we tried to implement 
> it at the individual node level, it would require cooperation by 
> something around 200 node-ops, and would run counter to our philosophy 
> of reliance on volunteers managing their own nodes.  And finally, as 
> you noted, authentication would require a bunch of new programming, 
> with the server guys not having the time to take that on. They look at 
> the issue from time to time, given the environment we operate in, but 
> always cringe at the anticipated workload.  It's bad enough that we're 
> still running our new site as beta some two years later.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> Check out the new Reverse Beacon Network
> web server at<http://beta.reversebeacon.net>.
> For spots, please use your favorite
> "retail" DX cluster.
> On 11/13/2021 6:35 AM, K3TN via CQ-Contest wrote:
>> Pete - looking at the reports scores on 3830, I see a lot of "84"s showing up under sections claimed, doesn't seem to have been that much harder to work NT this year than other years.
>> Personally, I like the Sweep being hard to get. I think part of the challenge is judging whether to spend the time in a pileup to get the mult or to move on and that is a good thing. The "tragedy of the commons" problems with the poor/rude operating habits of callers, exacerbated by skimmer spotting, is part of DXing and contesting.
>> This year I abandoned the VY0ERC pileup the first time, but left that freq in one ear while I worked the contest on 20 and 40. I heard him get much louder and went back and got through in a few minutes. In other years, I've set up shop calling CQ a few Khz higher than the NT station and had him call in many minutes later after he abandoned the unruly pileup. Other years I just haven't gotten the Sweep! Still fun, like fishing when that big one slips off the hook...
>> As I mentioned in my earlier comment, if there were to be any changes I'd like to see ops be able to request NOSPOTME of the skimmer network, which to work would also require the authentication issue to be addressed.
>> 73 John K3TN
>> Pete said: "I've read all these complaints, and I generally agree.  but on Sunday, in SS, when the only VY0 then on the bands is being deluged with mis-timed or downright unthinking repeats, split would have been a boon to many, and as for the argument about interfering with other QSO efforts, have you listened to SS on Sunday recently - or ever?"
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