[CQ-Contest] Encouraging Spotting of SSB QSOs in Contests

[Richard F DiDonna NN3W]

Exactly.  This has happened several times since I often use an external MFJ
434.  It also happens (this is a corner case) when you work a friend and he
says I'm going to another band - take this one.

73 Rich NN3W

On Thu, Dec 1, 2022 at 11:38 AM Chris Plumblee <chris.plumblee at gmail.com>
wrote:

> If you’re not using DVK on the PC (for instance, if you’re relying on an
> external DVK or rawdogging it with no DVK) N1MM has no way to know when
> you’re running. It doesn’t make any difference to the user whether you’re
> in Run or S&P when you’re using your live voice for all elements of the
> exchange (voice of experience…pun intended), but if N1MM thinks that your
> run QSOs are S&P QSOs and spots them on your frequency, the situation is
> far from ideal.
>
> 73,
> Chris W4WF
>
> On Thu, Dec 1, 2022 at 11:15 AM Steve London <n2icarrl at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Please explain the circumstances that N1MM doesn't put you into run mode
>> immediately.
>>
>> N1MM puts you into run mode immediately if you use the F1 key to send CQ,
>> or check the Run box, or use Alt-U to switch to run mode, or...(probably 5
>> other ways).
>>
>> 73,
>> Steve, N2IC
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 11:00 AM Richard F DiDonna NN3W <
>> richnn3w at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > One problem with spot all S&P QSOs is that often N1MM doesn't put you
>> into
>> > run mode immediately.  So you suddenly have a bunch of packet spots for
>> > stations on your run frequency.  Not an ideal situation.
>> >
>> > On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 11:48 AM Pete Smith N4ZR <pete.n4zr at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > > Well, of course there is an intermediate step - users of N1MM Logger
>> on
>> > > any mode can select the Option "spot all S&P QSOs".  My hunch, totally
>> > > unsupported by real data, is that people hesitate to do that because,
>> if
>> > > they are operating Unassisted, they don't want to be accused of
>> cheating.
>> > >
>> > > 73, Pete N4ZR
>> > > Check out the new Reverse Beacon Network
>> > > web server at<https://reversebeacon.net>.
>> > > For spots, please use your favorite
>> > > "retail" DX cluster.
>> > >
>> > > On 11/30/2022 10:39 AM, George Fremin III wrote:
>> > > > On Sat, Nov 19, 2022 at 10:44:00AM -0500, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > >> I've been appalled by how few stations spot in phone contests,
>> > > > >From the early days of the DX spotting systems via packet radio
>> > > > (packet DX clusters) there has always been an issue with getting
>> folks
>> > > > to submit spots to the system.  It all relied on humans inputing
>> this
>> > > > data - and there were only small numbrers of stations submitting
>> input
>> > > > but a vast number of stations consumming it.
>> > > >
>> > > > I am sure you can find folks complaining about this in the archives
>> of
>> > > > this very email reflector.
>> > > >
>> > > > There were efforts made to get folks to add spots to the system.
>> As I
>> > > > recall there were even reports done and posted to CQ-Contest that
>> > > > listed all the calls and the number of DX spots they posted over the
>> > > > past contest weekends.  That in itself became a contest of sorts -
>> > > > could you make the high spot list.
>> > > >
>> > > > But, we do not do this anymore.  And I am not sure anyone would
>> care.
>> > > >
>> > > > I suspect that spots being put into the system by humans going down
>> > > > over time.
>> > > >
>> > > > There is no reason to do it at all on CW or FT8 or RTTY - the
>> > > > automated systems take care of those modes.  It has gotten folks out
>> > > > of the habbit of spotting stations - so when they go to SSB they
>> dont
>> > > > do it there.  It also has made it seem like there is no activity on
>> > > > SSB in or out of contests. And I think this is a bit of a feedback
>> > > > loop - no spots on SSB but plenty on CW/FT8 - so folks go to those
>> > > > modes to some extent.  You can really see this in multi-mode
>> contests.
>> > > > We are starting to see what I think is a skewing of the activity in
>> > > > things like IARU to CW - where the spots flow freely and where if
>> you
>> > > > go to SSB and call CQ you do not get the instant answers that you do
>> > > > on CW - so you QSY back to CW.  Even though there are many more
>> people
>> > > > that know the voice than the ones that know the code.
>> > > >
>> > > > Does that mean I want an SSB RBN?  No, I would prefer that it did
>> not
>> > > > exist on CW either.  Or DX spotting at all for that matter.  But I
>> > > > know that it will likely not go back.
>> > > >
>> > > > I have seen suggestions that SSB should add some sort of beacon to
>> our
>> > > > signals so that an RBN system would eaisly work - and I fully expect
>> > > > that sort of talk to increase over time.  Just like the ADS-B
>> systems
>> > > > on airplanes. And this step to self spotting is just the first step
>> in
>> > > > this direciton.  It would be nice if it was over the air but I
>> guess -
>> > > > why demand that?  When you can more eaisly call CQ on the internet
>> > > > every time you push F1.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
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>> > > CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>> > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>> > >
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>> >
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> --
> Chris Plumblee
> 407.494.5155
>