[TenTec] Just an observation

[Jim Brown]

On 6/25/2012 2:34 PM, Jerry Haigwood wrote:
> A good operator will slow down and work those
> type of people because the good operator realizes that FD always brings out the non-contesters.

As a good operator, and one for whom Field Day has long been my favorite 
contest, I DO slow down for those with lower code speed, and DURING the 
contest, I grit my teeth and smile. Probably 5% of the 800 contacts I 
made were in that category. But AFTER the contest, I will do my best 
educate those who don't know any better.  Which is what I'm doing now.

Almost any phone contest brings out non-contesters, and we want to 
encourage them.We WANT more contesters.  What we don't want to encourage 
is BAD HABITS. And anything that wastes time is a bad habit.

This is not just about contesting -- an important part of ham radio is 
emergency preparedness, and an important part of both contesting and 
Field Day is training for emergency preparedness. In an emergency, 
wasting time is also a very bad thing, knowing good operating techniques 
is and communicating effectively a very good thing.

I live just down the road from a top contester who also is a key player 
in our emergency communications activities, including running the nets 
when things are happening. Our nets are activated for real emergencies 
fairly often -- we have big forest fires, there are floods, heavy 
storms, and this is earthquake territory. Back in the midwest where I 
used to live we had floods and tornadoes. Along the east and gulf coasts 
there are floods and hurricanes. And nowadays almost everyone is having 
wildfires.

73, Jim K9YC