[TenTec] Just an observation

[Jerry Haigwood]

Hi Kim,
    I am not a good contester.  However, when I find someone sending slower
than me (and I have to look long and hard),  I slow down and then repeat
everything.  Maybe I am taking too much time but I figure the person is
maybe struggling a bit.  I don't operate many contests anymore.  I used to
live in NC and the local club ran a lot of transmitters and had some really
fine operators.  I learned a lot from them.  We used the call N4NC which was
appropriate for North Carolina!  I hope to become better at contesting.
Jerry W5JH

-----Original Message-----
From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
On Behalf Of Kim Elmore
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 7:51 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Just an observation

I like your call, Jerry! My Dad was W5JHJ, now an SK.

I own and operate a TT O II. There, obligatory TT content inserted. 
That said, I didn't use my O II in FD this year and there were no TT rigs at
our FD site. I used my originally-purched-by-me-in-1984 TS-930S with all the
W6NL mods in place, a full compliment of INRAD IF filters, and a new INRAD
roofing filter. It's remarkably bullet-proof, now. Far better than it ever
was in any other FD environment! That, however, is not my point...

My introduction to contesting really was FD on CW back in the '70s. I loved
the rapid pace and so was hooked. I only contest on CW as I honestly can't
stand phone contests. That said, no contester worth the moniker, phone or
CW, will jump on a frequency without listening. 
Period. And, no contester worth the moniker ever holds themselves above the
"unwashed non-contesting masses."

With that said, there's nothing at all unusual for someone already on
frequency to run off an interloper that tries to steal the frequency. 
I certainly do that if, during a good run, someone loud starts up within my
400 Hz pass band without first checking, I'll simply scrunch up closer and
closer to them until they leave. A simple "didt dit" is all that's needed,
to which I'll respond "C."

I think, like others, that part of FD is to learn how to set up stations
from scratch away from infrastructure and to also learn efficient
communications technique. I used to enjoy CW traffic nets, and I was
bothered to learn the protocol. I enjoyed the teamwork and efficiency we
enjoyed. Part of that comes from avoiding needless repeats. If someone says
"QSZ 2" then I'll send each word twice. 
Otherwise, it gets sent once and it's up to them to ask for fills.

Unlike some other contests, the nature of the FD exchange is not always
known in advance. It really has to be copied. It's best to do that
efficiently so, if someone asks me "nr?" all I send is my number and class,
once. Likewise, if they ask "sec?" they get only my section, once. If they
ask again, I'll slow down and send it twice, assuming that they have
difficult conditions. I'll clip along near 30 wpm until I hear someone
that's lots slower and then I'll slow down for them. The point is efficiency
in communications. It's always better to get it right than it is to repeat.
"Accuracy transcends speed."

I never instruct anyone on the air nor do I admonish them. My job in the air
is to communicate and move on. But I'll make cheerful suggestions if I see
someone being needlessly inefficient at their position. They can ignore me
if they want -- I don't take it personally. If they are interested in
learning to be more efficient, great! In a real emergency, efficiency and
accuracy are everything.

For example, there was an op at our site on a digital mode who routinely
repeated everything two or three times, complete with unnecessary preambles,
repeating both calls twice.  I didn't have a chance to suggest he try doing
things a bit differently, as someone else did so a bit less gently than I
would have.

So, I personally see FD as a time to have fun AND learn the merits of
efficient communication techniques for all modes. Once those two things are
accomplished, the details take care of themselves.

Kim N5OP

At 05:33 PM 6/25/2012, Jerry Haigwood wrote:
>Jim,
>     I am not doubting you are a good operator.  But, I have seen many 
>contesters who think they are better than the non-contest type of operator.
>They start calling "cq contest" or "test de" without ever listening 
>thereby crowding non-contesters off the band and making a pompous 
>donkey's butt of themselves.  They run full power even when it is not 
>necessary because they want to "hold a frequency."  And, then after the 
>contest they start in ridiculing the non-contest operator for being a 
>bad operator.  Do you really think you can encourage these people to 
>operate in a contest after you "grit your teeth" just to work them and 
>then come on a list like this one telling everyone what a lid they were.
That doesn't sound like encouragement to me.
>You really should be encouraging the non-contest operator to try one of 
>the sprints in some non-threatening way.  Then, they may find they like 
>contests and join your group.  But, calling a person a lid because they 
>sent "pse copy" before they sent their info is not going to get it done.
>Jerry W5JH

_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec