Topband: Equal opportunity]

[Gary Hinson]

> > In the just concluded CQWW 160M CW contest I was told "no 
> dupes" by a 
> > multiplier DX station. The DX op would not complete the 
> QSO. Timing wise 
> > there is no doubt who the DX was telling "no dupes". I had in fact 
> > worked that call a week or two prior to the contest on TB. 

I believe I know who you mean.  I have heard a station give the "NO DUPES NO DUPES" message in
ordinary DX pileups (painfully slowly, while everybody - bar the Southern Europeans naturally -
stands patiently by to watch some poor reprobate get his ticking-off), nothing to do with contests.
He expects us to work him just once.  Once ever perhaps.

Or is it once per band, once per mode, once per band-mode, once per month/year, once per
band-mode-month/year, once per blue moon, once per VFO, once per Dxcluster spot, once per contest,
once per grey-line-opening .... ?  I could ask him to define "once", except that I've already worked
him and so blown my big chance.  

I agree with your original comment (which seems to have been entirely forgotten as this mutant
thread has taken on a life of its own) that this behaviour is inherently unfair to contestants who
had worked him before the contest.  However, since when have contests been fair?  Life's unfair.
The universe is unfair.  Even binary is discriminatory against ones.  And zeros.  If this one QSO
makes all the difference between #1 and #2 position, tough luck to #2, try harder next year, good
night.

73
Gary  ZL2iFB