Topband: Stew Beef

[kolson at rcn.com]

"Back when the signal report was a real part of the 
exchange and contesters tended to exchange honest reports, a major contest 
could be an opportunity to determine how well your station got out" 

The days of "honest reports" in a contest? I am 63 years old, operated my first contest when I was 18  and I don't remember those days. You found out how well your station "got out" by how long you waited in the pileups and how much of the time you could call CQ. 

"...the minimal value 
of contests sink to zero." 

As opposed to all the valuable weather reports, in ane chatter, QRM on DX stations, character assassination  and kvetching about "Obama" in the rest of ham radio... 

"They have become nothing more than a vehicle to keep the ham radio 
economy running and the "play" part, after consumer hams have done the 
plugging." 

In my experience,  the average contester is more operationally and technically savvy than the average ham, especially the average ham that complains about them. 

73, Kevin K3OX 


----- Original Message -----

From: "Rob Atkinson" <ranchorobbo at gmail.com> 
To: topband at contesting.com 
Sent: Friday, January 8, 2016 9:12:31 AM 
Subject: Re: Topband: Stew Beef 

I completely agree with Don on this.  the incessant and utterly 
meaningless "599" or "59" because it is programmed in and the operator 
too lazy to think about a real signal report makes the minimal value 
of contests sink to zero. 

They have become nothing more than a vehicle to keep the ham radio 
economy running and the "play" part, after consumer hams have done the 
plugging. 

73 

Rob 
K5UJ 


<<<But that brings up a problem with most contesters these days, the fact that 
your RST is likely to be "599" regardless, even when the other op can just 
barely dig you out of the noise.  Same with contests on other bands, both phone 
and CW.  That nonsensical practice has eliminated what was erstwhile perhaps 
the most useful function of contesting, and IMHO, diminishes the worthiness of 
contests altogether.  Back when the signal report was a real part of the 
exchange and contesters tended to exchange honest reports, a major contest 
could be an opportunity to determine how well your station got out, and into 
what localities you put the best and worst signal strength, providing some 
insight to improvements you might wish make to your transmitter and antenna 
system. >>> 
_________________ 
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband