Topband: Cluster Spots and the ARRL 160

[ws6x.ars at gmail.com]

Hi Ron,
And I thought it was just me. I too, had to resort to S&P because of the number of dupes. In 9 hrs. of operating, I had 16 total, plus another 4 where the operator caught themselves and said, "SRI." I have never seen anything like it. I had a K2 who called me on Sat evening for a dupe, and 4 minutes later called me again!
Like you, I figured it was bad cluster spots. However, I searched the database for the usual blown calls -- WI6X, WS6K, WH6X and WS7X. To my surprise, I can't find a single spot with any of these variations.
I agree: several of these callers were well-known, competent contest operators. Most I had worked dozens of times.
For 160M tests, I have long since adjusted my callsign in the N1MM text scripts. I add a half-space before the "S" and slow the "S" down by 2 wpm. In the past, this has always served me well. But not in this test. 
>From this QTH I had lots of QRN and rapid, deep QSB. I even slowed my sending by 2 wpm from Sat evening on. That did not seem to do the trick.
Besides the usual wide key-clickers, I also heard an unusual number of signals breaking up. Some to the point of being nearly uncopiable. Was this strange atmospheric condx? Was this what was bugging my signal?
I'm curious if others experienced the same stuff.
Jim - WS6X


-----Original Message-----
From: Topband <topband-bounces+ws6x.ars=gmail.com at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Ron Spencer via Topband
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 10:55 AM
To: topband <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: ARRL 160

Re Packet and the contest      
May not be of interest to everyone. 
Sat evening around 0010 or so, had been running with a nice rate. Then a dupe. And another. And yet another. This continued for around 15 minutes until I finally QSY'd to escape. 

My guess of what happened: someone spotted me but with an incorrect call. On all those using packet, a new call popped up. They clicked on it, dumped in their call. Typically I work all dupes and,  for the first few did but, as the volume grew, I replied with their call, mine and "B4". Most went away but a few insisted on a Q. 

In addition to showing how far our hobby has sunk, isn't it the responsibility of the calling station to actually copy the call sign? Many of the stations that duped me were very recognizable stations. Again, guessing, they were running SO2R, clicked on the spot, called and expected a quick Q. NEVER bothering to check accuracy of packet spot. Is it a valid contact if you don't copy the actual call sign? Even if the call was correct on packet. Or are we moving towards letting the computer do most of the work? 

Sure would be interesting if more contests were like the Stew Perry where no spotting assistance is allowed. You have to actually copy the information...... Yes, I know. A radical idea.

Ron
N4XD