[UK-CONTEST] CQWW CW.

[G4MKP]

Danny,

As an SOAB HP unassisted I didn't get to see any cluster activity over the
CQWW CW weekend but I certainly heard it working and was affected by it in
two ways.  Firstly it was quite evident when I was spotted since a steady
2/1 cq call/Q ratio went through the roof and the call frequency became full
of calls. For me it was an excellent opportunity for a 'vanilla G' to get my
rates up. My K3 is more than capable of providing sufficient selectivity to
work through the pile-up and it was a positive experience for me.

Secondly, it was noticeable when an adjacent contester was spotted and my
frequency became unworkable. It is bad enough that fellow contesters or dx
hunters indiscriminately call without first listening, including doing so
during other exchanges, but to do so on 'my' frequency really pissed me off.
I'm sure that the reverse is true of adjacent contesters when I was spotted.
Not a positive experience.

These cluster LIDs simply click on the spotted station in their cluster
window and start calling. Do they not think that the reported frequency
might not be the same as the actual frequency that the wanted station is on
relevant to their rig?

What can/should be done?

1. Disabling clusters during contests might help but it won't last since new
methods of doing this would pop up within hours. 

2. Reporting them to the contest organisers might help but I'm uncomfortable
with how far this could go. This is hobby for goodness sake.

3. Not putting them in the log so that they get NIL in the UBNs might also
help. This would waste my time and I wouldn't get the points.

4. Sprint contest for CQWW? Could this really work? 20 Q's per run and then
QSY?

5. Do nothing? Although at times a zoo, I have to say that I benefited from
cluster activity.

Cheers,

Terry
G4MKP



     

I'm not convinced that policing the conduct of operators across the world
could ever be successfully achieved.

-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Danny Higgins
Sent: 03 December 2008 18:45
To: brian coyne
Cc: uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] CQWW CW.


brian coyne wrote:
> I am not a Luddite, the cluster has it's place but it has got to the stage
which is spoiling our enjoyment, so is the hobby happy to sit on their hands
shaking heads and doing nothing whilst the problem gets worse and worse ? I
hope there can be some concentration of minds to work upon finding a
solution.
>
> 73  Brian 5B4AIZ
>   

There doesn't seem to be a lot of options:

Make CQWW a sprint event (?);
Post audio clips of persistent offenders on a name-and-shame website and 
hope that the organisers will deduct points for ungentlemanly conduct;
Work the offenders, but don't put them in the log.

The cluster has its uses.  I did a fairly low key entry, trying this 
year to add to my 40M total.  I spent over an hour calling XW1B with 
100W and a dipole (unsuccessfully), but the cluster gave me the chance 
to try another few pile-ups at the same time.

73,

Danny, G3XVR

_______________________________________________
UK-Contest mailing list
UK-Contest at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest