[UK-CONTEST] Death to the cluster!

[Mark Haynes]

Hello all,

I find this topic very interesting. I've heard people suggest that the cluster may be for the untalented and that entries in the contest in the unassisted category is for the better operators. This may well be the case, however I am one that choses to enter the assisted category because I enjoy the challenges it brings. If a rare station is spotted, and I manage to break the pile up, I get a great sense of achievement. It's a style of operating that was introduced to me when I started contesting from GB3RS with G4JVG and G0WAT when the cluster was ahcieved using wireless, and I saw it as a luxury!

The WPX Contest is a great format for stations with restricted antennas as they can enter the secondary category 'Tribander and Wires'. When I'm calling and calling with no takers from my tiny station, and suddenly I get spotted, it's fantastic as I am surprised with a nice run of stations that I probably would never have worked! There is no harm in this, but for sure I was 'lucky' to get spotted. This is just a variable that we have to learn to live with, as we seem to have done since the cluster was born.

To me, all the sources that are made available within the rules of the contest are not a problem, and indeed it is the way that the operator uses the information that is the skill. I can totally agree with viewpoints expressed, but perhaps focus on how we learn to live with these tools is worth paying attention to rather than 'death to the cluster'.

Vy 73,
Mark M0DXR

 



________________________________
From: Bob Henderson <bob at 5b4agn.net>
To: UK Contest Reflector <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Thu, 10 December, 2009 20:32:10
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Death to the cluster!

Bob

I suspect we are confused together.

What a dichotomy!  On the one hand, we seek good manners and a high standard
of operating both within contests and without.  On the other, we face a
plethora of aids, which empower the untalented.  Cluster, skimmer, code
readers, keyboard senders etc.

Finesse is becoming a thoroughly under represented commodity.  Where will it
all end?

Bob, 5B4AGN

2009/12/10 Rob Harrison <robharrison at g8hgn.freeserve.co.uk>

> Hi Bob,
>
> Now I'm confused.
>
> Aiming for the top is a fine ideal, but at any cost is not. That's all I'm
> saying. Maybe it didn't come over like that.
>
> 73
>
> Bob G8HGN
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Henderson" <bob.5b4agn at gmail.com>
> To: "UK Contest Reflector" <uk-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 8:06 PM
>
> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Death to the cluster!
>
>
>
>> Well I don't know about modern society old chap but let's not forget we're
>> talking about contesting.  Doesn't wanting to come first carry an element
>> of
>> legitimacy therein?
>>
>> Perhaps I'm confused.
>>
>> 73 Bob, 5B4AGN
>>
>> 2009/12/10 Rob Harrison <robharrison at g8hgn.freeserve.co.uk>
>>
>>  Roger,
>>>
>>> Sadly that's not the clusters fault, more the "me" factor, and blow
>>> anyone
>>> else. But in our "modern" society "I" come first to the detriment of all
>>> others. Seeing the other chaps point of view doesn't occur to them, just
>>> get
>>> you in the log.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>> Bob G8HGN
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Roger G3SXW" <g3sxw at btinternet.com>
>>> To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
>>> Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 7:48 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Death to the cluster!
>>>
>>>
>>> >
>>> > At a rare station (eg VooDudes) cluster can cut the QSO rate in half.
>>> This
>>> > is a recent phenomenon: many 'operators' have no clue what they're >
>>> doing,
>>> > just hitting the button to send their call-sign continuously. Then the
>>> > station to whom I reply does not hear me go back to him through the
>>> bedlam
>>> > so I have to send the exchange 3-4 times. This kills the operating fun
>>> for
>>> > me. More recently (especially on 40 mtrs) I've had no option but to >
>>> QSY.
>>> > Then I get a few minutes of sensible QSO rate, then the bedlam starts >
>>> all
>>> > over again. I sometimes find that I QSY every ten minutes. Plain daft!
>>> > I
>>> > realise it's horses for courses: for a non-rare station it might help.
>>> But
>>> > Cluster users need to put brain in gear before starting their motor.
>>> > Cluster
>>> > does help us to find mults too, but on balance I nowadays wish it had
>>> > never
>>> > been invented. Without it I guess that some 20+% more people could get
>>> > into
>>> > our logs: more QSOs, better scores, our score would also benefit, we >
>>> have
>>> > more fun and so are more likely to DXpedition again the following year.
>>> > 73 de Roger/G3SXW.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>> > From: "Paul O'Kane" <pokane at ei5di.com>
>>> > To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
>>> > Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 7:28 PM
>>> > Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Death to the cluster!
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >>
>>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>>> >> From: <mark.haynes at yahoo.co.uk>
>>> >>
>>> >>> However if we can conclude that overall more QSOs are being made
>>> >>> as a result of cluster spots, we must be conscious that this is
>>> >>> strengthening the security of not only contests and maintaining
>>> >>> interest but also our right to have access to the bands.
>>> >>
>>> >> I conclude that cluster spots tend to reduce QSO numbers because
>>> >> fewer people call CQ, and fewer people search the bands.
>>> >>
>>> >> 73,
>>> >> Paul EI5DI
>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >> UK-Contest mailing list
>>> >> UK-Contest at contesting.com
>>> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest
>>> >
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>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>
>
>
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