[UK-CONTEST] The Spirit of Contesting

[Rob Harrison]

Morning,

I think I know what it means, you think you know what it means, Bob thinks 
he knows what it means, the adjudicators have an idea of what it means, and 
then there's the rules.

We all come from different aspects of radio and different eras, so our 
preception of " the spirit of the contest/amateur radio" is different.

It's a non-quantifiable term, we all have our on interpretation of what we'd 
like it to be, but so does everyone else, and probably they're all 
different. It's a complete waste to put it in the rules if you are not going 
to spell out what that is. If you want to get rid of bad practices, you've 
got to spell out what they are and deal with them by penalising entrants. If 
that's not possible for whatever reason, technical or internationally, then 
your wasting your time with wafty statements about "spirit". That won't cut 
it nowadays.

Sorry to be a bit heavy this morning, 73

Bob G8HGN



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul O'Kane" <pokane at ei5di.com>
To: "UK Contest Reflector" <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 9:37 AM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] The Spirit of Contesting


>
> Was [UK-CONTEST] cqwwwpx:
>
> On 30/05/2011 20:06, Bob Henderson wrote:
>
>> Although I haven't heard you in Cyprus at strength adequate to allow me
>> to be particularly critical,
>
> We can all enjoy a good argument, except when red
> herrings appear out of nowhere.
>
>
>> You are quite right in that I have not said whether I subscribe to the
>> concept of "the spirit of the contest".  I wasn't aware I had been asked
>> to do so, until now.
>
>> In short, yes I do; though I suspect not in the way you do.
>
> This answer seems to be both "Yes" AND "No".
>
>
>> In my opinion the spirit of the contest is the gap between the rules
>> as they are written and the way they are from time to time
>> interpreted by those who matter.  They being the adjudicators.
>
> This definition isn't clear.  For example, do key
> clicks from an unmodified factory rig contravene
> the spirit of a contest and, if so, who decides?
> It might help if you explain how the definition
> supports your answer.
>
>
>> What I suspect you mean, is more to do with what isn't enshrined in the
>> rules but is in your own prejudice.
>
> I'm happy to confirm that your suspicions are
> unwarranted.
>
>
>> Personally, I love these individual interpretations of "the spirit of
>> the contest".  They are the equivalent of self inflicted bondage.  There
>> is no advantage quite like the one you gain from the opponent who shoots
>> himself in the foot.
>
> I have yet to offer an interpretation of "the spirit
> of the contest" other than to suggest that key clicks
> are incompatible with this concept.  The practice of
> minimising key clicks on factory rigs is not usually
> considered to be the equivalent of "self inflicted
> bondage".
>
> The General Rules for RSGB HF Contests state "Points
> may be deducted or entries disqualified or excluded
> for any breach of the rules or spirit of the contest."
>
> If we have all had enough of key clicks, we might
> review the many other examples of sharp practice,
> not addressed in rules, that contravene the spirit
> of the contest.
>
>
> 73,
> Paul EI5DI
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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