[UK-CONTEST] Penalties

[G4FNL]

Quin

I think that the idea that new (or casual) competitors being put off
entering a contest because of a penalty is a bit patronising. If a penalty
system for wrongly logged exchange info was introduced (for RSGB contests)
then it would surely make people more careful. After all, the hobby is,
apart from other things, about self-improvement - whether it's from a better
antenna, or bigger amplifier, or in this case - in operating skill. 
The new web system for displaying results is good for showing details of
whether operators are in an improved placement on previous contests is to be
praised. Therefore, one can see if you're improving (or not) from these -
but it may mask the sending errors - and I think that it should be made
apparent to an operators if s/he has made such an error in sending or
receiving (self improvement).
What is really needed is to somehow get competitor numbers up. The example
of the Norwich Club is one that surely shows the rest of us that there are
folks who are keen to get on the air, and with a bit of cagouling from the
likes of Roger G3LDI and others, can be persuaded to have a go in the 80m
events. 
Personally, I hope to be back for NFD next year (this year was the first
time in 30 years apart from the foot and mouth outbreak that we haven't
entered. 

73 Graham G4FNL

-----Original Message-----
From: UK-Contest [mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
QUENTIN COLLIER
Sent: 30 August 2012 16:46
To: UK-Contest
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] WAS HF NFD RESULTS PUBLISHED

Thanks Graham - I wondered if that was the point Clive was getting at
(thanks for the response by the way Clive) but had initially (mis)read
something different into the words he used. 
 
For sure the CQ / ARRL approach focusses entrants' minds on not just best
guessing callsigns and hoping for the best. But I fear there might be
collateral damage in permanently putting off inexperienced contesters who
genuinely do their best but are demoralised by huge loss of points. A
totally personal view is that CQ/ARRL's highly laudable aim of focussing
attention on logging accuracy might be better achieved by including in the
contest exchange information (eg. a serial number or similar)  that cannot
be obtained from inspection of the prefix or a lookup on qrz.com - but as I
say that's just a personal opinion!
 
73,




Quin G3WRR