[VHFcontesting] Pre-contest skeds

[Garie Halstead]

On Wednesday, 22 May 2002, Kenneth Harker wrote:

> What do other people think about the practice of skeds in VHF 
> contesting?

What would be interesting to know is what the average success rate
is with regard to VHF skeds.  My success rate here has been dismal. 
Rarely did any of them work out...the propagation just wasn't there.

My practice is to honor any sked requests I receive prior to the
contest via email but that in no way guarantees a contest QSO will
occur...and in most instances, it did not.

I feel you're giving VHF propagation far too much credit here.  Quite
the contrary, there's no way I can predict when the band is going to
be open during a given contest nor the direction of the opening.    

> Am I the only one who finds this somewhat distasteful?

If you find it to be distasteful, then simply don't involve yourself.

> making
> skeds is just one step away from agreeing before the contest to enter one
> another into the logs come what may...

I disagree.  I'd like to think that unless callsigns and grids are
accurately exchanged on the air as a result of a sked ... no contact
takes place.  Honesty is what it's all about and most of the VHF
contest ops I know are above reproach. 

73 //Gary -K8KFJ-
West Virginia [EM98]