A good sports analogy? Well...
Many marathons, 10 K races, and so forth have hundreds if not thousands of
participants. But look closer... there is usually an "elite" group of
runners seriously competing for prizes and/or records (and sometimes other
things, like making the Olympic team). The vast majority, though, are there
just to be part of the race. They don't try to "win" (and often can't,
since they don't actually start until minutes after the official "start" of
the race, being far back in the pack), but are just trying to see if they
can meet or break some personal goal (finish the race, beat their own
personal best time, etc. and so forth)
In most of our contests, we have that group of "elite" players who choose to
try and "win" their section/division/country/power class/etc. And then we
have the vast majority who are on the air for personal goals -- pick up some
new entities or band entities, see how well they can do for a given period
of time, just have fun, etc. Many of this group, if they send in a log at
all, do so for log checking purposes, or just to see their calls in the
scores, not to "win." (And of course, if they are in the right area and the
right entry classification, sometimes one of these "what the heck" guys DO
win)
Bottom line, to me, is that no matter the contest rules, there will always
be someone who just shows up to throw out some contacts and could care less
about the rules. Now, do you try and educate them on the spot (and maybe
tick them off and see them QRT with a chip on their shoulder about uppity
contesters), or do you just let it go and concentrate on your own operating?
73, ron wn3vaw
-----Original Message-----
From: <K3BU@aol.com>
To: <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 5:32 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Log checking questions
> In a message dated 12/18/2005 4:47:37 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> W4EF@dellroy.com writes:
>>>I am clearly saying that if you are not
> officially in a contest, then you don't need to follow the rules of the
> contest. Why would you? If I am not sending in a log for a contest
> with mandatory off-time, why would I need to take off time. I am not
> competing with anyone. I am just a ham radio operator making QSOs. <<
>
>
> "Pardonme" said the detective.
> If one makes contacts in the contest, exchanges reports, he is not in the
> contest?
The unusual thing about radio contesting is that you can participate in
a radio contest without actually entering it. I am trying to think of a
good sports analogy, but I can't think of any, Yuri. Perhaps others can
help me here. Anyway, I participate in a lot of contests (handing out
contacts), but only enter a few. When you enter a contest (submit your
log), you are implicitly certifying that you have obeyed the all applicable
rules. If the rules state that you must run no more than 100 watts, then
upon entering (submitting a log) you are implicitly certifying (used to be
explicit with the old summary sheets before Cabrillo) that you did not
run more than 100 watts when making the contacts contained in your
log. If the rules so no packet, then you have to make a decision -
either turn off the packet or don't enter the contest. If you chose to
leave your packet on and not enter the contest, I think it is extreme to
argue that you can't still work people just for fun. Mal, of course, will
argue that I am a corrosive degenerate for suggesting such blasphemy,
but that is Mal. He is entitled to his opinion and he is entitled to
turn-off
his packet any time he feels like it :).
Go easy on that eggnog, Yuri.
73, Mike W4EF.....................
> Like if I entered Tour the France on the Ferrari, just to give out
> "points"?
> Oooopps! Must be ham radio, things are weird (ooops, different)!
> I guess asking to obey and behave by the rules of the contest, if one
> enters
> (sending log or not) is out of wack. Let the flames begin!
>
> Merry Christmas and a Happy Whatever to all!
>
> Yuri da BUm
>
> I must be overwhelmed by all the comotion about contesting lately, I had
> no
> guts to enter even SP contest, I figered I let someone with real time
> logging
> win. I can't realtimelog, so what's the point of entering if no one can
> follow
> me.
> Well, seriously, the point is that ..... tooooo much eggggnoggg
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