Dear fellow contesters,
I know recently there was a controversy going on on the reflector a bout =
dupes. I did not follow it. I thought it was clear and simple to all =
reasonable people: if someone calls you, and he shows up as a dupe in =
YOUR log, you work him. Anyhow the guy who calls you has a good reason =
to call you: either you are NOT in his log (maybe he has an error in =
your call), or he does not have a log, and wants to work you, has a poor =
memory etc etc. One thousand good reasons. If he has no log, of if he is =
old and forgets things, or if he is just a pain you know where, you CAN =
of course say "worked before" and carry on. But if he really wants to =
work you, he will call you again, and ask for a QSO. Now you can do two =
things, work him "again" , which means make him happy (AND make sure you =
ahve a GOOD QSO in YOUR log), and have the situation cleared in 30 =
seconds, or start arguing. Don't forget you are in a contest... TIME =
IS... POINTS.
It happened twice to me during the ARRL RTTY roundup. One station (N4B.) =
says "worked before". I come back and tell him "you are not in MY log". =
This was on 20 meters. He may have OT2T in his log, but it is important =
for him that OT2T has him in his log, which was NOT the case. Well, to =
make a long story short, he repeatedly refused to work OT2T. OT2T called =
him again and again to no avail. Well, anyhow, N4B. is not in OT2T's log =
on 14 MHz, and ARRL be informed that if they find OT2T in N4B.'s log on =
20, it is a fictive QSO. I spend minutes to try to help him, and make =
sure HE has a good QSO in his log, and he refused. He'd rather have an =
imaginary QSO in his log! I cannot understand why he simply did not want =
to make a so-called dupe QSO, just to make sure. No penalties for that!=20
Until later the same day, I worked another station (SM3ET.) who also =
said "QSO before" Same story, he was not in MY log. I had a NICE =
conversation with him, and eventually he said " I CANNOT WORK YOU AGAIN =
WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY IN MY LOG, MY LOGGING PROGRAM MAKES IT =
IMPOSSIBLE...". I was flabbergasted. So I did not work SM3ET. , and =
SM3ET. did not work me... That's the end of the story.=20
It is possible that someone writes such a stupid program that makes it =
impossible to log someone twice on the same band? Anyhow, the super =
contest logging program that I use (Writelog) allows it !=20
Moral of the story: work what are dupes in your eyes. Ask no questions. =
It is fastest. And . use a good logging program.
What say?=20
Have fund and.. happy contesting to all!=20
73, John, ON4UN, OT2T (this year)
T
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