During the WPX-SSB, I Worked Spots Only, and only non-USA
stations to give them the high-point contacts, in the
seventeen hours I had to play.
At least 100 QSOs of my 700 Qs would never have happened
if not for Packet Spots; most were the very weak stations
who were running the East Cost while Texas had no real
propagation, typically they were sandwiched in between
the thundering-and-always-calling-CQ-USA stations.
Only because of the spot did I stop to listen, power up
the passband tuning and notch filter, and between the
CQ-bursts, I could tell a station was there by hearing
that the East Coast stations were working them. By listening
thru several QSOs (and after discovering that 10 degrees of
beam heading made a significant improvement, and carefully
pointing the the OB16-3 directly at them, instead of the old
030 for Europe!), I could eventually hear the station and
confirm the call sign and sequence number, and I was able
to eventually work every single spot that was really there,
giving these weak stations Qs that never would have happened
if it had not been for packet spots.
And for each of the packet spots of the VKs, ZLs, and other
Pacific stations, they got points because I swung the antenna
to work them; yes, I might have found them eventually if I
had been unassisted in classic S&P, but I've found my rate is
only about 30 Qs/Hr in S&P, but is more like 50 Qs/Hr working
spots, so I can give out many more contest points when I work
spots that if I just S&P without packet.
And I believe there are far more operators who get on to give
out points than those who enter to compete, so those point-givers
use of packet is a boon to all the "real" contesters who they
work because the Run stations are spotted.
Because I prefer to call stations than to call CQ, I still think
the run station should get 1x points per QSO, and the calling station
who answers the CQ should get 2x points per QSO, to bring parity
between S&P/Spots-workers and CQ'ers scores; when I do run, my
rate is just about double the rate when I work spots-only. Or at
least I'd like an asterick by my call if I certify that I never
called CQ, so I can compare my score with the many other non-runners!
Barry, W5GN
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