Jim,
I am not doubting you are a good operator. But, I have seen many
contesters who think they are better than the non-contest type of operator.
They start calling "cq contest" or "test de" without ever listening thereby
crowding non-contesters off the band and making a pompous donkey's butt of
themselves. They run full power even when it is not necessary because they
want to "hold a frequency." And, then after the contest they start in
ridiculing the non-contest operator for being a bad operator. Do you really
think you can encourage these people to operate in a contest after you "grit
your teeth" just to work them and then come on a list like this one telling
everyone what a lid they were. That doesn't sound like encouragement to me.
You really should be encouraging the non-contest operator to try one of the
sprints in some non-threatening way. Then, they may find they like contests
and join your group. But, calling a person a lid because they sent "pse
copy" before they sent their info is not going to get it done.
Jerry W5JH
-----Original Message-----
From: tentec-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com]
On Behalf Of Jim Brown
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 4:47 PM
To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Just an observation
On 6/25/2012 2:34 PM, Jerry Haigwood wrote:
> A good operator will slow down and work those type of people because
> the good operator realizes that FD always brings out the non-contesters.
As a good operator, and one for whom Field Day has long been my favorite
contest, I DO slow down for those with lower code speed, and DURING the
contest, I grit my teeth and smile. Probably 5% of the 800 contacts I made
were in that category. But AFTER the contest, I will do my best educate
those who don't know any better. Which is what I'm doing now.
Almost any phone contest brings out non-contesters, and we want to encourage
them.We WANT more contesters. What we don't want to encourage is BAD
HABITS. And anything that wastes time is a bad habit.
This is not just about contesting -- an important part of ham radio is
emergency preparedness, and an important part of both contesting and Field
Day is training for emergency preparedness. In an emergency, wasting time is
also a very bad thing, knowing good operating techniques is and
communicating effectively a very good thing.
I live just down the road from a top contester who also is a key player in
our emergency communications activities, including running the nets when
things are happening. Our nets are activated for real emergencies fairly
often -- we have big forest fires, there are floods, heavy storms, and this
is earthquake territory. Back in the midwest where I used to live we had
floods and tornadoes. Along the east and gulf coasts there are floods and
hurricanes. And nowadays almost everyone is having wildfires.
73, Jim K9YC
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