In most of the smaller contests I've been in -- the ones that tend to be a
lot more fun and have a lot less to do with inflating one's own ego -- it is
not at all unusual for an op who needs to make a 5 minute pit stop to ask
someone to take over his frequency for that brief period of time.
Amazingly enough, it usually happens. And that when the original op
returns, the frequency is given back to him.
Further, if someone "running" a frequency works a "rare" multiplier, and
someone else in the pileup needs that multi, the "runner" stops a moment and
lets the "rare" guy work a bunch -- and then gets his frequency back and
everybody's happy.
That's the way I was taught to contest by some of the best I knew in
college -- W3AS, W3UA, AA3B, K3YD WA3FET to name just a few.
But I guess that's a lost skill at the highest levels?
...and having said that, I do have to agree that if you discontinue using a
frequency for a few minutes, even for a pit stop, and someone else grabs it,
it's too bad. If you voluntarily relinquish your transmission, well, them's
the breaks. But that's not the same as someone muscling you off.
73
-----Original Message-----
From: TOMK5RC@aol.com <TOMK5RC@aol.com>
To: cq-contest@contesting.com <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Does might make right
>
>I operated the CQ 160SSB Contest last weekend multiop at K5KG in Northern
NJ.
>It shed some new light on why I contest.
>
>>From that location, just the local 1's, 2's and 3's covered 1.8 to 1.9 MHz
>with signals of 20 over S9 and above. Hearing weak stations was mostly an
>exercise of nulling out splatter from adjacent stations. Finding a hole to
CQ
>was even more challenging.
>
>At least five times that I recall, I found a "hole", ran three or four
>stations, then an 20 over S9 signal would come on zero beat and claim "Hey,
>this frequency is in use." In use, indeed. The guy was gone just long
enough
>for a potty break and a coffee refill and expected the deed to the
frequency
>was still in his name.
>
>I'd push the CQ button a few times and then choose to move on because my
>purpose was to enjoy myself (on 160SSB?) and score well, not to develop a
>dose of "band rage." Those who compete "to kill" have far different
>motivations from those of us who compete to self-improve and HAVE FUN!
>
>Give FUN a try. You'll feel better in the morning.
>
>Tom, K5RC
>
>
>--
>CQ-Contest on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/_cq-contest/
>Administrative requests: cq-contest-REQUEST@contesting.com
>
>
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