(that'll teach me not to proof the EMAIL address! <grin>
Greetings.
not a flame.. just a rebuttal..
It is true that contesting, by nature, promotes a
competitive environment within which people or groups
compete to best another group or person.
However.. the scenarios are totally different YET the
skills gained in contesting DIRECTLY and IMMEDIATLEY
transfer to the world of being useful in supporting the
effort in an emergency.
Contesting - adrendaline rush, QRM/QRN, stress, 'the
unknown', dealing and adapting to sudden changes in
conditions, propagation, encroaching stations, etc..
Emergencies - adrenaline rush, QRM/QRN (people,
confusion, external noises, sounds, and distractions),
'the
unknown', dealing and adapting to suden changes in
conditions, encroaching problems, etc.
I put for the premise that a contester who has learned
how to be cool under the fire of a pileup on the rare one,
able to handle copying an S2 SSB signal under tons of 30
over 9 stations calling and STILL be able to input to the
keyboard, think about strategy, and work the guy will
have the training to be able to be cool under fire in an
emergency when all hell is breaking loose.
Even the most basic training in a real world HF contest
where the op has spent a little time doing the myriad of
things we do is FAR better equipped to be a valuable
member of the public service corps than soemone who is not.
The only major difference is that instead of competing
against another station.. you are competing against 'The
Bastard' who is attempting ot disrupt, distort, and
confuse things. The skill sets are directly transferable.
In emergencies you need to be able to transmit info
clearly and accurately the first time (what contester
hasn't
learned to use techniques to get the call and exchange
through the first time before the hordes descend?)
I could go on.. but you get the point I am trying to make.
73
Chuck K3FT
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