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Re: [CQ-Contest] WRTC Spotting

To: Mike Fatchett W0MU <w0mu@w0mu.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] WRTC Spotting
From: kq2m@kq2m.com
Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2023 10:29:55 -0500
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>


Scoreboards are informative and fun to watch, and this usefulness brings about my main objection to their use being allowed by the NON-Assisted ops; that watching a scoreboard provides valuable information about band openings, rate and what is likely being worked on the band(s), by whom and when. In some ways scoreboard info can be even more useful than actually viewing DX cluster spots which only tell you what is being spotted and by whom, not who/what is actually being worked in real-time. I believe that use of the Scoreboard constitutes Assisted operating since this real-time information is provided by others DURING the contest.

For these reasons I personally do not look at scoreboards when I am operating NON-Assisted, regardless of whether or not the SOABHP category allows it. I believe that the contest committees seriously erred many years ago when they gave their blessing to scoreboard use by the _NON-Assisted_ ops along with several other forms of real-time technology including skimmer.

Why Mike and others feel the need to "get everyone to use scoreboards" is baffling to me. Why not get others to develop and improve their OPERATING SKILLS instead?

And, NO, there are many among us who DON'T "accept automatic spotting on every mode"; rather, we have learned to live with it because we have no control over it and have not been left with a viable alternative except not to operate.

Regarding SSB spotting in WRTC, I can see both the pros and cons of doing this and the strong opinions already expressed. Each WRTC committee is charged with making their own rules and each WRTC event has introduced new ideas and competition "tweaks" to experiment with them. Some have been great and others not, but it is part of the ongoing evolution of WRTC (just as in the Olympics) and it will be interesting to see how this hybrid form of SSB spotting turns out.

Both WRTC and technology sure have changed a lot since the groundbreaking event took place in Seattle, WA, some 33 years ago. It is still one of the highlights of my life!

I wish the 2022 WRTC Committee and all judges, support people, participants and competitors, a most awesome and wonderful event!

CU in IARUHF!

73

Bob, KQ2M

In 2023-06-30 18:13, Mike Fatchett W0MU wrote:

I don't see much of an issue. CW spots are automatic with RBN and skimmer. Why not SSB spots? IARU could change their rules. Same for any other contest. Maybe this is how we get everyone to use scoreboards. If you use the scoreboards you get spotted on SSB.

We accept automatic spotting on every mode but SSB simple because we don't have a good way to do it. Maybe this changes that......

W0MU
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