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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>In an emergency, I’d sure rather
have a contester handling traffic than a “2M repeater jockey”.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Just my opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>73,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Marsh, KA5M<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
lcc-bounces@louisianacontestclub.org
[mailto:lcc-bounces@louisianacontestclub.org] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>Mark, K5ER<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, June 25, 2012 4:55
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> lcc@louisianacontestclub.org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [<st1:PersonName w:st="on">LCC</st1:PersonName>]
Thoughts from NTS official regarding contesters</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue'><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>I did not write
the following and am posting it as it was forwarded to me. This appears to be a
back and forth discussion between a couple of individuals. Lest anything be
taken out of context, I have not edited what was said, and only added color to
help differentiate the speakers. I certainly appreciate Hank's comments, which
are in </span></font>black<font color=blue><span style='color:blue'>, in which
he makes some very valid points on why we are not necessarily the "bad
guys". If you agree, consider dropping Hank a note and let him know you
appreciate his support of contesting.<br>
<br>
73,<br>
Mark, K5ER<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=green face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green'>This came from the
NTS"Officials" email reflector. Thought you would like to know
what at least one NTS Official has to say about contesters! </span></font><br>
<br>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=teal face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:teal'> <br>
3. There is also a power and control political dynamic at work at the
ARRL Board of Directors level. Over the decades, the Board membership has
shifted from a field services perspective to a contesting perspective.
Many of these individuals recall the days when those active in nets and field
services activities were the core political influence in Amateur Radio.
Many of them resented it. As such, as their influence grew within the
ARRL, some sought to promote their negative conception of NTS.<br>
... </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
Awhile back I posted an email about contesting which is reproduced below.<br>
<br>
The email engendered lots of comments, most bemoaning the fact that contests
sometimes clobber lots of spectrum. No one grabbed onto the points I hoped to
make.<br>
<br>
Which are:<br>
<br>
1. Contesting is the most robust segment of ham radio, contesters have the best
stations, and contesters are the best operators. Some will disagree with me,
but they apparently haven't listened to a supposedly upper-echelon NTS net like
PAN, CAN, or EAN recently. They probably also haven't listened to a good contester
working stations at 150+ per hour. It's easy enough to poopaw contesting, but
it takes stations and basic skills that many NTSers lack. <br>
<br>
2. Contesting is doing something right and growing. NTS is dying. <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>We should look at contesting and figure out what they
are doing right.</span></b><br>
<br>
My flak jacket is on. Fire away. If you disagree, suggest alternatives. <br>
<br>
It's time to stop bemoaning the state of traffic handling and NTS. It's time to
do something. Before it's too late. <br>
<br>
73,<br>
<br>
Hank, W6SX<br>
<br>
<br>
Re: [radiograms] Re: Traffic Handler's Code <br>
<br>
Here I go again. <br>
<br>
We have met out enemy, and he is us.<br>
<br>
<font color=teal><span style='color:teal'>JW wrote:<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><font size=3 color=teal face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:teal;font-style:italic'>So what am I getting at?</span></font></i><font
color=teal><span style='color:teal'> NTS is the only widespread program I have
encountered, which teaches the basic skills of communications and network
management. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Perhaps. If teaching is happening at local and section nets, it somehow
is not making its way to region and area nets. The skill set of many NTS
operators is, to put it bluntly, pitiful. I'm more inclined to speculate that
"teaching" at local and section nets is simply reinforcing poor
habits. There are of course exceptions, both individual and net, but overall
we're not making the grade. <br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><font size=3 color=teal face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:teal;font-style:italic'>So what's my point?</span></font></i><font
color=teal><span style='color:teal'> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>We are
the training</span></b>. As much as some ECOM people who oppose NTS hate to
admit it, traffic nets are the only regular activity that actually <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>drills</span></i> the individual Amateur Radio
operator on proper communications procedures and techniques that can be applied
dynamically to any ECOM situation.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>There is another activity which
produces what I consider the best operators in the world: Contests. <br>
<br>
The best contest operators put a lot of time, energy, and money into improving
their stations. You can actually hear their signals which is a lot better than
some traffic signals up to and including area and TCC levels. <br>
<br>
The best contest operators are fanatics about accuracy. If they mislog a
contact, they lose the contact, perhaps lose a multiplier, and sometimes lose
two more contacts as a penalty.<br>
<br>
The best contest operators are into training. There are various <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Contest</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Academies</st1:PlaceType>
and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Contest</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Universities</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> around the world. There are
email reflectors that discuss operating technique and station improvement ad
nauseam. <br>
<br>
The best contest operators are propagation experts. <br>
<br>
The best contest operators know how to pull signals out of QRM and QRN.<br>
<br>
The best contest operators know how to manage pileups (all on one
frequency--not spread out like DX). Listen to some of the best working a pileup
at 250 contacts an hour and your head will spin. A feat equally worthy to
clearing 120 per hour on an NTS area net (which by the way used to happen back
in the days). <br>
<br>
The best contest operators are dynamically adaptable in real time. If rate
slows, they change something(s) to bring it back up instead of doing the same
thing forever (sound familiar?).<br>
<br>
A case in point. K6XX is one of the best contesters in the world. He is also
the best emergency NCS I have ever heard. As far as I know, he only gets on
during emergencies, but when he does, everyone readily defers to him, and he
runs the net. No monkey business. <br>
<br>
It used to be that traffic handlers were the best operators in the world. No
more.<br>
<br>
My point. We could learn a lot from contest operators. More of us could even
get on for contests--it would improve our skill sets. More importantly, we should
try to observe what contesting is doing right--it is the most-robust and
fastest-growing ham-radio activity.</span></font></b><br>
<br>
Disclaimer. I started our as a traffic handler. I started contesting with an
ORS appointment in the CD Parties. Over the years, I've transitioned from a
dyed-in-the-wool traffic handler to a dyed-in-the-wool contester. I still NCS
PAN and do a TCC function once a week, despite low traffic counts, low
participation, and sometimes low skill sets. I do it because it's still
fun--but not as fun as it used to be and not as fun as it could be again. I do
it out of a sense of obligation and in the hope of what could be again. <br>
<br>
We have met the enemy and he is us.<br>
<br>
73,<br>
<br>
Hank, W6SX<br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Mammoth Lakes</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place><br>
Elevation 8083 feet in John Muir's <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Range</st1:PlaceType>
of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Light</st1:PlaceName></st1:place><o:p></o:p></p>
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