[MilCom] Loggings/Reports Techniques, etc.

[Mac McCormick III]

I thought about whether or not to send this reply to Ken
privately or to the MilCom reflector for a bit before sending it.
After careful consideration, I finally decided to post it
to the list in hopes that some of the "lurkers" he refers
to understand that not everyone has the same expectations
that he does.

To the casual milcom listener who doesn't keep extensive
notes and just enjoys listening to what is out there, keep
on having fun.  In my opinion, it's not all about logging
and reporting.  In the end it's all about having fun.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken" <rfinder1 at verizon.net>

> Well, I've been asked to stop "irritating" folks on the list.

    Your last four posts have indeed been irritating and to
    be honest, somewhat offensive (to me at least).  I hope
    that is not what you intended, but that is certainly how
    it came across.

> However the bottom line to getting some of you irritiated is that I'm 
> looking to try to motivate list lurkers (the vast majority -- we've 
> probably got two dozen folks who post loggings on a regular basis) to 
> start posting some information about what they hear as a price to the 
> extensive reseach time required to produce what I've posted in the past.

    Motivating the list lurkers Should be the job of the list
    administrator(s) or his/her designee(s).  If you are the
    list administrator or his/her designee, please disregard
    the rest of what I have to write.  In my opinion the way
    you have gone about "motivating" these lurkers leaves
    much to be desired and will probably do nothing except
    motivate them to be even less active not only on the
    MilCom reflector but in the MilCom hobby at large.

    Are you really serious about a "price" on what you post?
    Personally I expect no price and no return on what I
    research, monitor, and post to this and other groups.
    I am not in this to stroke my ego or gain the adulation of
    others.  I expect no thanks for what I post.  I do what I
    do for the personal enjoyment of it and in the hopes that
    others may enjoy the hobby by being able to use what
    I find.  I am not concerned over whether my name is
    attached to it should it find it's way into another resource
    such as a magazine or website.  It's all about having fun,
    not getting recognition or reward for what I enjoy.

> Granted this logging/reporting is going to very greatly among hobbyist.

    Therein lies the rub.  Logging and reporting IS going to
    vary among hobbyists.  You seem to assume that everyone
    IS logging what they hear.  For many on this list, that may
    not be the case; maybe they just enjoying hearing what
    there is to hear.   Maybe they aren't into it deep enough to
    log everything they hear and therefore wouldn't have any
    logs or notes to report.  They would use this as a resource
    to find the frequencies to listen to.

    If someone doesn't want to post what they hear, Why should
    I let it offend me?  Once again, if what I post enables someone
    else to enjoy this hobby, then that is gratifying.

> There's time constraints involved in monitoring but it isn't an impossible 
> task to contribute.  During my short commute to/from work normally I can 
> normally snag 1 or 2 milcom aero related transmissions.  At home there's 
> certain days/times that more operational training will be conducted so 
> getting to know those times results in a compressed monitoring period but 
> more logging activity. This is probably the case for most of you on this 
> list.

    I would have to disagree with you here.  I would guess that
    for the majority of list members, the monitoring is of a more
    casual nature.  As I wrote above, they are monitoring for the
    enjoyment of it, not for logging and reporting purposes.
    While some of us may enjoy logging and reporting, others
    may find it tedious and unenjoyable.

> However, I think that at least a once of month aero logs posting simply of 
> Callsigns Monitored (aircraft type if known) & frequencies active (perhaps 
> a description of the frequencies) as well as your general geogrpahic area 
> of monitoring is not too much to ask.

    That may in fact be your opinion, but unless you are the
    list administrator, is it really your position to ask it?

 > Anyways, my research will continue and I will ponder for awhile on 
whether I
> going to post this information one more time publically to this list.

    I have nothing to ponder.  I enjoy monitoring and scribbling
    my notes as I listen.  When I get the chance I post them
    here in hopes of helping to better the hobby, expecting
    nothing in return but benefiting greatly from what is posted
    by others with a similar interest.

I'll step off of my soapbox now and put it back in the closet.
For the most part, I'm sure I've bored most of you to death
as it is.  Some weekend monitoring notes will be forthcoming
later in the evening.

Mac McCormick                      "Green Comms Suck"
Savannah, GA
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kf4lmt/index.html