[Wswss] VHF contest operating etiquette

[Ralph Bergman]

Kent,  after your e-mail's I am not very enthusiastic about operating
the contest and I'm sorry I have offended some of you folks! I just
try to help when I can.

Hope you have fun.

73,  Ralph

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 10:14:03 -0700 "Kent Tiburski" <k6fq at sbcglobal.net>
writes:
> Ralph,
> 
>   I didn't mean to offend you, but I can see it did have the desired 
> effects
> in that it got your attention.  You have offended many of us with 
> your
> operating techniques.  Whether intentional or unintentional, many of 
> us have
> grown very short fused with the way you approach day to day 
> operating and
> contesting. We don't need the "ringleader" to broker contacts for 
> us.
> Sunday mornings are a great example.  It's great to hear everyone 
> on, even
> you, but I (and many others) don't appreciate the constant chatter 
> and
> commentary of signal strengths.  Usually when the signals drop off 
> for you,
> they peak down here.  But with the running commentary, how in the 
> hell do we
> get through let alone hear?  In past contests you have been the one 
> that
> "stole" a person's run frequency away or call the person just worked 
> and run
> Q's on the other guy's frequency.  That's not gamesmanship, that's 
> plain and
> simple bad operating habits!  I don't have a problem with someone 
> jumping in
> after I work a guy on my run frequency to QSY the other guy away.  I 
> DO have
> a problem with someone jumping in and coordinating QSOs on other 
> bands on MY
> frequency!  These are things that irritate the hell out of us Ralph. 
>  You've
> done this to many of us numerous times over the years.  I'm pointing 
> this
> out because I know that if you're conscious of it that perhaps it 
> will set
> about a positive change and also because some of the other folks 
> are
> probably lost causes.  We have to share, that's the main reason I 
> came up
> here (VHF) in 1984.  
> 
> 
>  If WE DO NOT try and correct the mess on 144.200, it WILL NEVER get 
> better.
> To say we have to wait for a change of rules from the ARRL or some 
> mandate
> is unrealistic!  I know you are a man of common sense and can see 
> that the
> League (as a former ARRL Official I've spoken at length with them 
> about the
> problem) will not change this unless all of us nationwide call for a 
> change.
> So what do we do?  I think my goal of the emails these last few days 
> may
> have gotten folks to thinking positively and now we need to set the 
> example.
> It used to be fun to contest, but has degraded over the years.  
> You've been
> around a long time as have many of us.  It's up to us to be the ones 
> to find
> the solutions and set the examples.  
> 
>   I don't have an axe to grind.  I don't hate you or anything like 
> that.
> Life's just too damned short for that pettiness.  You always have a 
> loud
> signal and good radio presence.  I hope that you'll take this 
> criticism in a
> positive light and we'll continue to enjoy working each other.  I 
> like to be
> direct but it wasn't my intention to piss you off.  Take care and 
> gud luck
> in the contest.
> 
> 73, Kent, K6FQ
> 
> 
> 
> 

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