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Old January 7th 09, 07:29 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.dx
Geoffrey S. Mendelson Geoffrey S. Mendelson is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jun 2006
Posts: 487
Default Spotting network: a semi-facetous proposal

Doug Smith wrote:
OK, we have a problem. Continuous callers.


We as in whom? It's IMHO part of a much greater problem. Back when
morse code was required to get a ham license was first dropped,
many hams claimed that the ability to send and receive morse code was
a good way of testing for good operating practices. If you were competent
at code, you were competent at ham radio operating.

This was as it turns out, a red herring, a diversion from the real problem
that good operating practices are related to good operating practices and
not related to morse code, typing, building a radio or any other skills.

DX de W9WI: 14027.3 E44M QSX UP 3 1807z
- or -
DX de W9WI: 14025+/- E44M SPLIT 1807z


Your examples point out that in fact you are complaining about morse code
operators, although I expect that the same problem exists with voice
operators.

E44M may be a special case, because while there has been some propigation
to most of the world from this area, in the last few days, there has been
very little most of the time. In fact, worldwide propigation from here has
been very "spotty" since the decline of the sunspot cycle.

That does not mean that you can't use it, I have worked Europe with 2w SSB
on 20m, a friend has recently worked South America with less on CW. But it's
not a "sure thing".

However, the real problem is that no one wants to learn good operating
practice anymore.

Unfortunatley, I don't have an answer, but I don't think that a quick
software fix to a spotting program will do any good. If I were in the U.S.,
which I am not at the moment, I would concentrate my efforts of education
and raising a new generation of good operators.

73,

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM