There's nothing wrong with it but the object is to work as many stations as possible in the time allotted which makes it competitive. Take any competition swimming, racing the list goes on and tell how many of the participants in the middle of the competition stop for a chat.
Onno - I'll give you credit for having the guts to write this article, I'm not surprised with most of the responses you got though. It seems as if people can't let others be happy with doing what they like to do, it's a natural reaction to put someone down when their idea fun isn't the same as yours. To each his own I say. If you like to contest I hope you have fun and make thousands of contacts, if you don't I hope you find someone to rag chew with about how much you hate contests.
Maybe that's how YOU would contest. But REAL contesters, the guys and gals that consistently put in big scores, go way out of their way to work ALL callers, to hunt & pounce on weaker CQ runners, as the situation allows, to optimize their QSO rate. As true competitors, not just casual also-rans, they know that often if weaker stations are not QSO'ed by them RIGHT NOW, they may never get another chance, and their rivals will or may have already done so. Of course there can be some judgement required, but ignoring potential contacts is just giving away precious points.
Agree. Rightly or wrongly, I've assumed as a non-contester that serious contesters want nothing to do with me during a contest. When I turn on my QRP rig and hear contest pileups I usually go find something else to do. I figure even if I get through, the contester on the other end is going to see a QSO with me as a lost opportunity more than anything. Maybe next time I'll give it a go.
I hear the anti-contesters complain about contests a lot. I'm in the middle on contests but the serious, band filling contests are only a few weekends per year in the spring and fall. They really don't use up that much band space or time in the big scheme of things...plus the WARC bands are available to people that aren't interested. We need the bands to stay busy so we don't lose them. There are plenty of other options the few times per year when the bands are full of contesters. The anti-contest arguments just don't hold much water with me. I like to talk on the local 2 meter repeater in the evening but they have a net every night at 8:30. I just find somewhere else to go or something else to do.
You could replace "Contest" with "Ham Radio" and I think you would find that most of the general public see's it the same way. Why do people run marathons, fish, golf, watch sports, play sports, restore cars, collect wines, hike, camp, etc., etc. Because they enjoy it. Except golf. So what on-air ham radio activity is not "interference" in your opinion? Because I bet there are others that would see what you like as "interference" to what they like. Life's to short to get wound up about ham radio contests. Or ham radio.
During a contest when all hope seems lost going up against the big guns I simply call and add "low power" not qrp just low power. You'd be surprised how many times they come back. Most of the big guns running pile-ups seem to appreciate all players.
Contests SELL EQUIPMENT. Contests promote getting bigger, more expensive things, as you scream 59 a thousand times. Contests indirectly support the ARRL. The ARRL knows this and creates MORE contests. They now devote a whole section of their magazine to contests. A hobby that once devoted itself to the improvement of its participants now suggests that they buy $15,000 radios, big antennas and all the stuff to computerize the entire affair. Since shortwave is no longer a sought after spectrum contests fill up the space with no harm done to non-Amateurs. Regardless, once again, whoever spends the most wins the most. That is the American Way.
