Subj : Some New Rules Going into
To   : Andre
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Feb 11 2022 06:16:00

Andre,

 An> Rule changes ranging from pointless to awful. Just a low-power weekend
 An> contest now more than a "Field Day" exercise. I'm hardly one to argue
 An> for EmComm, but this is just catering to old guys who don't want to go
 An> out into the field anymore.

  Contesting never did appeal to me. My niche in the hobby has been doing
nets (running them for over 30 years now), and as of late 2007, becoming
a Volunteer Examiner to do license exam sessions. I've also created a PDF
file from a powerpoint presentation, that I did at a regional hamfest two
years ago called "You're Licensed: Now What??". It contains many items
that are NOT in the Question Pools (i.e. net etiquette), but wish they
were. 

  I have a copy of that in my D-Rats shared folder, as well as at the 
hyperlink on my QRZ bio...which also has Excel Spreadsheets of selected
D-Star, Echolink, and D-Rats Nets, in Eastern, Central, Mountain, and
Pacific Time...plus PDF files related to ham radio. One of those files
includes info on UTC Times (the time change coming up Feb. 13 is a real
PITA, net wise), and other net mode URL's. I started the Excel Spreadsheets
originally as PDF files, but they became too much work...but started them
as the data at dstarinfo.com was woefully out of date...and I had a terrible
time getting my net info updated. Gary, VA3GDZ, was a big help providing the
template for the spreadsheet files.

  However, with the mad rush of checkins to nets now (I term many of the
stations as "Hi, Bye, and QSY" ("Net Control, please checkin [callsign],
[name], [location], short time, no traffic"), and moments later, they're
doing the same on another net)...I'm only on the air for nets that I run.

  For these "net hoppers", there is no prize, bonus, award, certificate,
etc. for checking into x number of nets in a day. I have to wonder if
they have a life outside of ham radio. Indeed, in the Excel Net List
spreadsheets, I noted on one day six nets meeting at the same time!!

Daryl, WX4QZ

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