I would rather see RF based spots to be honest… otherwise where do you draw the line?
“GXXXX heard on Echolink via MB7XXX from KXXX” …and so on.
It might be very interesting but is probably more like a reflector topic than a spot.
Actually Brian, I think that what might be useful is if you issue a set of “guidelines” for use of spots, alerts, and the reflector. At least that will give folks a framework as to where to post stuff… especially as it comes from the moderator (who can always exercise judgement of course).
e.g your 2 hours self spot rule… or things like that
I’m not sure where Peter’s post went. I know that his 60m spots/reports are very much appreciated and most welcome by all 60m activators as a genuine rf guide to propagation.
I deleted the post myself thinking it might not be relevant for this topic, but as it has been mentioned I will ask my question again and see what you guys think about it
“Does this “overcrowding” of the spots also refer to my posting reports on 60m signals from U.K.?”
In my opinion a definite NO Peter, it does NOT refer to your posts. Your 60m reports are genuine spots, with information of some importance to activators concerning NVIS propagation. I hope you carry on with them and that others also support you.
Having just got back from a bit of light weeding in the garden (who invented brambles?!) I will add an emphatic hear, hear! to Mike’s comment. An activator can have trouble getting replies and will worry about his rig or antenna until your spot tells him that the problem is long skip and all is well with his gear.
I hope that one day you will be able to join us on 5 megs, Peter.
On several occasions chasers have QSP’d your spotted 60m reports to me while I have been operating and it is always appreciated - an extension of checking the beacons which I always do also.
Your spots are exactly what the system is for - reporting that you can hear a particular station. Please keep it up!
73 de Paul G4MD
PS many thanks for the 80m QSO from Brandy Hill - the only continental contact of the whole 10-summit weekend!
One use of the spots system that worked very well for me on 70cms SSB/CW during the West Wales Expedition was when people that were looking for a contact with me spotted that they were listening on my working frequency. This was then relayed to me (usually by Don G0RQL) and I took time to put a signal out in the appropriate direction.
Some may not consider this to be an acceptable use of the spots system, but from an activator’s point of view I feel that what was to be gained from this action far outweighed any objection that might be made. Time was limited and I needed to know where contacts might come from. Such spots could be deleted after a short period as they would have served their purpose and in any case they became unnecessary as I got into a routine of checking for the chasers in question on subsequent summits.
Brian, You set a ruling at the start of this thread, a couple of hours.
I emailed you at 13:09 with regards to a spot timed at 11:59 giving an alert time outside your couple of hours window i.e. 14:42.
You didn’t reply to my email so I have posted here in case you missed my email, although I see that you posted a spot at 12:06 just 3 minutes before my email was sent and then you posted on the reflector at 13:26, so I presume you must have been in front of your PC.
This spot does not bother me, but the point I make is that if you are going to set a rule, then stick to it and act on it for EVERY offender.
Sorry I missed your Email, Mike, I must find out how to activate the mail alert, it would be a great help when active on the reflector, working SOTA and chasing Es on ten (whilst NOT mowing the lawn, its too hot;-). By the time I saw the Spot it was within the two hours so I thought it would be better to leave it.
Brian, I feel I need to complain strongly about your none action, I am very disappointed in your reply and this is what will cause no end of hassle, you made a ruling so stick to it or scrap it, it’s not a case of it’s too late.
If you fail to act on your own ruling, how can you expect any of the participants to take any other ruling seriously? Really Brian I expected you to be true to your word!
I can already here the cries of “MT looking after there own.”
I’ve never seen such a heinous crime. I think we should demand action be taken against Jimmy. He needs a short, sharp shock to correct these anti-social tendencies. We know what happens next, 1st it’s a 14year old posting spots outside the DSP mandated time limits, next it’ll be wearing a hoodie, after that knife crimes and selling crack cocaine. If the MT doesn’t stop this 14 year old boy now we’ll have another serial killer in out midst by the time he 30.
Spot 11:59 stating an activation eta of 14:42, = 2Hrs 43Mins
1st it’s a 14year old posting spots outside the DSP mandated time limits
Facts wrong Andy!
Not DSP limits at all but G8ADD (moderater of this reflector) limits.
By all means Andy have a giggle and make yourself look clever and witty at my expense, I have broad shoulders, but please don’t miss or trivialise the point I am making at the expense of a cheap laugh. This isn’t about who spotted, nor does the spot bother me in the least.
The whole point is, that Brian G8ADD, official moderater of this reflector and MT member, set up a ruling just days ago, now he fails to act on that ruling even when it was brought to his attention!! How does he or MT expect us to take them seriously if this ruling is ignored after a couple of days. He should have left things as they were if he isn’t going to implement it for EVERYONE. No wonder people are getting fed up with sota.
Mike, I missed your email, I was doing other things. I missed the spot, I was doing other things. If you expect me to spend all day sitting hunched over the keyboard glaring at spots waiting for infractions to drop into my killing bottle you have another think coming. I will put right any infractions I catch, and that is that, my last word, but IMHO one good reason for people getting fed up with SOTA just might be the constant carping and nit-picking.
In reply to G8ADD:
but IMHO one good reason for people getting fed up with
SOTA just might be the constant carping and nit-picking.
About time someone said that Brian, better still do something about it. This is the first Reflecor I have been on where it would have been tolerated for so long.
Brian I appreciate that you are sometimes busy and can’t always be watching the reflector, but in this instance it was brought to your notice, acknowledged by you and you did diddly squat about it. If you are not man enough to make a rule and stand by it, you shouldn’t have made the rule in the first place. Maybe if you are so busy, it might be best to replace you with a moderator who is on the reflector more often!
If your comment re carping and nit-picking is aimed at me, all I can say is that by quoting carping and nit-picking you must mean comments by those with balls, not being frightened to tell it as is.
Trust me, there are lots out there who would agree with me but are too frightened to have their say since the HJD witch hunt.
If someone hadn’t set up a rule, then cowered away from implementing it, I wouldn’t be “carping or nit picking” would I. Just another useless false promise!!
I don’t know about that, David, I’m a habituee of qrz.com which can get pretty rough! As for doing something about it, I believe in free speech but would come down like a ton of bricks on personal insults and libel.