Continuing the discussion from Posting Bad Spots... don't do it! (Part 1) - #100 by DD5LP.
Previous discussions:
So if I post a spot and go QRT after 5 minutes that’s OK.
But if the spot has additional information about my intentions it isn’t OK?
1 Like
I’ll leave a member of the MT to answer that point - You are free to interpret what has been stated so far by the MT in the earlier thread.
I think the original concern was with chasers posting spots to pass information to activators and these spots triggering some software alerts to other chasers as new activations or activations on a different frequency/mode.
As is often the case with threads on the reflector, it took several different directions with in the end, Tom making a clear statement that SOTAWatch spots should not be used to send anything but spot data.
73 Ed.
3 Likes
The key point was that the spots had the wrong frequency or mode (and had comments begging the activator to go there), which I confess I (as a chaser) also find a mite irritating…
Yeah, the one non-spot I do find helpful is the “Now QRT” kind, when posted by the activator, because it means I can stop trying to pick the activator out of the tail-end-charlies who’re still hopefully calling in on the spotted frequency. However, a “QRT in 5 mins” or “Last call now” spot serves almost as well, and (I guess, propagation permitting) allows for the half-chance that I could go to that frequency and still hear the activator if I’m really quick (and the spot’s not spent too long getting to me)…
5 Likes
I myself self-spot with the “Final calls” comment. That conveys the message that I’ll shortly be QRT, but, crucially, is still a valid genuine spot - because I’m advising that I’m a SOTA activator operating on the stated frequency/mode at the present time.
And if that’s the case - ie the activator is currently operating on that freq/mode - then the comments field can be used to convey pretty any (relevant) message you like!
What we don’t want is anything submitted to the spots that is NOT a SOTA activator currently operating on the stated freq/mode.
The thirst for the back channel, I suspect, exists much more amongst chasers than it does activators. But it does exist! When activating, I have two browser tabs open. One is the main SOTAwatch Spots page, and the other is a Reflector page. If any chaser sends me a message while I’m activating, I’ll see a little green message icon alerting to me to the fact I’ve got a new messaging received.
So everything some are asking for is already there. If activators are happy to receive communications from chasers (or indeed fellow activators) then there is that facility right there. And if activators prefer not to be disturbed, then they don’t need to monitor that screen!
4 Likes
Half chance? A couple of days ago I called an activator after he had announced “final call”, after I worked him he stayed active and worked about a dozen other callers!
I can hardly believe that we are on a second batch of 100 posts over what I as a chaser regard as no more than a minor irritation, and it isn’t even a slow season!
2 Likes