Can I ask the person responsible for removing my post why they did so? Mike never asked me to post it, I saw his post on the Sota forum and thought that it was informative to anybody who might be thinking of activating GW/NW-062. I cannot understand why my post was removed when duplicate spots were allowed at the same time. Can the person who did this please explain?
73
Barry 2E0PXW
In reply to 2E0PXW:
I’m still waiting for a reply from the person responsible for deleting my post.
73
Barry 2E0PXW
In reply to 2E0PXW:
Hi Barry, it looks like you will have to burie your head in the sand, Just like me, Someone in there wisdom removed one of my comments from the reflector, you might remember the comments from 8-30am one morning, Well barry we can keep our heads and dignity about it, But can the *********** who removed the comments do the same, Up until Now I have not had any reply from any one who will own up to it, e-mail or reflector,
Steve m0sgb
In reply to 2E0PXW:
There is a moderator in the SOTA management team. I think moderation is a good idea if the discussion gets too hot or becomes completely off topic. The only problem I can see is that there is no clear moderation policy, so the rules followed in the moderation are more or less obscure for the SOTA users.
73, Jaakko OH7BF/F5VGL
Hi Jaakko,
The guidance is printed below the reply box every time a post is made:
"Think Before You Post! Is your post appropriate, constructive, friendly and suitable for all ages? Your post is open to the whole Internet and will be available from search engines and forever associated with you and your callsign!
This group is not, in general, moderated, so please post responsibly. Please only post messages that are relevant to SOTA and amateur radio at large. Off-topic messages or messages that may be offensive to some members of the group may be deleted. Members who persist in posting inappropriate material may be excluded from posting in the future.
Please be aware that the management team may not always be monitoring the reflector, nor are they often able to respond quickly to issues raise. So in addition to any comments made on the reflector, communications requiring a response from the Management Team should be made directly to The Management Team. Likewise, discussion about the development of this facility and the website is welcome on the reflector, however, please also contact the webmaster direct if you need a response from him, especially in the case of reporting bugs, etc".
Tom
In reply to F5VGL:
I agree with you Jaacko. On most Forums, when a moderator makes a change, a note in red lettering appears saying ‘Post removed due to …’ Then everyone knows the reason. Obviously this could not occur when spots are removed.
Having said that, anyone who reads the tenor and content of the posts in the Sotaforum cannot fail to realise that there is a concerted effort by the malcontents to cause discord because of the perceived way they have been treated, aimed specifically at one member of the MT.
Being called a ‘yellow belly’ and ‘liar’ would IMO certainly not be good reason for approbation by all right thinking members. Procrastination is a sound way of allowing these efforts to continue and action is necessary before others take the type of action mentioned by Peter/ON3WAB in another thread.
73
David/G4CMQ
In reply to All:
Hey Barry, I made a comment, non derogatory and aimed at no one in particular, but still the anonymous moderator deleted it, its getting beyond the joke now really. At www.sotaforum.co.uk free speech is encouraged and many of the MT are on there frequently, although there may be the odd jibe, the majority of the topics are good reading and interesting, but hey, we do not live in a sterilised world where everyone loves everyone else and to expect a public forum to go without people falling out or disagreeing is a naive and narrowminded thought, but the moderators one here seem to react to anykind of warm debate or diluted comment against them, which is unjust really, as any kind of authority is going to come under fire on occasion.
Nevertheless its their forum and rules are rules. I just think a little common sense could be exercised, as the original comments made by Barry about a road closure for one of the summits was in the interest of all users of the SOTA service.
@ David G4CMQ, I have said before that it is honourable to defend ones allies and friends, but unless you have all the facts and information how do you deem yourself qualified to make assumptions and defensive statements, like in your post above ? Many of Saddam Hussains personal foot soldiers were prepared to take a bullet for him until they learned the truth and then many of them fled to nearby countries. In wisdom there is truth and understanding.
Lee
In reply to M1EYP:
Tom,
Right. I have seen that somewhere before 
I guess that is clear enough.
73, Jaakko OH7BF/F5VGL
In reply to M1EYP:
Tom, I see that you managed a reply to Jaakko but decided to dodge answering my question. Can you please read my question and give me the courtesy of a reply? and tell me what part of it did not comply with the posting guide lines you quoted.
73
Barry 2E0PXW
In reply to 2E0PXW:
Barry
On SOTAFORUM in the thread ’ Apologies Barry for MT latest attack’ an e-mail is quoted which clearly asks you to refrain from ‘copying and pasting’ comments from Mike. The post you are complaining about was a direct ‘copy and paste’ of a message from Mike, admittedly with the plums removed :-). So it should be obvious why it was removed. perhaps if you had retyped it in your own words it would still be there?
Roger G4OWG
In reply to G4OWG:
I think the situation is becoming stupid or even childish when a piece of sound advice posted to help activators is deleted purely due to its author being out of favour. There may of course be an innocent explanation for this behaviour, but until it comes to light people will form their own opinions.
In reply to G4OWG:
How petty, I take your point Roger, but what a pity that the anonymous deleter couldn’t give me an answer! OK I have altered the wording slightly, so let’s see if this is acceptable
Any prospective activators of Hope Mountain, please be aware that the access road from the A541 (Mold - Wrexham Road) on the North of the summit at SJ296586 will be closed for 1 week from 29/9/08. If approaching the summit from the A541, use the alternative road at SJ301579. This road runs through a small housing estate, but eventually comes to a T junction. Turn left at the T junction and the prow to the summit is approx 400 metres away on your right, park by gate and prow finger post, room for 1 car, maybe 2.
73
Barry 2E0PXW
In reply to G1INK:
hear hear !!!
In reply to M0SGB :
Honestly, Steve, I get back from a trip and I find myself faced with a bit of school-yard name calling. The only explanation you are entitled to is that a member of the MT, all of whom are able to moderate, found your post inappropriate and deleted it. Name calling and other inappropriate behaviour is grounds for a formal warning and, if persisted in, exclusion. It gives me no pleasure to see a fellow SOTA enthusiast skating on thin ice, and I would really hate to see you excluded, so please pay a bit more attention to how you word your posts.
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G1INK:
Steve, direct copying from one reflector to another without the permission of the appropriate people is a copyright infringement. I was in the Forest of Dean drinking Adnams, but I would have deleted it myself. Barry, please note this answer.
73
Brian
In reply to G8ADD:
Hi Brian
If you look at the one on the sotaforum you WILL see the bit at the end where Mike has said (Feel free to post this on the Reflector)
73
Barry 2E0PXW
In reply to 2E0PXW:
Sorry, Barry, only got home a couple of hours ago, unpacked the car, started a quick meal and looked at Sotawatch, no time for other sites yet. I’m unclear on this, does Mike own the Sotaforum? The permission would have to come from the owner, I believe, so any re-posting would have to be re-worded.
Moderating has to be done on the hoof, sometimes on inadequate information, mistakes will be made (we’re only human tho’ some would dispute that!) but we are always trying to do the best for SOTA.
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
The sotaforum is not owned by Mike, but Mike as the author of the post quoted to all and sundry to feel free to post his thread on the Reflector. The post contained valueable information for all activators regarding a road closure at NW-062. Mike has full permissions on the sotaforum to allow his posts to be used else where. This was not a case of Mike asking me to post specifically on his behalf. I saw it and thought it to be informative, so posted it on the Reflector. As for it being “inadequate information” come on Brian, Mike could probably tell us the length of every blade of grass on the mountain. So, you have only just got home, so with Tom being the only other MT on the forum, we must presume it was him who deleted it and knew it was copied word for word.
73
Barry 2E0PXW
In reply to 2E0PXW:
“Inadequate information” did not refer to Mikes knowledge, which is not in doubt. It referred in this particular case to whether the permission to quote Mike had come from the holder of the site copyright, but was intended to have a more general application to the fact that sometimes swift action might have to take place without full checking. Does it help to know that any deletions or amendments that I make are recorded to a file and can later be reposted by me if appropriate?
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
For your future reference Brian, both Mike and the site owner, Lee, have given their full permission to copy anything on the sotaforum considered to be of value to the Reflector and the participants. Mike has pointed out that he will not ask individuals to post on his behalf, as per MT’s request, but has given the ok for anyone in general to use his forum posts if they are considered helpful to the participants of sota.
73
Barry 2E0PXW