Personally, I don't really care what anyone else does !
I achieved DXCC on 160m many years ago . . . and stopped even counting new countries once I had worked over 200. (it used to be really hard, as so few Countries were licensed for Top Band, but these days almost everyone is) I KNOW I worked those stations . . . but never bothered collecting QSL cards or applying for some piece of paper to put on the wall. To me it's about the SATISFACTION of having achieved something. In fact - as I've stated before on here - I'm really not bothered about working somebody in a rare country . . . it's working ANY distant station on Top Band that gives me a buzz . . . and regardless of how many times I've worked that station before. The same goes for Contests . . . decades ago I used to actually enter Top Band contests . . . but it really holds no interest for me having hundreds of quite easy contacts hour after hour . . . I now just come on to try and pick out the DX stations in-between all the strong Europeans (again, a unique problem on 160m, as there is no Skip) - THAT to me is an achievement. Again, I am not bothered about the people using their Computer to have contacts . . . it would never interest me in a million years, as I feel there is no operator or equipment skill involved, so zero satisfaction. But hey, if it floats some people's boats, that's up to them. The only thing that DOES bother me is when people stop coming on Human-based modes on 160m because they think the only activity is on the Computer modes ! If more people make an effort to come on the band (instead of complaining) there WILL be more CW & SSB DX activity on Top Band ! Anyway . . . hope to work some of you in the Contest this weekend. (Had to put my antenna back up yesterday, as it came down in the Gales we had over here !) 73 Roger G3YRO _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector