I tried real hard to be quiet about this, but I just couldn't stand it
anymore. What's wrong with diversity in contesting? There are 4 hour
contests, 12 hour contests, 24 hour contests, and 48 hour contests.
There are contest lengths that are consistent with everyone's ability
to participate.
Though the Sprint enjoys on-going popularity, the NAQ participation
seems rather poor. I was the manager of the 2 hour OMARC Midnight
Specials and they died due to lack of interest. So a shorter contest
is no guarantee for increased participation.
I thought the ARRL DX Contest was a great contest when it stretched
over two weekends and I was disappointed when it was shortened. The
only positive thing I saw was the ability to participate as a one
weekend Dxpedition instead of having to go back to the DX location a
month later to do the second weekend..
What we are seeing here is the aging of the contest community. All these
"super op youngsters" are now finding themselves entering middle age with
the resulting aches, pains, and outside responsibilities associated with
the maturing process. There is little or no youth coming into the
contest ranks to freshen our perception of contesting. (What appals me
is the lack of interest the contest community is showing to the "no-code"
hams as a possible source of future contesters. But that's another
story.)
As a result, the middle age contester syndrome (I will call it) makes
these wimps want to change contesting to fit their situation. They find
the longer contests more a hardship for themselves personally and they
know the right people at ARRL and CQ to attempt to effect change.
I say "NO", leave the ARRL DX and CQ WW DX Contests alone. They are fine
in their present format. If you want to do something easier, try bingo.
By the way, I went to the Dayton Hamvention for my honeymoon. She (KU2Q)
loved it!
73, Richard (K5NA - ex. K5PFL)
(Been contesting for over 35 years)
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