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Re: [CQ-Contest] QRP

To: <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] QRP
From: Pete Smith <n4zr@contesting.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:22:43 -0400
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
Since I apparently provoked this, let me make myself clear - I WAS NOT serious 
about the scoring idea.  I thought raising the "irony flag" would make that 
clear.

I could not agree more with Randy's central point - if you want to score, you 
need to work the third and fourth and fifth-layer stations, many of whom will 
be QRP.  I have done reasonably well in the ARRL DX Contest for several years, 
and in that contest you know which are QRP, so I know there are a bunch of 
them, along with 100-watters with attic dipoles.  

My point is, it is NOT helpful to have a QRP station sign /QRP.  The rest of us 
will work you, for sure, but we'd just as soon you didn't add 4 characters to 
your call, when you are already 50 dB down from the loud guys.

73, Pete N4ZR

At 01:58 PM 8/10/2006, Randy Johnson wrote:
>As one who recently operated Field Day as a QRP station - it was an absolute 
>blast!!!!! - I have a QRP suggestion. When a loud station who can't hear you 
>stomps on you while you are vainly calling CQ in a "non-contest," it doesn't 
>feel any better than when, as a weak station, you get stomped on during a real 
>contest. 
>
>It seems obvious to me that in any contest ALL of the big guns work each 
>other. Right? So to some extent, a big score is dependent upon 
>
>1. working the itinerant station who gets on for a half-hour and only works 
>the loud stations, which they do anyway, and 
>2. how many weak stations you work, some of whom, by definition, will be QRP 
>stations 
>
>If I am right, there is an incentive for ALL participants to create conditions 
>where more QRP stations can be worked.  I'll let others debate the "special 
>score" suggestion made below, but it seems to me as if it would make sense to 
>create a "QRP zone" in contests where QRP stations wouldn't be as likely to 
>get stomped on and where a BIG GUN who has worked almost everyone else can go 
>find someone he hasn't. 
>
>I would like to suggest that some 10kHz slot be set aside by gentleman's 
>agreement for QRP to call CQ stations. For CW, the 060 to 070 slot might work 
>well in smaller contest where activity doesn't get that high. Or how about 090 
>to 100 in the bigger ones?  It's not generally busy in domestic contest, and 
>doesn't interfere with PSKer's and RTTYers.  Point is that if you pick that 
>zone right, NO ONE ELSE can possibly get offended by feeling something is 
>getting taken away from him.
>
>This would have an additional benefit of encouraging more QRP stations to 
>participate in contests. These days - total WA guess - but probably less than 
>5% of participants are QRP. Would creating this type of incentive encourage 
>more to try a serious effort?
>
>My suggestion is that, if I survive the flaming for this suggestion, those in 
>power pick SOME upcoming contest, perhaps a state QSO part that gets a lot of 
>activity, like CQP, and give it a trial shot.
>
>Randy W6SJ
>
>
>At the risk of being accused of excessive irony, I suggest that anyone who 
>logs a QRP station in a contest should get double QSO points for the extra 
>effort involved, and if the QRP station sends /QRP,the other station should 
>get 4X points as a PITA bonus.
>
>73, Pete N4ZR
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