George,
The survey is OPEN to all.
The link to it was posted right here on CQ-Contest.
The CQ WW Contest Committee is conducting a survey to gather input from
participants about various aspects of the contest. The answers will help us
make decisions about the rules and future direction of the contest.
Anyone who has an interest in the CQ WW DX Contest may take the survey.
Go to http://cqww2013.questionpro.com
73,
Bob W5OV
-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
W0ua@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2013 9:29 AM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] KILLING THE GOLDEN GOOSE
KILLING THE GOLDEN GOOSE
I don't do these forum-things as a rule, but my friend K5GO tipped me that
there was a serious (?) suggestion about "combining" the SOAB and SO (A)
categories. Apparently there was a survey sent around, but I surely wasn't
aware of it. (As an aside, I have to wonder how many more like me, who've
been in nearly every major CQ HF Contest over the last several years, were
similarly unaware this was happening? How many of those who received the
survey might be "casual" entrants as opposed to serious SOAB-types?)
Anyway,
thanks for the heads-up, Stan, and I think I've seen enough of the
discussion to pitch a few marbles into the ring...
First, "combining" is a nice word that doesn't really mean what it says in
this discussion. What's being put forward is eliminating the SOAB
category, in favor of the "Assisted" category. I've seen it said here
that 33
percent of the single-op entries are "Assisted." I take from this, then,
that 66 percent reside in the nominal SOAB category. That sounds like a
pretty healthy majority to me--surely not an anachronism ripe for the scrap
heap! I submit that SOAB remains the greatest challenge in the contest
game,
requiring the highest levels of skill, dedication and endurance--which is
why it attracts so many of those folks for whom those qualities are valued.
This catgeory comprises a big share of the best operators on this
planet--who should likewise be highly-valued by the contest sponsors! So,
am I
getting this right--that the majority category...the category with so many
outstanding competitors--the one presenting the highest challenge--this is
the
one we would even consider eliminating? The tail should wag the dog, you
say? That can't be right--I must be missing something here?
I saw mention made that we need to get with the "new normal" in contesting.
I'm guessing that this implies Internet assistance. Hasn't that already
been fully accepted? As it stands, The "Assisted" category even runs to
single-band entrants. 33 percent may not be a majority but it is a sizable
group and I think they've been nicely accommodated--there are clearly lots
of
folks who enjoy and prefer this mode--and all the categories have been
provided to support them. I'm not into "Assisted" myself, but if it floats
peoples' boats and gets them on the air, that's all good. So, where's the
problem in all this that requires kicking nominal SOAB to the curb?
Again, I must be missing something here?
I notice that the subject of cheating comes up in this chat, and with it
come a couple of troubling implications:
(1) That cheating (of the Internet variety) is taking place among SOAB
entrants
(2) That this purported cheating cannot always be detected and ajudicated
by the sponsors
Certainly, SOAB is the most "cheatable" category--I'm sure it does happen.
That acknowledged, you can call me naive, but I don't think Internet
cheating is either significant or widespread in the SOAB category.
But...let's
just say for a moment that it was: Would the proper response be to
surrender to the cheaters and eliminate the mainstream category because
it's
"cheatable?" I enter SOAB contests believing that the overwhelming and
pervasive ethic is for operating--as I do--on honorable terms. Further, I
trust
the sponsors and administrators to protect the integrity of their events to
the very best of their abilities and resources. I think we have to accept
some factors as articles-of-faith--and we seem to have a majority of
entrants willing to do just that. Eliminating our category-of-choice seems
a
rather shabby reward for our trust and devotion over not just years, but
decades.
I noticed one post here which posited that, in effect, this is all just
about fun, leisure, relaxation. Playing 18 holes in the sun on a May
afternoon is fun. Fly-fishing in a mountain stream is leisurely. That is,
unless
you're striving to beat your best golf score or competing in stroke-play
against the club champ. Or, perhaps you're tracking fish caught, in a
friendly game with your buddies. If there's competition involved (even
with
yourself), that always seems to add a little urgency to the proceedings.
The
SOAB competition--arguably the toughest, the most individualistic test of
all--is about as "urgent" as it gets among it's skilled, dedicated and
perennial devotees. Kill that off while it's still in its prime and you're
amputating a healthy limb. Why would anyone want to do that? I must be
missing something here...
Geo W0UA
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