The March/April 2018 NCJ has an article by Al, K0AD and Bill, W0OR
suggesting changes to Sweepstakes.
Al suggests moving the start time up 4 hours. This makes a lot of sense to
me. More daylight hours so guys with a tribander will make more contacts.
Also, perhaps more importantly, East Coast SSers won't have to stay up late
Sunday night suffering the doldrums and more will probably operate later on
Sunday.
Bill suggests shortening the contest to 18 hours. I like that idea but would
suggest shortening it to 20 hours. Bill also suggests a forced off time in
the middle which doesn't appeal to me personally. His last suggestion is to
allow duplicate QSOs on 10 and 160 meters. I don't like that at all as it
makes guys without good 160m antennas uncompetitive. As to 10 meters in down
sunspot cycle years, it will only help where there is the occasional
spotlight propagation and give an unfair advantage there.
Moving up the start time and decreasing overall operating time should have a
positive effect on this contest. Of course, getting the NCCC, PVRC and YCCC
to have a yearly major focus on winning the overall gavel is what will help
the most. A few years ago when they did that there were no doldrums Sunday.
Let the flames begin, and apologies in advance to our international list
members who don't give a hoot about SS.
73, Ken, K6LA / VY2TT
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