Hi All
Perhaps you will allow a comment from someone who is not an avid
contester and in addition resides outside the US. The contest certainly
stimulates DX activity and I'm always looking for new ones in the
Carribean and central America. In principle the 00:00 start facilitates
European contest QSOs to DX areas of Region 2 on three days,
statistically allowing a better chance of good conditions occuring at
some point.
On the other hand an early 22:00 close on the Sunday might encourage
some DX stations to remain QRV after the contest for non contest QSOs
when split operation is possible. Again swings and roundabouts but I
think I personally preferred last year's timings.
I would agree with those that suggest a defined contest exchange is
needed. That could still be a country designator if the designator is
defined by the organiser. However the DXCC list is an unusual and unique
list of countries and apart from call-sign prefixes, I don't think there
is a stand alone country list which addresses for example 4U1ITU and
4U1UN as a country. So why repeat ones call-sign prefix or call-sign in
the report exchange? WAZ, ITU zones or grid square information seems
more sensible, if a serial is considered unnecessary.
73s and best wishes for the holiday season.
Dave EI3IO
RK wrote:
> Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving Guys,
>
> Hopefully I'm not going off half bent or the deep end....................
>
> While the following may be suited best in another forum, it directly applies
> as well to the activities of the majority of this group as well.
>
> Out and about this Tuesday I picked up a copy of December CQ magazine which
> has the 2008 contest results and partial content of the new 2009 CQ160 rules
> which appeared on CQ's website sometime on the Eve of Thanksgiving.
>
> http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/160_Rules_2009.pdf
>
> The 1st major key change is the contest start time of 2200Z Jan 23rd as
> compared to 0000Z in the past. I admit I have no idea why this changed, but I
> have to ask what benefit it is to myself or others on the left coast in the
> only Topband US sponsored DX contest? This time change will certainly skew
> the
> contest records and increase scores for the guns in Zone 5. After spending
> years of time and great sums of cash to be just out of the box scores they
> throw another one at us. Six hours of unimpeded grey-line to vast numbers of
> 10 point multipliers. Yikes!
>
> The 2nd major change is the DX exchange of RST and Zone for 2009 as compared
> to RST and Country in previous contests. You better check your logging
> programs and be prepared to ask for reports over and over again.
>
> I believe that contest records, times and exchanges are the holy grail.
>
> Your comments direct or indirect would be appreciated.
>
> 73
>
>
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>
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> 19:53
>
--
This Email comes from Dave Court - EI3IO, G3SDL, OZ3SDL
QTH (Grid) Locator - IO63WF
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