[VHFcontesting] Re: A suggestion for ERP-based Entry Classes (Ward Silver)

["jon jones" <n0jk@hotmail.com>]

Ward has some good suggestions re. the "post-processing" approach to 
creating some new award categories. And other organizations can certainly 
offer their "own" awards for the ARRL VHF Contest. In fact, I believe the 
Central States VHF Society did this a few years ago for the Rover Category.

On a similar topic - I would like to see the ARRL re-instate awards for the 
DX Category. For the 2003 June VHF QSO Party, there were no plaques offered 
for DX stations. I'm not even sure the top scorers will receive a 
certificate. There was minimal mention of DX stations in the contest 
write-up.

If there is no awards or incentive for the DX stations, I see DX 
participation in the June VHF QSO Party dropping. There are 7 announced VHF 
DXpeditions for summer 2004, all *after* the June VHF QSO Party. There are 
two (ZF1A and me) announced for the June VHF QSO Party.

- Jon N0JK

> A little more seriously - there are lots of possible categories that could
be tried.  To suggest that the awards program be changed on a speculative
basis is not really very practical.  However, if it could be demonstrated
that an alternate set of categories did have merit, perhaps formal awards
could be created for them.  I would suggest a "post-processing" approach.

> Get band-by-band breakdowns from each of the competitors (which are
available as validated data from the ARRL Web pages) and ask for the extra
information (HAAT, ERP, number of elements, shoe size, whatever) off-line.
Then create post-processing software to see if the results would be of
interest.  The evaluation could even be done with a spreadsheet.  It would
certainly generate some interesting graphics.

> Even if contest sponsors don't want to add more award categories, there's 
> no
reason why an organization can't offer it's own award separately.  As long
as the award requires entrants to follow the rules of the contest and submit
logs, I can only see it helping the activity.  Example - QRP ARCI sponsors
"The Running of the Bulls" and the Collegiate Championship run during HF
Sweepstakes.  Last year I got a few teams interested in entering a M/S for a
WRTC-style team competition during IARU HF Championship.

I think this has particular merit in areas away from the big population
centers where the usual scoring system doesn't really recognize local and
regional winners.

73, Ward N0AX

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