On Nov 9, 2007, at 11:17 AM, Hank Greeb wrote:
>
> A few contests (mainly QRP contests) have "simple wire antennas"
> category to distinguish from beam antennae. I personally know
> that a
> 8 dBd beam @ 50 feet makes a QRP Field Day station competitive with
> the
> 100 watt category stations, particularly since the QRP station gets a
> multiplier of 5 vs 2 for the 100 Watt category. I placed 2nd in Field
> Day, Class 1B 1OP Battery twice during the 80's with this antenna
> and a
> HW-9. Distant 2nd, but 2nd anyway.
>
> The same reasoning would hold for a station running full legal
> power - a
> full size beam @ 110 feet would "outclass" a simple wire antenna @ 25
> feet. It's a matter of the number of categories one wishes to have
> in a
> contest. Maybe we should have "dummy load antenna" category, wire
> antenna no higher than 10', wire antenna no higher than 30', wire
> antenna no higher than 50', unlimited height wire antenna, and similar
> breakdowns for whether or not you're looking at salt water, whether
> the
> soil in dry and sandy or wet and clay, whether you have a beam antenna
> of any sort, maybe even what kind of beam antenna you have. If we
> choose enough categories, perhaps we can have a category winner for
> every entry.
>
You are correct Hank. Trying to level the playing field is just one
of those things that once you start it, there is no end.
I had though of introducing a "crappy antenna category" at one time.
And how about the Operators? Should a handicap be given for bad
operators or penalties for extremely proficient Operators? I still
think that the Operator is the most important part of a high score.
And just what *do* we do about those who are in a good location?
Make 'em move?
It's so much better to accept that there is a competition, and just
as with athletes, some are better suited for the task at hand. My QTH
is not too bad for contesting, but if I want to have a really good
location, I move it to our mountaintop shack, with it's great
antennas and top notch equipment.
When I want to compete, I do these things I need to do to compete,
not try to bring the better Ops and Stations down to my level.
- 73 de Mike N3LI -
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