I think this is a wonderful idea and believe that the ARRL deserves a giant
pat on the back for having the courage to attempt something this divergent
from our normal way of running contests.
My single biggest peeve with the current contesting scene is the ridiculous
delay in seeing the official results. ARRL has done a good job with
reducing the delay for the SS, but contesting will be much more popular with
some more immediate feedback. 10 months is not exactly "instant
gratification" - you can make a baby faster. This delay has often been the
deciding factor for me when considering whether to put in the effort for a
particular contest or not.
This approach will also essentially eliminate the possibility of any
post-contest log doctoring - another big plus.
The ARRL is wise in trying this out in a new and small-scale contest. It
will be a learning experience for everyone, including the ARRL. There will
be unintended consequences. The rules will no doubt be massaged in future
contests in order to arrive at a satisfactory solution. But all this is no
excuse for not trying something different.
I'm excited about it. When I first heard about the beginner's contest, I
had no thought of participating. After reading later on about the on-line
logging, I've changed my mind. I'm certainly willing to devote 6 hours of
my time to try something new that could revolutionize contesting. As a CW
contester, my only disappointment is that I will need to wait until December
to do so.
73 Craig AC0DS
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