Last year we were trying to level the playing field by changing the scoring
for nearly all of the contests [because everyone lives in a super DX QTH
except "me" and "I" live in a "black hole" (please, no threads about black
holes - it has been beaten to death several times - I have operated from
both coasts and in between)]. That didn't work. So let's change the time
allotted to the contest (or perhaps the categories). Maybe that will level
the field? I doubt it. I wonder what next year's attempt will be.
73, Larry W6NWS
-----Original Message-----
From: David Gilbert
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 1:29 PM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] How many hours do SOAB entrants actually operate?
Ahh ... you mean that more people will do what they actually prefer to
do instead of what they might feel compelled to do. I didn't realize
that was a bad thing for a hobby. I think it's pretty funny that some
folks are against a 24 hour category precisely because they think it
might be popular enough to make a difference.
But apparently you didn't bother to read the statistics in the original
posts from KR2Q. Fully 90% of all contesters who send in a log ALREADY
operate less than 24 hours and 75% operate less than 15 hours. I'd bet
that the numbers for those who don't bother to send in a log (but still
contribute to contest activity) are skewed even lower. I think it's
fully debatable whether or not a 24 hour category would encourage more
of the 10% who currently operate more than 24 hours to operate less than
it would encourage those 15% in the 15 to 24 hour group to operate
more, but personally I suspect it would be a wash.
Besides, I don't think anyone advocating a 24 hour category expects to
garner a victory from having one. Hard core stations and elite
operators will always win over casual ops. A 24 hour category merely
gives more people a chance to compare themselves on a more equal footing.
Dave AB7E
p.s. In cycling, fewer riders in the longer races absolutely impinges
on the efforts of others. Drafting in a group is critical ... a solo
rider will expend as much as 30% more effort than a rider in the middle
of a group going the same speed.
On 4/1/2013 7:21 AM, Richard F DiDonna NN3W wrote:
Because in cycling, the efforts of one cyclist don't necessarily impinge
on the efforts on others. By encouraging stations to operate only 24
hours, you will have an effect on how the bands load and the availability
of stations during certain periods. I can guarantee you that if stations
got to chose to chose a 24 hour operating period, most would chose to
operate during daylight hours and would avoid marginal bands as you can't
mess up in a 24 hour contest. Look at the scores from this past weekend's
CQWPX contest - SOAB stations completely minimized their efforts on 80 and
160 because the ratio of time versus QSOs does not justify being up that
late.
I'll also stand in total agreement with other posters who note that
creating a new "24 hour" category won't guarantee any victories for
non-hard core stations. It will instead mean that certain hard core
stations who don't want to do 48 hours, will instead do 24 hours and will
knock off the competition.
73 Rich NN3W
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