Hi,
I do not think WRTC has it right with value of points per contest –
especially looking from Z29 / Z30 / Z32 region. In EU on NA the criteria
might be fine, but here (or maybe in AF or SA as well), the situation is
very different.
Here are numbers of submitted logs from VK/ZL in recent contest:
ODXC SSB (2013) = 98
CQWW SSB (2013) = 69
CQWPX SSB (2014) = 55
ODXC CW (2013) = 43
IARU (2013) = 38
CQWPX CW (2014) = 33
CQWW CW (2013) = 32
ARRL DX SSB (2014) = 32
ARRL DX CW (2014) = 18
AA DX CW (2013) = 13
RXDC (2014) = 10
AA DX SSB (2013) = 8
WAE CW (2014) = 4
WAE SSB (2014) = 4
WAG (2013) = 3
I understand that DL guys are trying to promote DARC contests, but there is
simply no participation from VK/ZL to be a contest.
Quite possibly someone might end up with full 900 point in WAG LP category
for just a single QSO.
On the other hand it might be impossible to get same 900 points in CQWW
from mainland if someone decides to collect ‘easy’ 1000 points from VK9
expedition. I do not know if it is possible to compete from VK or ZL with
anyone from ZK3 or somewhere there - does not matter how hard one tries.
The other problem what we have here is the size of Z29, Z30, Z32. The
difference in latitude is some 30deg, about same difference as between
North Africa and Scandinavia. From East to West, the difference is bigger
that East Coast and West Coast of USA. It makes huge difference where
exactly the home Selection Area happened to be.
In my opinion, the contests for WRTC from down here should be only ODXC,
CQWWs, CQWPXs, IARU and ARRLs. And maybe the RDXC as well. For WAG, WAEs
and AAs there is simply not enough participation – even though they are
great contests.
Each call area should have kind of ‘location weight factor’, say 1.0 for
VK2 and VK3; 0.75 for VK4, 6, 8. Maybe 1.25 for VK7 and ZL. And 0.5 for
any island expedition in Z29, Z30 or Z32.
I personally do not like the SO-HP and SO-LP having same weight. In my
opinion it will open floodgates for cheating. If someone wish to be
competitive in WRTC qualification, then he or she must have some decent
setup – maybe few beams, reasonable location etc. The linear (and access
to internet) is only very small part of this setup. In my opinion, if
someone wishes to compete for WRTC, then he or she should enter the
SO-AB-HP category as everyone else. Apples with apples. Do not get me
wrong. Some people do remarkably well in LP or QRP or SB categories, but
once we all compete for same goal then we all should be in same sandpit.
73
Vlad
VK2IM
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