I don't exactly disagree with my friend N4ZR, but I'll offer some
countering thoughts.
- Top level, if enough people do not enjoy the contest, and participation
goes down, then the VOLUNTEER organizers might consider changing the
rule(s). But this is "maybe should", and not "must".
- Rate is fun (for most of us), but there are other facets of contesting
that can be fun. As a lower-tier station (and operator) with limited time
window for NAQP, I sometimes go to the "wrong" band to boost my multiplier
total. Even in NAQP, I get a kick out of nabbing a rare one. And I am
obsessed with the sweep in SS. (Does anybody try for the
one-qso-per-Section sweep any more? That would be 83 Sections in 83 QSOs
nowadays. Now, THAT is slo-o-o-w!) Do you remember that DXers used to
tune the band for hours looking for stations to work?
- I've been Assisted at some multi-op stations, and I realize that there
are some special skills involved. But to me, they are so different from
the old "turn the big knob" way that I learned that the game is completely
different. Maybe you like it better than I do. I like it the way it is,
even though I know that skimmer enables my CW runs.
- It seems to me that the automatic spotting could grow to automatic
running, and with just a little bit more technology we could eliminate the
radio. It's just a nuisance between the two ends of the QSO. Somebody --
I think K1DG or K1AR) wrote a fantasy about this many years ago. How far
away are we from its being reality?
- If you change NAQP, the next thing will be the wimps crying to "fix" SS
by allowing once-per-band QSOs. If that happens, I think my age-driven
departure will be hastened.
73, Art K3KU
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