Thought this might be of interest. Mark W4SVO
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Lu Romero <lromero at ij.net>
To: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <w4tv at subich.com>; n4ww austin regal <n4ww at
earthlink.net>
Cc: fcg at kkn.net
Sent: Thu, June 16, 2011 10:36:13 PM
Subject: Re: [FCG] Fw: [FRC] CAC Recommendations on Changing ARRL DX
CONTESTRules - Background and Other Info
As both a little pistol competitor, and a member of a
Georgia based Multi-Multi team, I agree that the proposed
format favors New England Multi-Multi stations.?
No matter how hard I work, no matter how well I time calls,
no matter how big the antennas (and NQ4I certainly has ample
and highly competitive aluminum aloft), I find myself
consistently at most third in every CQ-WW pile to EU vs
K3LR, W3LPL and KC1XX from NQ4I.? There is a simple reason
for this... Those guys are 1200 miles closer to EU!
Remember the rule of distance/ratio?? You cant change the
rules of Physics, guys!
I can kick their asses to SA/Carib/AF... Especially so on 10
and 15 at Rick's station.? But unfortunately, there are
fewer stations in that direction!? So even though I am at
the top of the pile, I cant match the score potential.?
Location, Location, Location!
I find it rather funny that we have these discussions so
often.? My attitude is: Tell me the rules, and I will play
by them and have fun doing it.? If Im not going to have fun,
I wont enter.? Maybe Im not as bloodthirsty or ego driven as
some other RadioSport competitors... Dont get me wrong!? I
like to "win" as much as the next guy and I am pretty
serious about this game; well, as much as my limited time
and funds allow... This is my hobby, after all, not my
reason for living... But maybe we should consider thinking
about this in a different way...
Why not compete with yourself?? Beat your last year's
score... See how many stations you can pack in a 10 minute
run... See how fast you can find and work mults when you QSY
to a new band...
My main goal in contesting, from my station, and even in the
Multi environments that I have been honored to operate from
is to wring the maximum performance from the technical cards
Im dealt and to improve my operating skill every time I
attempt a test.? If I win something, well, thats good, but
its not the only reason to contest.? A lot of these rule
discussions are "win" driven, that fact is fairly obvious to
me.
As most of you guys know by now, my home station consists of
500w, a tribander at 40 feet and a wire for 80/40 at 38
feet.? I do pretty well with what I have, and I have worked
hard to maximize my station RF systems, equipment and
ergonomics to make me as efficient as possible.? Am I first
in the piles?? No, but I have gotten good at timing my
calls.? Do I get chased off of run frequencies often? Not as
much as I used to with my current transceiver. Do I feel as
loud as LR/LPL/XX?? Sometimes I do, because you are what you
think you are.? But I will never be afraid to mix in with
these guys in a pileup when I find a new mult, even with my
home station (and I have been very competitive with the
"little" 20m mult station at Ricks against these guys)...
What are they going to do, eat me for having the audacity to
call that mult around them?? I will eventually work the mult
if I really need to.? If I cant, then there are other mults
to work that are just as valuable point wise.
Frankly, I *LIKE* NAQP for one reason:? EVERYONE runs (or is
supposed to run) 100 watts.? I like things like WAE because
I think QTC passing is very cool and builds operator skill
(I would LOVE to be on the receiving end of QTC's someday).
I think this discussion is mostly about "Winning".? Winning
is not everything.? We need a contest where the world calls
NA, because there are contests where the world calls JA, OM,
DL, etc., etc.? Those who want to have a everybody works
everybody game will have their share of fun in those
contests that support that rule.?
Sure, its nice to win, and I was thrilled to win FL SSB in
FQP last year (at last), but the primary goal for me is
always placing as high as my technical capabilities will
allow and improving my station capability and my operator
skill.? For example, I tend to be chatty in phone contests,
so I made it a priority to not be chatty in FQP 2010 and it
paid off! Hey! I learned something! And it showed in my
improved SS Phone score last year :)
I liken this game to being an SCCA weekend warrior or a
Sailboat One Design racer rather than being a NASCAR factory
team or an America's Cup team... Each has its emotional
returns, but there is more to RadioSport than placing 1st in
a contest.
-lu-W4LT-? ?
----- Original Message Follows -----
From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <w4tv at subich.com>
To: n4ww austin regal <n4ww at earthlink.net>
Cc: fcg at kkn.net
Subject: Re: [FCG] Fw: [FRC] CAC Recommendations on Changing
ARRL DX CONTESTRules - Background and Other Info
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:51:04 -0400
>It would be nice if CAC and the Awards Committee thought
>about what was best for the little pistols in W/VE rather
>than cater to the New England insiders? and their friends
>in Europe.
>
>Any CQ format does nothing except *further favor* New
>England and disadvantage the weak(er) stations in the rest
>of W/VE.
>
>73,
>
>? ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
>On 6/16/2011 7:20 PM, n4ww austin regal wrote:
>> It would be nice to let the contester decide on a major
>>issue.
>> Instead of all these ballots we get for director/vice
>> directors that we dont even know. Send out ballots to
>> arrl memebers on major changes to contests.
>>
>> doc n4ww
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Subich, W4TV"
>> <w4tv at subich.com> To: <fcg at kkn.net>
>> Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 5:16 PM
>> Subject: Re: [FCG] Fw: [FRC] CAC Recommendations on
>> Changing ARRL DX CONTESTRules - Background and Other Info
>>
>>
>>>
>>>> Arrl "dx" contest is still a 4th rate contest and
>>>> always will be unless it becomes world wide.
>>>
>>> By the same reasoning should WAE become "everyone works
>>> everyone" and "QTCs can be passed to anyone?"
>>>
>>> As posted before, ARRL DX is the premiere "targeted" DX
>>> contest and its basic format. If stations don't want to
>>> participate working W/VE stations, changing ARRL DX to
>>> another CQWW is not going to make it any more popular in
>>> the same way as any number of "national" DX contests (LZ
>>> , OK, etc.) are "major contests." Adjust scoring for
>W/VE stations, establish time limited categories if you
>>> want but don't think that screwing up the whole basis of
>>> ARRL DX will in some magic way "fix" a contest that
>>>isn't broken.
>>> 73,
>>>
>>> ... Joe, W4TV
>>>
>>>
>>> On 6/16/2011 4:43 PM, n4ww austin regal wrote:
>>>> Arrl "dx" contest is still a 4th rate contest and
>>>> always will be unless it
>>>> becomes world wide. The "cant change it" "or tradition"
>>>> mentality so a modest station can have a few good runs
>>>>to Europe is just ridiculous.
>>>> Listen to the rest of the world. Native South
>>>> Americans,Africans,Asians,Oceania and for most part
>>>> JA's and vk/zl's wont
>>>> and never will operate this contest. At least change
>>>> its real name to the
>>>> "ARRL W.A.S." to dx contest.
>>>>
>>>> Doc n4ww
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From:<artw4aa at bellsouth.net>
>>>> To: "Florida Contest Group"<fcg at kkn.net>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 10:33 PM
>>>> Subject: [FCG] Fw: [FRC] CAC Recommendations on
>>>> Changing ARRL DX CONTESTRules - Background and Other
>>>>Info
>>>>
>>>>> This is forwarded with W2GD's permission. 73, Art/W4AA
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "John Crovelli"<w2gd at hotmail.com>
>>>>> To:<gofrc at yahoogroups.com>
>>>>> Cc:<w2re at hudsonvalleytowers.com>;<k3ww at fast.net>;
>>>>> "K9RS" <k9rs at yahoo.com>;<dave.n3rd at verizon.net>
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 9:22 PM
>>>>> Subject: [FRC] CAC Recommendations on Changing ARRL DX
>>>>> CONTEST Rules - Background and Other Info
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Fellow FRCers
>>>>>
>>>>> By now many if not most FRCers have heard something
>>>>> about the ARRL Contest Advisory Committee (CAC) being
>>>>> tasked to recommend rule changes for the ARRL DX
>>>>> Contest. Unfortunately its all true, the ARRL Program
>>>>> Services Committee (PSC) earlier this year directed
>>>>> the CAC to consider and propose rule changes geared
>toward improving participation and popularity of its
>>>>> premier international event.
>>>>>
>>>>> Why is this happening? After asking this question of
>>>>> several CAC members (from ARRL Divisions inside and
>>>>> outside our club area) the primary reason seems to be
>>>>> that the ARRL DX Contest is now the third most popular
>>>>> DX contest. In recent years the CQ WPX has moved up to
>>>>> the Number 2 spot and the ARRL DX has perceptively
>>>>> slipped to Number 3 position in terms of overall
>>>>>popularity.
>>>>> In reality, the ARRL DX Contest is now and has always
>>>>> been the TOP 'targeted' DX event (one where
>>>>> participants work stations in only one country or
>>>>> region vs. everyone works everyone contests). So one
>>>>> could well argue ARRL HQ has tasked the CAC to find
>ways to restore the ARRL DX to a position that is
>>>>> impossible to achieve, on an apples to apples
>>>>> compariosn basis. It outwardly appears this may be
>>>>> more a case of organizational 'envy' and "politics"
>>>>> than anything else. Of course we really don't know
>>>>> since the actions of the ARRL, PSC, CAC, and ARRL
>Awards Committee lack transparency....by design and
>>>>> tradition, their activities are kept secret. But
>>>>> regardless of the reasons behind this, there is a real
>>>>> danger the CAC will recommend rule changes that if
>>>>> somehow approved, would change the ARRL DX Contest in
>>>>>ways most FRCers would not find desirable.
>>>>> So we're all talking from the same page regarding the
>>>>> facts and recent events, below is a brief summary of
>>>>> where we are today based upon back channel and other
>>>>>sources.
>>>>> 1. Within the past 3 weeks the CAC voted 10 to 2 to
>>>>> recommend some form of distance based scoring system
>>>>> for the ARRL DX Contest. This is clearly a fundamental
>>>>> and radical proposition that will significantly impact
>>>>> contest results, both domestically and internationally
>>>>> if approved. The precise way such a scoring
>>>>> methodology will be implemented is still under
>>>>> investigation by the CAC. Reportedly they plan to back
>test various scoring algorithms to determine potential
>>>>> impact in comparison to prior results before getting
>>>>> more specific. Just FYI, the Stew Perry 160 contest is
>>>>> the only major international event that presently uses
>>>>>some form of distance based scoring.
>>>>> As a club, and individually, the FRC was not afforded
>>>>> an opportunity to comment on this CAC recommendation.
>>>>> It was discovered CAC representatives covering our
>>>>> club territory (N2MG in the Atlantic Div. K2ONP in the
>>>>> Hudson Div,, and WC1M in the NE Div.) haven't made an
>>>>> effort to reach out to the FRC membershp for input on
>>>>> this and other issues pending before the committee.
>This lack of solicitation has since been pointed out to
>>>>> these gentleman. K2ONP has begun keeping K3WW, W2RE
>>>>> and I in the loop and is asking for our opinions. We
>>>>> have not heard from N2MG despite several emails. It
>>>>> should be noted the CAC, HQ Awards Committee, and PSC
>>>>>historically have operated in virtual secrecy.
>>>>> An article written by NS3T and posted Monday at
>>>>> http://www.radio-sport.net/arrldx_rules.htm has blown
>>>>> the cover of the ARRL and CAC on their current ARRL DX
>>>>> Contest rule deliberations. I couldn't find any
>>>>> discussion at all on the various contesting reflectors
>>>>> on the subject. Not sure if there is some censorship
>>>>>going on - hope not.
>>>>> There are several scoring algorithm choices, but
>>>>> regardless of which is selected, the impact of
>>>>> distance based scoring will unavoidably result in a
>>>>> re-arranging of the order of finish for the top twenty
>>>>> or thirty competitors in all Single Op entry classes,
>>>>> with a new advantage going to stations on the edge of
>the black hole and further west, and a disadvantage
>>>>> (compared to current rules) to entrants in eastern
>>>>> Canada, New England and the Mid-Atlantic (for stations
>>>>> closer to EU). Its likely a change in scoring formula
>>>>> will delight US participants to our west, but actual
>>>>> results of the contest probably won't change that much
>, with the exception of ME and Maritime Canada which would
>>>>> bare the brunt of this change. On the DX side,
>>>>> distance based scoring virtually assures victory to
>>>>> those operating from Northern Africa in high sunspot
>>>>> years. It's unlikely a Carib station will be able to
>>>>> overcome the distance/points per Q advantage with
>>>>>contact volume.
>>>>> Right now it appears the CAC will pass along to the
>>>>> PSC a recommendation for some form of distance based
>>>>> scoring. It will be up to the HQ Awards Committee and
>>>>> then the Program Services Committee (PSC) members to
>>>>> agree or disagree. More on how the rule change
>>>>>approval process works a little later.
>>>>> 2. The CAC is now considering the question of
>>>>> operating time limits for single op entries. A few
>>>>> options have been discussed and apparently as of this
>>>>> week, a movement to eliminate the existing 48 hour
>>>>> time limit for single op entrants has ended. But still
>>>>> on the table is consideration and possible creation of
>a new Single Op entry class based upon some shorter time
>>>>> frame. The CAC has discussed a number of options (24,
>>>>> 36, 40 and 44 hours), and someone on the PSC or at
>>>>> ARRL HQ has suggested a 24 hour option. But apparently
>>>>> a proposal for a 24 hour class has thus far seen
>>>>>little support from CAC members.
>>>>> Fortunately the CAC chairman WC1M has seen the light
>>>>> and now understands the 'IRON MAN' 48 hour version of
>>>>> ARRL DX must be retained. Creating a new 24 or 36 hour
>>>>> category probably would not change things that much,
>>>>> and might increase participation by those entrants who
>>>>> cannot or do not want to commit to a full 48 hour
>>>>> effort. What has not happened so far (as far as I can
>determine) is CAC discussion about viable ways to increase
>>>>> DX participation.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>***********************************************************
>>>>>*************************
>>>>>
>>>>> Now that we all have the same info, what should the
>>>>> FRC and individual FRCers do to help shape the ARRL DX
>>>>> Contest debate and prevent rule changes that are not
>>>>> desired or in our or the contest community's best
>>>>>interests?
>>>>> The FRC club officers and selected members of the
>>>>> Policy Committee have been discussing the situation
>>>>> informally. The president is planning to call a Policy
>>>>> Committee meeting soon to discuss this and other club
>>>>> business. It is likely this body will develop a
>>>>> position paper for submission to the CAC and other
>>>>> decision-makers to ensure the FRC is 'on the record'
>>>>>with specific recommendations and opinions.
>>>>> It is important to understand the process in place
>>>>> that governs how the ARRL makes contest rule changes.
>>>>>
>>>>> It is not well known nor understood but the ARRL
>>>>> Contest Advisory Committee cannot initiate rule
>>>>> changes nor discuss any subject not approved by the
>>>>> PSC. They can only act upon requests tasked to them by
>>>>> the ARRL Programs and Services Committee (PSC). The
>PSC is a standing committee of the ARRL Board of Directors.
>>>>> The PSC has various duties under the ARRL ByLaws and
>>>>> members of the PSC are all ARRL Directors appointed by
>>>>> the ARRL President. The present members of the PSC,
>>>>> appointed by former FRCer and current ARRL President
>>>>> Kay Craigie are Mr. Edgar, N3LLR (PSC Chair and our
>>>>> Atlantic Division Director), Mr. Cox, K5MC, Ms.
>Birmingham, KA2ANF (CAC committee liasion and Hudson
>>>>> Division Director), Mr. Fenstermaker, K9JF, Mr. Norton
>>>>> , N6AA, and Mr.Tiemstra, K6JAT. As you can see from
>>>>> the list there are at least two active contesters
>>>>> (K9JF and N6AA) on the PSC. Rule changes to major ARRL
>operating events are approved by the full Board of
>>>>>Directors
>>>>> In practice, contest rule changes recommended by the
>>>>> CAC must first pass through the HQ Awards Committee
>>>>> for review, evaluation and comment, and may be
>>>>> returned to the CAC for further evaluation and changes
>>>>> , before reaching the PSC. The HQ Awards Committee is
>>>>> made up of six HQ staffers selected by the Membership
>>>>> and Volunteer Programs Manager (currently Dave Patton,
>NN1N). Two of the members must be the DXCC and Contest
>>>>> Managers. The names/calls of the other four Awards
>>>>> Committee members is unpublished (my request this week
>>>>> to NN1N for the names of the other HQ Awards Committee
>>>>> members was denied). In all cases, contest rule
>>>>> changes must have HQ Awards Committee approval before
>>>>> they will be acted upon by the PSC. Likewise the PSC
>>>>>must approve rule changes before the full board votes.
>>>>> As you can see the CAC has no charter of its own to
>>>>> implement change. They can only make recommendations
>>>>> on approved issues. Any rule change request must also
>>>>> be agreed to by the HQ Awards Committee and the
>>>>> Personal Services Committee before reaching the ARRL
>>>>> BoD for approval. In essence, there are several levels
>of review before a rule change is approved, all of which
>>>>> offer potential intervention points for direct contact
>>>>> and lobbying . If the CAC does something radical and
>>>>> in our view harmful, there are several levels beyond
>>>>> to make a case against their actions. So the good news
>>>>> , CAC recommendations are rarely a done deal out of
>>>>>the box.
>>>>> Individual FRCers are encouraged to express their
>>>>> views directly to ARRL officials. Ranting on a
>>>>> reflector might make you feel good, but your views
>>>>> count more when in the hands of those making
>>>>> decisions. One approach is to correspond with your CAC
>representative and let him know your thoughts on the ARRL
>>>>> DX Contest and how you would like to the contest
>>>>> scored and administered. Well thought out and
>>>>> logically presented ideas are more likely to be given
>>>>> serious consideration when compared to off the cuff,
>>>>>emotional arguements.
>>>>> I suggest sending your comments to ARRL Division's CAC
>>>>> representative, with copies to the CAC Chairman WC1M,
>>>>> to the CAC/ PSC liaison (presently KA2ANF), and
>>>>> finally be sure to send a copy to your ARRL Director.
>>>>>
>>>>> Keep watching the FRC reflector and other contesting
>>>>> news sources for CAC updates.
>>>>>
>>>>> 73,
>>>>>
>>>>> John Crovelli W2GD
>>>>> VP, Frankford Radio Club
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>k4fcg.dyndns.org
>>>>
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>>
>>
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