Four Stew Perry events is *not* going too far.
Here's why I say that.
The Stew Perry Topband Challenge --compared to other 160 CW contests-- is
by far the fairest of all 160m CW contests. It was simply a stroke of
genius, the way it is set up. Period.
It is also shorter! If it were as long as the others, four events might be
a different story. But it's only 24 hours long.
In the Northern hemisphere, the two Stews in the warmer months are --for
most of us-- almost always guaranteed to be marred by very strong lightning
QRN. On top of all that racket in our ears, some of us will simply be
unable to operate without risking a damaging lightning strike.
*However*, those two Stews are more optimal for our Topband friends in the
Southern hemisphere. Eliminating those two would simply be discriminating
against them. There's just no other way to say it. (And now that I think
about it, perhaps adding this new winter event now evens things out a
little for the entire world to at least some extent. :-)
During the Stew last week, conditions in North America were terrible.
(That's happened before, and it'll absolutely happen again.) This new
wintertime date gives us a second chance to experience the magic and
challenge of the Top Band; and I for one, embrace it wholeheartedly! It
gave me a new enthusiasm for operating 160 CW.
The only thing I might change is to move the March 12/13 event to an
earlier date. If (for example) it was in February, the chances of QRN would
be less. But since I don't know what the QRN season is in the Southern
hemisphere, perhaps that's not the case.
What the exact dates should be, and whether a separate category for the sum
of all four Stews in a year should be created, others can vote on. But
leave it at four! Please. :-)
73, Mike
http://www.w0btu.com/160_meters.html
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