> The CQ 160 can mostly only be won from NA/EU, but the Stew Perry can
> be won from anywhere.
Time for a reality check on contests everyone!! No matter what we do,
rules will never be "fair".
For example, the Stew can be won from any thousand-mile radius
densely populated area of amateurs by running QRP or QRPP. It is
impossible to win the Stew from any area without a large surrounding
radius of active 160 meter amateurs.
I don't think you'll find any radio contest that can ever be won from
anywhere, with everyone having an equal chance. I also don't think it
is possible to write rules that will ever allow everyone to have an
equal chance, unless the contest limits entries to one geographical
area.
All that aside, why worry about being numero uno? I think nearly
everyone in the whole world respects anyone who does exceptionally
well for their area.
I suggested to the ARRL that they quit giving page after page of
puffery to winners, and start highlighting people with modest
stations from difficult spots that do well. The magazines put far too
much importance on who is number one, rather than encouraging people
to just have fun.
My most memorable contest contact was working KJ5TF, who was running
20 milliwatts to a very modest antenna, in a completely unscheduled
contact in the middle of a busy contest with all the QRM. As a matter
of fact, I can't remember many contacts other than that one. I
remember contacts with people using indoor antennas, but have very
few memories of contacts with kilowatt stations with big antennas.73,
Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com
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