[3830] NAQP CW N4KG Single Op LP

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                    North American QSO Party, CW - January

Call: N4KG
Operator(s): N4KG
Station: N4KG

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: ALA
Operating Time (hrs): 10+

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   87    34
   80:  166    41
   40:  181    45
   20:  163    42
   15:   79    31
   10:   35     7
-------------------
Total:  711   200  Total Score = 142,200

Club: Alabama Contest Group

Team: ACG #2

Comments:

OOPS!  I ran past my 10 hour limit.  Hope there are no penalties other than
removing the extra Q's (and one mult).

As everyone East of the Rockies knows, working backscatter contacts for
multipliers on the High Bands with only 100 Watts can be Difficult and
Challenging.  This was brought quickly to mind as I struggled to work W9RE and
VE3EJ on 15 meters.  Little Pistols?  Forget it.

The NAQP evolved from the popular ARRL CD Parties in the 60's which were a
Saturday / Sunday event allowing X hours out of Y.  Sunday was typically a
drag.  QSO's were allowed on each band BUT Multipliers were only counted once
as I recall.  

The NAQP sort of solved the time issue by reducing the event to 12 hours on
Saturday. I still don't understand the reason or valve in having a 2 hours of
required OFF time in a 12 hour contest, especially the conflict between East
and West Stations where Eastern Stations can best maximize their score by
cutting Daylight Hours and Western Stations can maximize their score by cutting
hours in Darkness.  WHY not just open this up to 12 hours for Everyone?

The Multiplier and Power thing is another bone of contention.  Counting
multipliers by band increases the excitement and challenge of the contest but
Limiting everyone to LOW Power is COUNTER PRODUCTIVE to this goal.  

Low Power is often barely adequate to make Back-Scatter Contacts on the high
bands, even with Good Antennas, and makes transcontinental contacts more
difficult on the Low Bands, especially in August!  WHY not just allow everyone
to use an amplifier?  Alternatively, if you really want an 'even playing field'
for Low Power Entrants, then just count multipliers ONCE, regardless of band.

This is a GOOD Contest.  I believe making the above changes would make it a
GREAT (or GREATER Contest.

As others have noted, this is the ULTIMATE SO2R contest.
Those of us still playing with only one radio (and not enough antennas)
just shake our heads in amazement at the difference in results.

Tom N4KG (still recovering from the April Tornado Damage) in North Alabama


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