Contest Length - Again

[pescatore_jt%ncsd.dnet at gte.com]

***** ENTERING DEJA-VU ALL OVER AGAIN MODE********

While I don't buy the "no-one will go on DXpeditions" argument (there are more
DXpeditions to more interesting places outside of contest weekends than there
are during contests; fewer P4s, EA8s, D68s, etc is not a big deal,) I don't
see any reason to shorten the 48 hour contests. The real (tm) contests are and
should continue to be the benchmark for real (tm) contesters.

Speaking as someone who went from being in almost every contest to being in
almost no contests since the birth of my daughter and starting a second
(simultaneous) career, lack of stamina isn't the issue. I don't *want* to spend
the entire weekend sending 599 05 as much as I used to. It's fun, but other
things are more fun right now. I am not atypical, nor is this a new phenomena. 

We should not be changing things to appease people like me, we will emerge from
the baby/career hell-zone into the time/money on our hands zone and come back
into contesting, probably running multi-singles and maybe single-opping. We
need to change to make things more attractive to the KA#XYZs of the world, who
the way things are going now will *never* get into contesting. Look
at the magazines - they are all kindler, gentler, lower-tech, etc - because
they have to make money and that is where the readership is. NCJ (and this net)
is expanding because of exposure to a lot of hams who haven't shown up on top
10 (or top 100) lists over the years.

More awards via more "contests within a contest" should be established. The
leap in SS participation was a result of giving out mugs and pins, I bet U.S.
op participation would jump if there were fixed 12 hour contests within the
contest. More awards, paid for by more donors, would require some more space
in the magazines and some more work by the sponsors. Anyone from the CAC
listening? I think this was a formal suggestion once.

This is fine for domestic contests, where we want more local fodder, but what
about non-U.S. stations? What do you non-U.S. contesters on the net think will
help get more activity from hams around EU and Asia??

John WB2EKK 
PESCATORE_JT at NCSD.GTE.COM