My last comment on 24 hour contesting

[tekbspa!tavan at uunet.UU.NET]

W9XT and others argue for a flexible start time, 24 hour contiguous
category.  Although I would love to see a 24 hour category,
contiguous is the wrong way to do it. 

* The primary reason I and many others want 24 hours is lack 
  of time, not lack of endurance.  We have lots of obligations
  to squeeze into our weekends (and our Fridays and Mondays
  for that matter).

* The more flexiblity you give people, the more they will 
  participate and the more they will spread out their
  time through the 48 hours.  

* Contiguous will NOT let most people fit the contest to 
  their schedules.  

* It will NOT make strategy more interesting because 
  you will only have one decision to make (when to begin).  

* Any marginal ease of scoring for the sponsors should 
  be eliminated very soon by the near universal use of 
  computers for serious entries in any category.  Besides,
  who is the contest for, anyway?  The participants, I hope.

* Although contiguous seems to add importance to endurance, 
  the real winners of a 24 hour category will need plenty anyhow. 
  My 24 hour entries will not be timed well enough to win,
  but I'll sure have fun trying.  (OK, even if my timing
  were perfect, I still wouldn't win.)

In our accelerating society, the 24 hour category is an idea
whose time has come.  It will increase participation and
opportunity for all.  It should be ANY 24 hours out of the
48, with reasonable minimum on- and off-times.

73,
/Rick N6XI