Need for amps

[ames at nebula.decnet.lockheed.com]

Am I missing something? Using a linear will definately put me in a different
operating class, so I am not working against the HI-POWERED operators.  The
whole point to a contest is COMPETITION, isn't it.  If we all want to be
"equal" we could operate on 27 MHz, I am sure they must have their own
measure of COMPETITION.  Isn't DX Contesting like entering the Olympics? At
present my score stink, but it isn't because of the XYL or the hours or not
using a linear, but because my station stinks (but only this time thru).  In
the future I intend to kick butt, maybe yours too.  We work each other to 
score a point or two, or a multiplier, or perhaps a QSL.  Beyond that it's
still competition.  Once I squeeze all I can from the constraint of
propagation, I'll increase my EPR with a "better" antenna.  And so on.
When I am ready to "compete" against the big scorers, I'll either build
up my station or compete multi-multi thru a club or try a mini-DXpedition.
We all have the same options.

In reading the mail, one gets the impression that switching to 24 hr contests
will lessen the experience.  From what little I have heard on the bands in
the Sprint, I think not.  It may take more than the next 24 hr to recover.
>From my meger experience, if we were limited to 6 hours per band having a
linear or not having a linear would not make much of a difference.  So we
could eliminate operator classes and go to either single or multi operator.
Then we could go single band (for 6 hr) or multi-band (or 6hr x 4 bands-your
choice).  You could pick your hours for propagation (rather than honey-dos).
Minimum 1 hour off at a time, but monitoring allowed.  0000Z to 2400Z Saturday
as the contest period, and couple of beers afterwards.  Allow taping, voice
keyers, computers, PacketCluster, DSP, and whatever else you think you need
to be competitive.  

But maybe it is not only competition.  If it is, don't bother to tell me.
If I want to rag-chew, I'll pick up the phone.  If it's complex hardware,
software, etc. I have more than enough at work.  Take away those dead zones
when the bands are full of multi-megawatt lids and I am barely able to 
squeeze thru 1 QSO per hour, and I get some decent rates.  Limit us to 6 hr
per band, and we may have a more interesting contest and still be competitive.
and we won't have as many people crying that they don't have an amp, and the
XYL - that, that, and the other thing.

alan, N2ALE/6

(sorry about the multi-megawat lid comment, but I meant megawatt ERPers)