Contest times

[KR2J at aol.com]

<< But, alas, the East Coast rules division has now even made CQWW
RTTY into a 48 hour event and we will see scores shift toward the East very
quickly.  Guess the contest manager is a K1 :-)>>

How would changing the DX contest time change the reality of the
Geo-Advantaged always enjoying better propagation to Europe ?  Unless you
have mandatory off-times that restrict the "G-A" stations, this disparity
between regions will always be there.

>From personal experience at N2RM on 15m, we can work Europe virtually from
sunrise to sunset.  Granted, the highest rates occur just after sunrise, but
that will not change regardless of when the contest starts or ends.

This focus on making the contest fair, in terms of winning, to all
participants is in my opinion, ludicrous.
Non G-A types may say that I shouldn't have any right to say that since I
haven't struggled through the awful condx from non G-A locales.  Well, I say
BS! to that.  I struggled for a long time with crappy HeathKit rigs, low
antennas, TVI and Telephone-I to my neighbors, and various other operating
maladies.  Everybody has there own problems to deal with.  Following the G-A
/ non G-A logic,  there could be a myriad of people who feel disadvantaged
for various reasons and should be entitled to some sort of compensation.
 Again, my response is, BS!

The contest rules are very simple - work as many as you can in as many mults
as you can, and whoever has the highest score - has the highest score!
 Winning is nice, to be sure - but it isn't everything.  

In my opinion, being part of the contest community, operating as intensely as
possible, whether as part of a "winning" operation or not, is the essence of
being a contest operator.  Operators that bust their butts and do the best
they can with the given propagation from non G-A areas have the right to just
as much respect as the guys who actually score the highest in each contest.

Maybe the trophies and awards should be eliminated altogether.  The guys from
Seattle had the idea right -  I didn't "win" the WRTC, but me and everyone
else that got a green and pink tee shirt has WINNER proudly displayed.
 That's what it's all about!

73,
Bob Naumann
KR2J at AOL.com