[CQ-Contest] WPX 0-point discussion

[Jim George, N3BB]

Let me add my thoughts to K5TR's comments:


>>However, my thoughts on WPX are:
>>
>>1. The contest is boring unless you are on the east coast and can run
>DX
>
>I just don't get this - I live in Texas and I think the
>WPX is a great contest - I enjoy the WPX more than
>the ohter DX contests.

Ditto.  After coming here from the East Coast (to quote the visiting W3BGN,
"what's *wrong* with 20 meters?"), my obversation is that the WPX is one of
the very best contests from the south central USA.  The combined DX
points/mults and the USA mults keeps it interesting.  The JA runs from here
add both points and mults.  JA from here is the most interesting DX
direction.  In fact, the  LF 6 pointers during the JA run make the contest
winnable from here-a rare event from Texas.

>
>>2. The problem is worsened because of the time of year the contest is held.
>>Propagation usually sucks for working DX from most of the USA.
>
>For the SSB weekend this is just not true - the contest is
>near the equinox and as a result has some of the *BEST*
>propagation of the contest year.


It would be nice to get the CW weekend moved up a month to April


>
>>Surely making country to country contacts count for 1 point would do
>that.
>
>If country to country contacts were given QSO credit the
>contest would change - it would change from a DX contest
>into a stateside contest with DX.  Since multipliers only
>count once - there would be little incentive to use a band
>that was not open to the U.S.

USA points could less than intercontinental points.

>
>I would like to go back to a 30 hour single op time limit.
>When I was just starting out in contesting I thought the
>30 hour time limit was DUMB - but then after operating
>in the WPX for several years I saw how wonderful it
>was to have that added bit of operating strategy.

Agree.   from here, without the endless 20 meter opening to Europe, 30
hours makes it a more competitive contest.


--
CQ-Contest on WWW:        http://www.contesting.com/_cq-contest/
Administrative requests:  cq-contest-REQUEST at contesting.com