[CQ-Contest] Would-be contester Surfing the Net

[Martin Ellis]

Hi to the Contest gang,

Woke up this morning- feeling a bit twitchy...lets see,
it must be nearly two weeks since the ARRLDX Phone.  Maybe 
I need a contest fix.  Better check the contest calendar,
now where did I file it?

Maybe it will be quicker to find it on the Net.

Lets start with the ARRL contest page:

  http://www.arrl.org/contests/cal1997.html


Nice page, but only lists ARRL events...seems like Sprints
on VHF/UHF throughout April and May.  But what about HF?


Back to the bookmarks; dxer.com has a calendar page:

  http://www.dxer.com/calendar.html

WA7BNM was the one we wanted, so here goes-
click here...off we go to:

  http://www.cpcug.org/user/wfeidt/Contest/wa7bnm.html 


This is the one we need:
CQWW WPX Contest, Phone 0000Z, Mar 29-2400Z, Mar 30

Must be several years since I have been in the WPX, so
now, what about the rules?  Check the log submittal details
at the end of the WA7BNM report- oh no, only covers Jan and February.

Back to dxer.com and click on CQ Contest.

  http://www.affcom.com/cqcontest/contest.html
 
This looks like what we want:  *WPX RULES*, so click here...

  http://www.affcom.com/cqcontest/wpxrules.html

< Announcing:  1996 WPX RULES
  The 39th Annual CQ
  World-Wide WPX Contest
  SSB: March 30-31, 1996
  CW: May 25-26, 1996 >

Wait a minute, is this meant for 1996 or 1997?


Go back and try the next entry, so click on
*New Categories in WPX*.  This leads to:-

  
  http://www.affcom.com/cqcontest/newcats.html


< Dear Contesters,
  In consultation with Steve, N8BJQ Director of the CQ WPX
  contest, CQ Contest magazine is proud to announce a new
  concept in contesting. 

  The 1996 SSB and CW World Wide WPX contests will initiate
  three new categories in an effort to encourage entry level
  and average antenna stations.

  The new categories are:
  1. Rookie category (Rookie)
  2. Tribander and single element category (TS)
  3. Band restricted category (BR) >



So there we are, some information, but still a bit puzzled.

Can some more experienced person help a little further...
  1.  Are the cqcontest/wpx rules really meant for 1997,
      or are they a carryover from 1996?  
  2.  Were there any significant entries in the new
      categories in 1996?
I am considering the *Tribander and single element
category (TS)*.  Were there enough entries to make this
category worthwhile?


Thanks to all, back to the black coffee...


Regards,
Martin ZL1ANJ
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