[CQ-Contest] N4KG: Re: CQ WPX

[T. A. Russell]

--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: N4KG
To: JEH at on.mobile.telia.se
Subject: Re: CQ WPX
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 14:10:07 PST
Message-ID: <19970328.140929.3518.9.N4KG at juno.com>
References: <E173ITN2CVGP*/R=A1/R=ROONA/U=JEH/@mhs.stoa.mobile.telia.se>


On Mon, 24 Mar 1997 10:58:29 GMT+1 Jan-Erik Holm <JEH at on.mobile.telia.se>
writes:
>
>In case you Americans dont know it, there is in fact a world outside
>the American continent and CQ WPX is a worldwide contest so please
>consider this before you speak about rule changes.
>However I agree with  N5KO about going back to 30 hours.
>
>73 de Jim SM2EKM

de N4KG

The CQ   WPX  Contest is a WORLD-WIDE  PREFIX contest.  
ALL unique prefixes count as multipliers, including one's own country.
Contacts between continents count 3 points.
Contacts between countries of the same continent count 2 points in
North America, and 1 point in Europe, Asia, Africa, S. America, Ocenaia.
Contacts between stations in the same COUNTRY count ZERO points.

ZERO point contacts provide ZERO incentive and therefore rare prefix
stations are generallly unavailable to common prefix stations in the same
country.  It is like going into a gambing casino and having your odds
depend on your national origin and name.  The larger your country and
more common your name, the lower the chances of winning.  Would you enter
if the odds were stacked against you?

Personally, I think ALL contacts in a PREFIX contest should have equal
value for ALL participants.  This is the case in the ARRL TEN METER
contest and seems to work quite well there.

The majority of replies seem to still prefer a geographical incentive
with
3 points for contacts between continents,
2 points for contacts between countries of the same continent, and
1 point for contacts between the same country.

This BENEFITS EVERYONE.

There is now an incentive for your (rare prefix) fellow countrymen to
call you since you BOTH can now receive QSO points.  

This equalizes contacts within continents, DOUBLING the point value 
of EU to EU, AS to AS, AF to AF, SA to SA, and OC to OC contacts.

With a 3 to 1 point value ratio, it is still in everyone's best interest
to
make as many inter-continental contacts as possible when conditions
permit.  When conditions between continents close, intra-continent
contacts can be made (at 2 points per QSO except with your own 
country), and only 1 point for contacts with your own country. 

This system still GUARANTEES that stations in LARGE countries
CANNOT WIN because while they are providing 2 and 3 point value
contacts to those outside their country, they can only provide 1 point
contacts to their fellow countrymen.  The CQ WW DX contest has
already PROVEN that 2 points per contact is NOT ENOUGH to overcome the 3
point vaue received by intercontinental contacts.
At only 1 point per contact, there is NO WAY a station in the USA or 
Japan can overcome the advantage of stations in less populated countries.

The 1 point for same country contacts WILL eliminate the inequity 
that exists due to the present ZERO point rule for same country contacts
and provide some value (and incentive) for rare prefix
stations to provide contacts to their fellow countrymen.  

This 3-2-1 scoring system will  better equalize scoring within countries
and between continents than exists with the present scoring system.

There is NO PLACE for ZERO point contacts in a PREFIX contest.

(Would YOU leave your MONEY at the door if you received NO CHIPS?)

de Tom - N4KG

--------- End forwarded message ----------

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