[CQ-Contest] CQ-WPX..A Modest Proposal

[lew at teleport.com]

 Great!   A discourse has commenced on changing the WPX. I do agree with
K3MM's point that the scores will drop if the S/O times are cut back to 24
hours..or 30 hours...but the scores will be much more representative of
the abilities of the station and station operator. Having a prolonged
operating period where parts of the US have no significant propagation and
W3 having solid propagation simply widens the scoring gap..which
emphasizes geographical advantages..not operating and station skills.
    My vision includes 24 hours of intense operating with those hours
picked for maximum propagational advantage for whatever location I'm at.
K2AV is correct in that nothing will obviate the East Coast to Europe
advantage. My point is that lets limit the operating time to when the west
coast has propagation to Europe/Asia...24 hours out of the 48 would do
that...and then we'd have a real horserace. This would add an additional
element (What times do I operate to maximize score) to the usual operator
and station skill mix.
   Again for those Grey Poupon slicers there exists the CQ-WW and the
ARRL-DX tests. Those are Great Contests and should not be changed. However
Most people I know don't drink the same vintage wine or beer all the time.
Emphasizing a different taste creates a better expert..for drink and RF.  
A shorter operating time would lure more serious operators
out of the lurks which will keep the contest vital. The interest in the
test is declining evrywhere outside of the East Coast and will evolve
into a WAS for the non-east coast stations as the serious ops start their
hardware work rather than get involved in yet a 3rd DX test where they
have no chance of winning.
   Bruce, AA8U is of course right in his assessment that we compete
against ourselves in these tests. But....Did everyone's pulse quicken a
bit when Trey N5KO challenged Ty, K3MM to a 24 hour test?  Hell yes!!
That..Gentlemen and Ladies of the Contesting Community is what this test
could be all about! A test like this would inject interest and
participation like nothing else. This poses a real threat to the notion
that only the East Coast wins DX tests. Gator, N5RZ aptly reminds us that
great scores can be had with equal chances at propagation times. He has
done it. And I should point out that Randy Johnson was beat on opening
day...by 1 run...and geography had nothing to do with that. Cleveland
demonstrated more skills overall to make the win. A fair competition.
     Ty, K3MM points out that if we operated from a W3 location and didn't
win, then we'd have to come up with a different excuse for losing. I don't
recall Bob Cox-K3EST/6, Bill-W4AN, myself or any other non east coaster
furnishing "excuses" for not winning a DX test. I do remember descriptions
of the running of the test and critical analysis of operating and the
hardware. I'm not looking for an advantage..just an opportunity to pick my
operating times to maximize my score to see who I can whip in a fair fight
by using not only operating skills and hardware, but also getting on at
the right time for my geography/propagation. The East Coast advantage to
Europe would remain, but the rest of the country could use cunning, guile
and operating tricks yet unimaginable to narrow the score gap in a
shorter operating time during the 48 overall hours of the test.           
The CQ-WPX almost was that..but lengthening the S/O time makes it a tired
3rd best DX test that is loosing serious players.
   Even Dr. Bafoofnik's opinion of the CQ-WPX might be changed if he and
the Green Hornet could legally each work 24 hours in the test and see how
they stack up against the rest of the US.   
    Guy's (K2AV) ideas regarding different scoring mechanisms should
engender no flames! That is another very legitimate way to inject the idea
of compete back into a radio competition. A serious contester need look no
further than the successful 2ed running of the Stew Perry 160M TopBand
contest last December to view a very fair scoring mechanism that includes
distance, power and accuracy to assess the players and produce the winners
and the rest of us. The Boring Amateur Radio Club has spawned a great
contest that requires the Grey Poupon types to sharpen their chisels!
   The question remains:  How does the CQ-WPX get its rules changed? Does
anybody know anybody. Let the discussion grow and the cussing go. This
could become something really good.
   73 and I remain,
    Lew      W7EW
    lew at teleport.com





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