[CQ-Contest] CONTEST PLANNER

[Tom Frenaye]

Interesting idea!  Not sure how far you'll get because operator planning 
is a pretty inexact science.

Before MM efforts here I usually start by creating a spreadsheet that has 
hours down the columns and bands across the top.  Looking at past year's 
logs or rate sheets (mine and others from this area) I fill in the cells 
where QSOs actually took place.  No need to have operators scheduled for 
times the bands aren't open.  

Then I look at the rate sheets and figure out when the highest rates are 
(generally those over 30/hour on most bands) and mark them with a "+".  
Those are hours where that band must have an operator.  They represent the 
hours I need to recruit enough operators for, at a minimum, to be somewhat 
competitive.  

After that there are a lot of other variables.  
	For those who are not full time, when will they be here
	Who is better at running or better at finding multipliers
	Who prefers daytime versus nights
	Are we going to move people to several bands to build experience
		for the future
	Who is knowledgable about each band (propagation expertise, 
		operating experience, etc)
	Which bands are most important to the final score (no need to put
		a super op on 160 when the max will be 150 QSOs)
	Who is going to deal with meals, equipment breakdowns, deciding
		when to make unplanned operator changes, fix the 
		computer (network), provide the whip to get us moving, etc
	Who is available to get the station ready - test antennas, 
		assemble the equipment people are bringing, set up the
		network, (nope it isn't ready and waiting)
	
Anyhow, I'll be interested in seeing what you come up with! 		

			73 Tom

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E-mail: frenaye at pcnet.com   
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box 386, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444



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