[CQ-Contest] Shorten CW SS

[Pete Smith]

At 09:05 PM 11/6/00 -0700, Dave Hachadorian wrote:
>Maybe the time has come to shorten the cw ss, like maybe
>1700Z Saturday to 1700Z Sunday, operating 20 out of 24 hours.
>
>I know that such a departure from tradition brings about
>a gut-level unfavorable initial reaction. Just think, though,
>about how hard Sunday afternoon was, trying to scrounge up a
>few measly contacts. Was that enjoyment?

I think my first SS was in 1957, and I've been in CW SS just about every
years since when I was in the States and had a station, however pitiful.
That said, I hope nobody will accuse me of being unmindful of the tradition
of this contest when I enthusiastically endorse Dave's suggestion.

Somebody once told me that in SS, where you come out at the end is
determined by how you've done when you take your first break, sometime
Sunday morning, and the rest of the 24 hours is just something you do to
keep from losing ground.  Looking back over my logs, that's almost a
mathematical truism.  I see no reason to think that the competition, who
wins, or the contest's geographic tilt will change as a result of
shortening it.  If we want to keep it closer to the old way, perhaps we
could make it 24 out of 24, or start and end at the old times, but let's
not shy away from change and say it isn't broken. It is.




73, Pete Smith N4ZR

Contesting is ... Extreme Radio

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