[CQ-Contest] Handicaps, etc.

[W1HIJCW at aol.com]

First of all ---

Bob's (I2WIJ) analogy to major sailboat races is an apt one. Note the key 
point that there are TWO kinds of winning, one based on being FIRST no matter 
what, and the other in being first in one's "class" or whatever ...
 
And for the rest ---

No one is suggesting that a station (or operator) be penalized for having a 
top notch station any more than anyone is suggesting that ops with really 
good ears be required to use only one headphone while Metallica plays in the 
same room at 107 dB.

What Marty raised, and I expanded a bit, is something that I see as a 
fundamental flaw in scoring which gets in the way of my (or any but a very 
few) being able to compare our efforts to those of others.

Contest success depends on two basic contributions (leaving aside luck for 
the moment): Operator skill and what I will call "resources". By resources I 
mean those things that as an operator are largely beyond my control like 
terrain, how much money I have to spend on radio, how much time I have, and 
yes whether I choose (!?!) to live in a place with CC&R's.

If I choose to devote the time to enhancing my skills then I can look forward 
to improved performance. Doing so is very largely a matter of MY choice. But 
I can not simply make a choice and for example, automatically have more money 
for a new radio, or automatically have my town or association approve a new 
tower, or whatever.

The whole purpose of a "handicap" system is to allow more valid comparisons 
between operators, not to penalize anyone.

And to the person who asked whether I wanted more classes or no classes, I 
apologize. I used sloppy language. The first use of the word class was meant 
to imply choice between what resources an operator uses in a particular 
contest effort. The second meant that there should only be two classes -- one 
to be unlimited where anything goes and the other which scored efforts based 
on a handicap system. In other words, from the sailing world: First to Finish 
and First on Corrected Time.

OK, back into the woodwork ...

Bill W1HIJ (/6) (and sometimes /MM)


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