[CQ-Contest] WPX and Contest changes

[K3BU at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/20/01 1:07:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
owner-cq-contest at contesting.com writes:

 > After 3 years of attempting to convince
 >  several contest sponsors to change some rules that,
 >  most polled agreed, created "insurmaountable
 >  advantages" to some participants, I am surely
 >  convinced that, while amateur radio as a whole may not
 >  be, most contest rules committees are certainly
 >  stubborn and absolutely against change!
 >  Shelby, K4WW
 >

It is hard to accommodate everybody, there always will be some things that
are good for one (group) or another. But there are some things that really
cry for change or modification.
     Steve, N8BJQ is one of those who after some of our harping, can see the
light. We moaned about 0 points for domestic country in WPX, he made the
change, and allowed 1 point for domestic QSO. IMO should have been double on
low bands, to jive with the general scoring rules and would make more sense.
Contest didn't turn into "another sweepstakes" as some were threatening. It
makes it more attractive for large countries (W, UA, etc.) to participate and
work something when things get slow in the second half of the contest and
eliminated not logging and resistance of working stations because they are
ZERO points, but needed as a multiplier. Bravo, and Thank you Steve! I vote
for doubling domestic QSO points on low bands.
     I think moving up WPX to April and leaving flexibility for date move due
to Easter or other major holidays would only benefit WPX CW. Most of us love
CW over yaki SSB and having WPX CW at the end of May provides more
collisions, interference with non-contest life and worse propagation. It can
only get better if the contest was moved up to April. I vote for move to
April or swapping dates with SSB.
     Some suggested to run full 48 hours for single op. I loved the old 30
hours, appreciate the 36 hours, it helps to plan strategy, single banders and
is an equalizing factor for those in Northern latitudes, who don't get the
round clock propagation like equatorians. I vote for keeping it 36 hours.
     WPX is different, fast contest and above changes would make it almost
perfect for what it is. The participation would increase especially from the
US and other "big" countries, there will be more incentive to drop down to
low bands and our families will be happier too :-)
     As to flexibility of the sponsors and pressure on them, we can moan, we
can bitch, we can exert pressure over Internet, if we were unionized, we
could threaten boycott. It is up to the "boss" to accomodate changes. If he
is smart and understanding, we get the changes, if not .... Again it is hard
to make rules perfect and ideal for everyone, but some major inconveniences
should be addressed. Like why do we still have 0 points for own country in CQ
WW? There is no need to discourage domestic QSOs, there is no need to avoid
cheating, UBNing does super job in punishing people for mistakes (another
subject of 3 QSO "penalties"). What it does is the major punishment for
countries with high ham population, discourages participation, handicap in
overall scores and placement.
     To those who say "everything is perfect, shut up" or "if you know better,
make your own perfect contest," there is a solution brewing - Tesla Cup. We
are ironing out minute details and preparing promotion campaign and will have
some refreshing features and incentives, like public viewing of all logs on
Internet (wanna see phony QSOs and packet cheating?). Keep watching
http://members.aol.com/k3bu/TeslaCup.htm
and Dayton announcement. We proposed rules that are more fair geographically
and for the first time, perhaps we will have contest that can compare
station's and operator's performance without being forced to go south or to
another continent. We will use the power of Internet to have claimed scores,
results and awards done almost instantly, no need to wait for ever. Stay
tuned and enjoy! You can vote with your participation and logs.
     In the mean time, I hope to see you all in Dayton (if we work out
schedule) but WPX CW will have priority here.

73 Yuri, K3BU
in WPX as NT1E
     


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