[CQ-Contest] Dinged Good QSOs

[Ward Silver]

> OK, if I remember correctly, the odds of flipping a coin and getting
> heads 3 times are infinite. ( or maybe one of you "younger" math wizs
> can post what it really is. ) If that is so, how many logs must be
> submitted to drop this to an acceptable level?

I'm having trouble seeing the point, but the odds are 1-in-8, for what
it's worth.

> I also, in reading the posts about other sports, seem to think the
> common thread is all have rules, breaking a rule will penalize you,
> and that's it. I remember well a golf leader

So the multi-stroke penalties for going off-course, redropping your ball,
etc. are unfair?  It was only one stroke that put the ball in play!
Clearly, the golf rule makers felt that some errors are more severe than
other and assessed a penalty that reflected their assessment, leading to
more accurate and high-quality play.

> The checkers don't make the rules, the sponsors do. And again, I think
> the only way to really get their attention is for all of us to pick a
> contest, and NO ONE submit a log. Painful medicine, but sometimes you
> have to use a club to get someone's attention. They may sponsor it,
> but we pay for it, and we work it.
> 
> Or is it time for another test to replace the CQWW CW in Oct. One in
> which by consensus we make our own rules.
> 
> 73
> Ed

Seeing as how the WW is the most popular ham radio event on the planet in
terms of signals on the air and that participation is actually increasing,
those voting with their feet are headed in the opposite direction.

As I said in a previous post, viewed as a deterrent to high-rate, but
sloppy, operating, the 3-QSO penalty is the smallest that acts in the
desired way.  If you have a better way of deterring that behavior, which
was rampant in the past before the penalty began being regularly
assessed, then by all means collect log data, do the analysis and submit
your case.  Boycotting the world's most popular contest only insures that
your voice will not be heard and whatever contribution you may have will
be lost. 

73, Ward N0AX


--
CQ-Contest on WWW: http://lists.contesting.com/_cq-contest/
Administrative requests: cq-contest-REQUEST at contesting.com