[CQ-Contest] Problems with Sweepstakes? Nyah.

[Warren C. Stankiewicz]

Gee, I figured this argument was going to come around again one of these =
years.

The following is written with malice towards none. At least, no one who =
reads the list... :- )

There's always someone who doesn't think the contest is fair. Or it's =
dull. Or it's boring. Largely because they can't win it. Or that it =
should be considered a real contest.

After all, if it was a real contest, you could just move to W1 and run =
stations all weekend long, and finish in the top ten.

After all, if it was a real contest, my stacked monobanders at 100' =
would do better than that guy across town with a lowly tribander.

After all, if it was a real contest, I wouldn't have to copy that long =
difficult exchange--the computer would fill it in for me. Why copy all =
that stuff when I have Master data, after all?

After all, if it was a real contest, I could work people on multiple =
bands. (Shame on you who don't remember the year ARRL tried it, and it =
didn't work. At all).

After all, if it was a real contest, I could just stay up the entire =
time. I wouldn't have to pick my on and off periods.

Let's face it. The Sweepstakes is a contest like none other. It's been =
around a long time. I don't argue tradition, but I do argue that the =
format works. It's a lot of fun for most everyone who enters it. And I'm =
really sorry if it wasn't fun for you. I've been contesting a long time, =
and it's always been a blast at my place.

Let me also postulate the heretical thought that contests are not =
necessarily just for the big guns. The measure of success among the =
winners in a contest is not how many of the other big guns you work, but =
rather how many of those guys who got on and made three qsos that *you* =
worked that the other guy *did not*.

A lot of people thought SS was dead around 1989. So in 1990, they tried =
the pins--and it brought things back for a while. Maybe they've outlived =
their usefulness. Maybe not.=20

The only thing that's going to work for SS is to get people excited =
about it again. This is a contest for the average ham--Joe Tribander =
with 100 watts can come up with a fairly decent score. He doesn't need =
high towers, big towers, monster amps, two radios, and dueling FT-1000's =
to have a good time. I mean, yes, they're great--but for two weekends a =
year, you can compete. Not win, but at least maybe compete.

Look at the club competition! Why have clubs such as SMC and NCCC been =
successful? Because they get everyone on, even if they don't produce a =
big score. It's strengths in numbers.

I respect those who'd like to see a 12 hour category, but I think that =
would just reduce activity even further. It's those hams who only have =
time to get on for a couple of horus that we need to keep on the air =
another hour or two longer.

Again, with malice towards none, Sweepstakes isn't broke. If you don't =
want to operate it, you don't have to. I'll miss you in the log, but =
that's the way it goes.

73,

Larson E Rapp, W1IIOU (by way of Warren, NF1J)



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