[CQ-Contest] Eliminating the Sunday SS Doldrums

[Bill Coleman]

To some degree, I can't believe the Sunday doldrums exist - since SS 
scores have been higher year after year. And it is the nature of the 
contest that after you work a bunch of ops, there's fewer folks to work.

I have a better idea. Let's leave the rules alone. They are the things 
that make SS a unique and enjoyable contest.

Instead, let's increase participation. Particularly on CW. With more 
operators to work, then chance that you'll have "worked out" SS on Sunday 
gets smaller.

This doesn't involve rule changes, but may involve behavior changes:

A) Encourage everyone to get on the air. Belong to a radio club of any 
kind? Ask everyone to work a few hours of SS. Even the non-contesters. 

B) Reduce the CW skills required. Late in the contest, I wonder how many 
operators are sitting in their chair CQing endlessly at 30+ wpm. Face it, 
guys, if the rate is slow, it's time to change the code speed. Many 
mediocre CW operators are intimidated by rapid-fire contest CW. Slowing 
down will appeal to a different group of operators. Try halving your 
normal CW speed. 

C) Make room for training. With the huge influx of 5 wpm General and 
Extra class operators since license restructuring -- we need to help 
train new CW operators. Seems like a few years ago, some spectrum was 
designated for really slow speed CW contacts. We ought to have such an 
area for every CW contest. And when the rate gets slow, we ought to spend 
some time in that area.



Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901


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