[CQ-Contest] Porposal for new contest sponsors

[Rick Bullon]

We have the technology today that there
is not a need for national organizations like the ARRL or a magazine
like CQ need to sponsor our contests. Most of those who check the logs
and are sponsoring the awards are donating their time to do this
anyway.


                  Jeff

I agree with Jeff. What does the contest sponsors really do? They make the 
rules for the contest ( and are reluctant to change them if we suggest 
changes) and they report the results but only for the members or subscribers 
at first.
We have the means and opportunity to make contesting into what we want it to 
be after all are not the contests really our contest and not theirs? They 
are not really interested in the contests, they see it as a means to get 
members or subscribers, and they can still do this by publishing articles 
about the contests and let us run them.

Here is what I propose

Take control of the contests and move the ARRL and CQ mag from sponsors to 
reviewers

If we could get a web page on one of the contest servers then we would not 
need the ARRL or CQ mag for contests

We have the CAC but they can only suggest changes in the rules. Why not have 
them make and change the rules based on feedback from us the contesters.

The awards are sponsored and distributed by volunteers so we need to help 
them do a better job (suggestions  here please). I do admit the Dan N1ND at 
the ARRL contest section does an excellent job we do need him and his 
assistants. Is it possible to get Dan to do this outside of the ARRL?
I am not sure who does the awards for the CQ contests but I know their 
record for getting awards and plaques to the winner's is not very good. What 
needs to be done to help them do a better job???

As far as log checking I believe that Tree N6TR wrote the log checking 
software for most of the contests and he wrote the software for the robot 
for log submissions I am not sure who owns the rights to the software, but 
if we could get this software and something like what the ARRL is doing on 
the website to report the scores it would be great. Who did the programming 
on the ARRL web page?


I also like K1TTT's suggestion of real time reporting in the internet. The 
WRTC team proved it can be done on a small scale can't it be done for a 
larger contest??  Some might say that real time reports like what the WRTC 
did would promote cheating but I think that those who cheat will always find 
a way to break the rules and that the cheaters are few compared to the 
numbers of honest contesters.


I think over all that the changes the ARRL has made on their website is 
great but the resource they provide there should be available to all 
contesters not not to the members only. I understand why they do it that way 
but I feel the membership in the ARRL is more than the contests
they do a great job and we need them for what they do. I don't think that 
making the contest site available to all will hurt membership, but it is 
becoming and valuable tool to contesting, either open it up to all or let it 
be moved to a contest site like I proposed above


Another idea I have is after the contest deadline for logs be it 15 or 30 
days, that the logs submitted be available on line in a form we can sort 
like we can sort the scores are on the ARRL website this way we can digest 
what the other stations are doing and when to help us be better in the next 
contest.

These are just my suggestions feel free to tear it apart and discuss it. 
Maybe we can come up with a resource for all to use to make contesting 
better for us all.
73
Rick
KC5AJX


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