[CQ-Contest] Contest Metrics

[KAZeringue at aol.com]

Okay, I had to subscribe to the list to post this, after following the thread 
for several days.  My first submission musta bounced.

Take this as a greenhorn perspective.  I know you guys have probably been 
haggling over this for decades.

I understand why folks who have over many years, spent countless hours and 
dollars(euros, rubles, whatever), and have a strong emotional attachment to 
various contests, might be satisfied with the status quo, now that they are in 
sight of achieving a top slot.

I also think that it is possible to provide small stations with valuable 
information from the logs reported in these contests, without a complete revamping 
of contest rules.  Probably its possible without any significant changes to 
scoring rules for any contest.  I don't see a need for panic in the top tier.  
Nor is it in any way a request to water down the requirements to win.

The competition aspect of a contest is certainly important, but if only the 
truly competitive Big Guns were to enter, it might be a long, lonely weekend, 
logging 23 QSO's over 30 hours.......

So there must be more to it than seeing one's callsign at the top of the 
list, right?  

Maybe because it can be fun?

For my own part, a more useful breakdown of contest results based on the 
station itself would be very interesting.  An antenna height subcategory or 
some-such might be helpful, but as many arguing against further categories have 
pointed out, such sub-categorization is difficult due to the numerous possible 
combinations. 

Still, I'd sure like to be able to better measure my own score against those 
of my true peers, rather than only against the superstars.  The excellent 
stations, staffed by great operators, using professional quality equipment, will 
always have the competitive advantage.  

I don't see a need to change that, and for the amount of effort required to 
win, they deserve the spotlight.  But the log information can also tell us 
"losers" a lot about our own sub-superstar performance.  How about we consider 
supplementing it?  

I'm not boohooing about my lot in life either.    Its just a wee bit irksome 
to know that there's a treasure trove of information in those contest results 
that current contest classifications do little to organize beyond 1 through 
10.  I'd just like to be able to use the data to measure my performance against 
known quantities.  (tongue-in-cheek-aside- Hey, strictly speaking, you guys 
that are #2 through #10 are all "losers" too!  No matter what category, there 
can only be one "#1", right?  Yeah, you beat my tin whistle, but so what? Ha!  
Losers!)

The ARRL "Interactive contest scores" results database is a good step forward 
in making a vast pool of contest log information available.  If more 
information about the participating stations could be cross referenced, it can be even 
more useful.  This is limited only by the amount of effort required from 
contest sponsors in gathering and making available the data, and by logging 
software vendors who might need to make changes to support data mining.  The latter 
could be cut out of the loop in several ways.

So, if contesters are a small minority of hams, and the contests themselves 
serve the top five percent of contesters.....pretty small "category" being 
served, eh?

Pete, N4ZR, is right, the contest sponsors have a ton of data that could tell 
us all sorts of interesting things.  Seems a terrible waste for it to remain 
uncategorized.

But my own contest strategy is very similar to that of Steve, KB3KAQ.  I'm 
going to keep setting new and higher personal goals, and continue to push my own 
performance where possible.  The sky is the limit.  

As for getting more folks to participate--make it fun.  Its my opinion that 
"Field Day" can be the best place to mine for potential contesters.  

I heard, during SSB Sweeps, a station with a decent run, stop to take time 
out to patiently explain the exchange.  I'm sure it happens a lot.  Its 
certainly a difficult choice for a competitive operator, but maybe the seed sprouts.   
That guy deserves an "attaboy".  I wish I had noted his call.

I also heard a couple of run stations too caught up to do the same. They 
might have made a few more quick QSO's, but I wonder if they also chased off new 
and future business.  Booooo!  

So, I'll be looking forward to locking horns again with that one single 
contest winner....... and all you other losers too!  

Seems to me I'll be in good company.   :)

Asbestos suit--ON
73,
Keith, W4KAZ