[CQ-Contest] Response to K5ZD's Comments

[Pete Smith]

At 05:26 AM 3/15/04, K1ZM at aol.com wrote:
>There has been some discussion here about possibly reducing the time in 48
>hour Dx contests for single operators from 48 hours to something else.  A 
>number
>of variants have been suggested - 24 hour running time, 36 hour entry
>classes, etc.
>
>I would suggest we NOT change the current rules because one of the most
>challenging aspects about these contests as the presently exist is one's 
>ability to
>HANG IN THERE and gut it out for as close to 48 hours as one can manage.
>
>The TIME IN THE CHAIR element in a DX contest is its one IRON-MAN element and
>without it, would have a totally different and somewhat diminished contest in
>my opinion.
>
>Sure, I am now 57 and finding even 46 hours in the chair tough to manage
>these days, but I would not like to see that element removed from the 
>contests
>just so I do not have to work so hard to stay awake and compete.
>
>It makes it a challenge to try to go the distance and those who can hang in
>there and gut it out for all 48 hours deserve to win if their talents 
>otherwise
>and their stations enable them to garner a winning score.
>
>I would vote to LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE.
>
>Thanks for the opportunity to voice an opinion - and CU in the contests.

Of course, there's no reason why a 24-hour category would have to REPLACE 
the 48-hour contest.  To me, it would be no different than having a 
single-band category -- perhaps an inducement to enter the contest for 
someone who otherwise would not, or for those who now only operate a few 
hours to go for the "full" 24. The 48-hour, all-band, assisted and 
unassisted categories would still be there for the Iron Man contingent.


73, Pete N4ZR
2671 calls now in the
World HF Contest Station Database
at www.pvrc.org/wcsd/wcsdsearch.htm