[CQ-Contest] The good old U.S. holiday weekend contest debate

[Tom Horton]

Hi Scott,
  I can't g ive you a logical reason why not. I really like the idea.
Press on!
73, Tom K5IID



At 16:14 03/31/04, Scott R. wrote:

>Amuse me, can we rehash a tired old debate for a little while on the
>reflector?
>
>Make sure to read all of this before flaming me, because the status quo
>for CQ WW CW works for me at the moment.  But I don't think it works
>for a lot of other people.  I would like to know the reasoning involved
>behind why this can't be changed from the CQ committee members, or why
>even considering it is not possible.
>
>In the aftermath of being gone for 3 days to do a serious M/S operation
>for WPX SSB this weekend I started talking with my XYL about plans for
>this year's contest season last night.  My XYL is VERY tolerant of all
>the time I put into station building and contesting.  At least at the
>moment. . .
>
>Last year, I missed Thanksgiving to operate CQ WW CW at NT1Y.  This was
>not a big deal.  I haven't missed CQ WW CW since 1994, and last year
>was the FIRST time I wasn't home on T-Giving day.  Including a trip to
>the Caribbean once to do CQ WW CW - I was home on turkey day.
>
>My XYL has noticed I wrote 'contest' on my calendar across Memorial Day
>weekend for WPX CW.  She pointed out that if I am gone over
>Thanksgiving for CQ WW CW (possible) that I will give up two holiday
>weekends - rare ones - to run radio contests this year.
>
>True.
>
>I don't usually operate WPX CW.  It's **"almost always"** the weekend
>after Dayton, and ALWAYS Memorial Day weekend, and that makes it
>IMPOSSIBLE.  This year, I decided I might sneak in and try it, for the
>first time **EVER** on Memorial Day weekend.  My XYL saw this on the
>calendar and (even though she is very supportive) she was not too happy
>when faced with the prospect of me being gone for two holiday weekends
>this year.
>
>She said: "How do they expect people to do them when it's always a
>holiday weekend?" and I gave her the arguments that I always hear - the
>United States isn't the whole world, we've always (or most always) done
>it this way, there are people who it does work out for, etc., etc.
>...and her non-contester response was:
>
>"Couldn't they substitute the weekends every other year?" - which is
>also a point I've seen made here many times before.
>
>I have heard the comments made that we (the United States) are not the
>whole world, that the rest of the world doesn't have these contests on
>a holiday weekend, blah blah blah.  That's great, except I might point
>out that there are A LOT of contesters, serious and casual, that live
>here and we are DEPRESSING overall activity in WPX CW and CQ WW CW by
>having these contests every single year on U.S. holiday weekends.  It's
>not a holiday weekend in Europe.  And serious European contesters are
>going to work less U.S. stations when these contests are on a U.S.
>holiday weekend every year.  The competition among us is less from the
>U.S. side.  I happen to like more competition, not less.  DXpeditions
>won't happen...because it's always a holiday weekend.  See where I am
>going with this?
>
>Don't get me wrong, the T-Giving day weekend for CQ WW CW **WORKS FOR
>ME**, usually.  But I am pretty sure I am not going to operate both WPX
>CW and CQ WW CW this year, AGAIN, in deference to my family EVEN
>THOUGH, I *could* do them both if I want to.  It's going likely going
>to be one or the other, or neither of them this year, just because
>they're on a holiday weekend . . . .AGAIN, ad infinitum.  Repeat:
>I have NEVER operated WPX CW because it's always Memorial Day weekend.
>That sucks, sports fans.  I really would like to try it for once.
>
>Tell me the rational argument for why these contests cannot be inverted
>every other year to hold CQ WW CW the last weekend of October and WPX
>CW this last weekend of March.  Propagation is better in November;
>you'd think the SSBers would want the chance to enjoy this every so
>often.  Conversely, March is generally better, us CWers might like the
>opportunity to have the good prop then. . . .
>
>I don't want to hear "it's tradition, we've always done it like this" -
>with that logic we'd be running AM phone, starting the contest at
>0200Z, 2 weekends for contests and have quota systems for DX contacts.
>
>
>There was a MAJOR rule change made to WPX to increase operating time
>from 30 to 36 hours (net effect: U.S. east coast wins this contest,
>like all other DX contests, every time, too.  How does that stimulate
>activity?  If we can do THAT, we can invert weekends.)  I want to hear
>the logical argument for why inverting the weekends for WPX CW and CQ
>WW is not possible.  Please note again (being redundant) - I am not
>being hostile or antagonistic.  I really want to know what the logic is
>for why this is not possible to do.  Isn't the point of contests to
>stimulate amateur radio activity?
>
>Scott Robbins, W4PA
>
>
>=====
>Visit the Tennessee Contest Group - www.k4ro.net/tcg.html
>
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Finally back home in TEXAS!
Hillsboro, TX
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