[CQ-Contest] Barking Up the Wrong ARRL DX Tree

[sawyered@earthlink.net]

I, for one, have contested from W5, W8 and now W1.  

There is no question that the east coast is easier than W8 and W5 to win the contest or get into the top ten in ARRL DX or CQ WW as a SOAB effort.  Single Band on 10 or 15, I would say that W5 us the place to be.  For WPX, I think that the Midwest and W5 has equal shot as the east coast.  For NAQP and SS, forget it from W1/2 and for sure the central and west coast have the advantage there.  ARRL 160 and 10 seem to favor the midwest/west as well to a lrge degree.

In the end, from someone who has contested with great and mediocre antennas from these varried areas, I think it is all about enjoying contesting and either going for "Top Ten" if you are geo challenged for a particulatr contest and maybe "the top 3" if the geo is in your favor for that contest.  I don't think that I am ever going to win SS from Vermont and its probably reasonable to think a W5/6/7 is probably not going to win ARRL DX.  Such is the way it is.  

Are you going to win EU from SM or LA?  The pacific from VK?  Asia from VU?  All doubtful?

Ed N1UR