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

[Cqtestk4xs@aol.com]

At the very least, you should conclude that the ARRL 10 Meter Contest is
one in which the W/VE competition is decidedly not dominated by the 
Northeast.  It is a contest in which, even near the top of the solar cycle,
victors come from just about anywhere east of the 100th meridian, and even 
occasionally from west of that, and plenty of West Coast stations make 
the Top Ten......................................de WM5R

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What you are saying makes sense and I would like to throw in a couple more 
observations.
MOST of the time, in strictly DX contests the northeast dominates.  Most of 
the time, in domestic contests (SS etc), the western US comes out on top.  It 
is in the mixed contests, IARU, ARRL 10 meter contests, and WPX (although the 
three pointers for DX does hurt the guys west of the Mississippi), where the 
table is a little bit more level at the top of the cycle............Could it be 
the reason why there is such a big turnout for these contests?

WPX and the 10 meter contest are two of my favorites.  I wish I could compete 
in the IARU, but it is almost impossible to get 24 consecutive hours in FL in 
July without thunderstorms.

This thread should be an interesting topic of discussion in the hospitality 
suites in Dayton.

Bill K4XS