[CQ-Contest] Contest Duration and Support

[prickler.schneider@t-online.de]

Another two cents by a small pistol (the group that won´t discuss 
about plaques, but builds the numbers in the competition between 
contests). 

First BIG THANKS to 5B4AGN and W6WRT, who reminded that the 
"competition factor" isn´t a privilege of the KW- and Stack-group. For some of them it may seem ridiculous how average hams try to lift a backyard dipole another 10 ft or add 6 more ft vertical to a tiny Inverted L. Citing W6WRT: "Like any other form of competition, one can compete with little hope of being first and still have fun, but the competition factor must still be there." It´s more than personal fun, competition is also between finishers 82 and 83.

For the duration-topic it means: regard the time an average ham can afford. Much was said about stamina but there is also the family-theme: 48 hours is right for a worldwide contest, but isn´t for those who regard their family as number one. So at least add the hours of operation to the scores as at 3830. No big effort, but a big step to a fairer comparison of results.

One step further I don´t buy into the argument, a 36- or 24-hours 
category would cannibalize the 48 hour-class. See the popular running events: Marathon is king, but which organizer affords to omit half-marathon and 10k? The shorter distances add big numbers of participants, get more people attracted to the sport but by no means cannibalize the image of marathon. Different distances allow more flexibility and fit better into the life of the average hams - and are not that vague as power- and antenna-based categories. Again: comptetion is not only a thing of those (happy?) few having all the equipment and time to win. 

Working as a journalist I dare to add two cents about "CQ-results on the web": every publication nowadays has the problem to balance 
between the need for web-content and not cannibalizing its sold 
content. But no respected media can afford to offer younger and more and more internet-oriented people a meaningless Web-Site. So the established way (as proposed here already for CQ, too) is to offer faster, better and exclusive content for subscribers (means earlier publication of results, more statistics and stories i.e. with a privileged internet-access for subscribers - PLUS a relevant free web-publication for a worldwide community). Was there ever a substantial answer to the questions, why CQ does not put the results to the web two or three months after publication in the magazine? 

And the answer to the standard-answer "Don´t whine - have fun" - it is not forbidden to discuss how a fun-hobby can be made better and more fun for more.

Thanks for reading and 73,
Chris (DL8MBS)