[CQ-Contest] Sprint Alternatives

[PaulKB8N at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/15/2005 10:08:53 PM Central Standard Time,  
nat at ajheatwole.com writes:

First,  for working stateside, the propagation on the high bands favors the
west  coast, Texas, and areas of the central plains and W4. And while you
could  say that DX contest propagation favors the east coast, one great
appeal of  the sprint is that one can be competitive from anywhere in the
country. A  high band only sprint would take away this dimension.

And second, when  the sunspots diminish, 10 and even 15 meters won't be of
much use. And as  you say, "My motto is that if you don't have propagation,
make some," but  sometimes the propagation just isn't there. Therefore, in
some years, this  would be basically a mono-band 20m sprint, and don't we all
spend enough  time on 20m?




Nat,
 
Your points are well taken, however, your observations about propagation  
hold true for just about any type of contest that involves the upper  bands.  As 
far as 10 and 15M propagation during low sunspots, it is often  amazing what 
propagation is actually there even when it seems the band is  dead.  During an 
NAQP, I worked LA, TX, OK and NM from here in Texas via  some kind of wierd 
fluttery skip on a band that otherwise seemed dead.   This contest would reward 
those that regularly check the bands for  activity.
 
If we looked at the geographical advantage that supposedly exists and the  
propagation or lack thereof in every contest scenario, no one would ever want to 
 enter because they would feel they could never win.  I don't do phone  
sprints, but it seems that just about everyone on CW gets their turn to be in  the 
winners circle, K1KI from the northeast, N9RV from the midwest, N5TJ from  
Texas, N6TR from Oregon, and the late W4AN from the southeast and many others  
from equally diverse parts of the country.
 
Comeon, we can think of a million reasons not to try something new.  I  think 
the Sprint format and the quality of the Sprint contest  experience are worth 
trying in more ways than we're currently doing.
 
Thanks, Paul, K5AF