[CQ-Contest] When does the contest end?

[Ed Parish K1EP]

At 3/16/2005 07:10 PM, Tree wrote:
>On Wed, Mar 16, 2005 at 03:27:26PM -0800, Ken Widelitz wrote:
>
>> In the 0000 and 0030 example, since there is only 29 minutes of off time -
>> it shouldn't count as an off time at all, since off times require a minimum
>> of 30 minutes.
>
>Technically true - but we have made the decision to count these as a valid
>break - but just for 29 minutes.  I call this "doing the right thing".

I agree with Tree that you have to do this because not everyone starts the contest at 0000Z or 2100Z.  If I start at 2115Z for SS, I shouldn't lose 15 minutes of my allocated 24 hour operating time.  The calculations (for the 24 hour limit) should be on operating time.  I think that the rules should state that off time that occurs between two operating periods must be at least 30 minutes, not just that off time must be at least 30 minutes.  The time at the beginning and at the end is not subject to the 30 minute rule. 


>> And what about the last few minutes of the contest where you don't make any
>> QSOs. Shouldn't that count as off time, even though less than 30 minutes,
>> because you ran out of operating time. I didn't make any QSOs in the last X
>> minutes, so why should I be dinged QSOs for excess operating time. Maybe I
>> wasn't operating those last few minutes.
>
>Yes - any off time at the end of the contest counts as off time.  And even
>if it didn't - they would be the minutes removed anyway and since there are
>no QSOs in those minutes - you wouldn't lose anything.
>
>Either way - "the right thing" happens.
>
>Tree
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