[CQ-Contest] Competitor Friendly Contesting - 24 Hour

Jim Neiger n6tj at sbcglobal.net
Sat Nov 19 01:46:26 EST 2005


As one of the Senior Set, still trying to sometimes run with the Big Dogs - I can attest that its become more of a challenge now to go 48 straight in a contest.  More of a mental achievement  than a physical.

But that's the way its always been. 

And if I can and do, so what??  And if I cannot, and don't, who really cares one way or another??  In that I've set a personal goal of serious contest DXpeditioning for 33 more years, at which time I'll hit 100 years, is just that:  some ridiculous goal for which no one cares but the undersigned.  Well, maybe Delta Airlines cares..............

Contesting is one of the more personal, and perhaps self-centered, pursuits that anyone has ever devised.  You and your radio.  You trying to excel as a communicator of the highest standard.  You trying your utmost to reach some goal, whether it be to break a silly pile-up, make 1000 QSO's, work 100 countries, or find 10 hours by yourself in the shack.

And that is good.

At the end of the day, only you will rejoice if you met any of your goals.  As my dear friend Ville OH2MM opined to me when we were together in Brazil at PT5A 3 years ago, "Jim, only you will remember your Number One's.  Realize that, have fun, and only take yourself seriously".  Great thoughts to absorb from one of our forever best operators.  

Where am I going with this, you might ask?

After too many years of what I'll label "reluctance" to minimize our pursuit of operating, I can now say that I am 100% supportive of a "Competitor Friendly Class" whether it be 24 hours, 36 hours, or whatever.

Let's allow each individual operator, post contest, to declare that he wishes his log to be scored on a To Be Determined period of the total contest.

We can do this without shortening the overall contest.  Just let each determine how much of the contest he can/ will/ wants to, operate.

And why the heck not?  Overall, the contest might just experience renewed interest and participation, and for sure, many of our friends will feel that they can still compete and have fun - without killing themselves. 

 And that would be good.  Let's make it happen.


Vy 73

Jim Neiger   N6TJ   ( 9 Y 4 A A  next week )



----- Original Message ----- 
From: <RLVZ at aol.com>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 6:09 PM
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Competitor Friendly Contesting - 24 Hour


> 
> Pete had a grrreat idea.  I'd love to see it happen as due to family,  work, 
> and age I am usually restricted to "part-time".
> 
> 73, Dick- K9OM
> 
> 
> In a message dated 11/18/2005 8:22:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
> n4zr at contesting.com writes:
> 
> Several  years ago, two other guys and I publicly proposed a test of a 
> "24-Hour Contest  Challenge".  The idea was to allow entrants to one of the big DX  
> contests, if they wished, also to submit scores and operating periods for a  
> 24-hour award to be managed completely separately from the "parent"  contest.  
> We did some research that suggested the net impact would be  positive - many 
> less-than-full-time ops would put in more time on the air in  order to compete 
> for it.  We had also gone fairly far in figuring out the  logistics so that 
> there would be no effect on the contest sponsors and log  checkers. 
> 
> Then I went to Dayton and talked to the contest sponsor (no,  I'm not going 
> to name names).  I was astonished by the fierce hostile  reaction.  I thought 
> that was just the "my sandbox" syndrome, but in the  weeks thereafter, I was 
> also surprised by the negative comments from  contesters I respect.  I still 
> didn't (and don't) understand why, but the  bottom line was that I decided to 
> drop out, and it never  happened.
> 
> Maybe, with our community being (on average) a couple of  years older and 
> wiser, it's time to revive the concept.  Anyone who does  it has to be prepared 
> to take a lot of flak, though.
> 
> 73, Pete  N4ZR
> 
> At 06:06 AM 11/18/2005, sawyered at earthlink.net  wrote:
>>Thanks Gerry.  I understand your point of view and respect  it.
>>
>>It would seem that 3830 is somewhat addressing your  interest in comparing 
> "apples to apples" from a time  standpoint.
>>
>>I remember Ward Silver had some dialog going a  while back about the 
> "contest within a contest" approach.  He has  attempted to do this with IARU for M/S 
> Low Power.  Since we are all just  happy enough to have gotten the CQ WW certs 
> we have recently, it would seem  that adding more to that is unlikely.  
> However, maybe one of the contest  clubs would be successful in more fully 
> implementing N0AX's approach and more  fully institutionalize this type of approach.
>>
>>73 and see you in  the 'tests.
>>
>>Ed  N1UR
>>
>>-----Original  Message-----
>>From: "Gerry Treas, K8GT"  <k8gt at twmi.rr.com>
>>Sent: Nov 17, 2005 8:39 PM
>>To:  sawyered at earthlink.net
>>Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com
>>Subject:  Re: [CQ-Contest] Competitor Friendly Contesting
>>
>>I respect Ed  and Kirk's contesting skills and acumen highly.  I also 
>>think  they are really nice guys, too!   But I strongly disagree with  
>>their analogies and conclusions.  In a marathon, or race of any  kind you 
>>do not need anyone else, except to provide the sponsor with  enough 
>>bodies to provide interest, but in a radio contest you "Top Ten  - Top 
>>Guns" need all of us "also-rans" and casual contesters, and you  need to 
>>generate interest among us so that we participate to help  raise your 
>>score..  That score would be rather measly if all of  us weren't in the 
>>"mix".  I came to contesting rather late (the  last 15 years) and I have 
>>a hard time now staying awake at night, at  60 + years.  I have only had 
>>modest stations and I like to  contest from home, the bathroom breaks are 
>>all too frequent to do  justice at a Multi-Op.  I have done a few stints 
>>at K8CC, thanks  Dave, and 2 CQWW CW's at PJ2T, and had a ball.  But now, 
>>I really  would like to be able to compare my results with others of my 
>>limited  abilities and resources.   You need us "cannon fodder", so how  
>>about throwing us a bone? A chance for a certificate for our 24 hour  or 
>>whatever limited. It's not like we'd ever try to say that we "won  the 
>>contest" if we received one.  I'm beyond ever being able to  go the full 
>>48, do you want me to just forget about it and go do  something else? 
>>
>>73, Gerry K8GT   Still tryin', but  not bloody likely to get  anywhere.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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