[CQ-Contest] Is it a time to change rules for HQstnsin IARUcontest ?

[Doug Smith W9WI]

On Mon, 2006-07-17 at 09:36, Kelly Taylor wrote:
> Do other HQ stations feel the need to complain? (Doug, what say W1AW/4?) 

About "manufactured QSOs" in Europe?  Not at all.  Due to geography, I
don't think HQ stations outside Europe can compete in this contest.  And
while I certainly can't speak for the ARRL as a whole or even the crew
that operated W1AW/4 this year, I don't think our uncompetitive status
really bothers us.  

The "manual" we handed out before the contest started with:

"Our goals:
To provide the ARRL HQ multiplier to as many IARU participants as
possible.  To make a decent score.  To have fun!"

Nobody in TCG doubts that we easily accomplished all three goals.

Now, that said, I can see how things might be different in Europe. 
European HQ stations *are* competitive, so I suppose there *is* a point
to trying to outscore the other country.  (I wonder if having the
contest coincide with the World Cup contributes to that
attitude?<grin>)  I can see where they might care about a possible
unfair advantage.

Again, I think it's a concern of unintended side-effects.  It's kinda
like the scoring rules in CQ WW, or the prohibition on the use of 146.52
in VHF contests: a rule that's desirable in one part of the world might
make the contest far less enjoyable somewhere else. 

-- 
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN  EM66
http://www.w9wi.com