[CQ-Contest] WRTC Selection Criteria

[steve.root at culligan4water.com]

>IMO, the selection should be made by comparing scores IN THE SAME area. I.E.
>W4's have to compete against W4's, VE3's - against VE3's and so on.
>
>73 Yuri VE3DZ
>

This becomes even more complicated when you consider the sizes of the call areas. W7 and W0 are big. The propagation in Washington State bears little resemblance to Arizona. Same problem between Minnesota and Colorado. How can we reasonably compare scores over such vast areas? Or do we need 100 participants from the US, Russia, China, or any other country that covers a huge area?
I think we need to step back and really decide what the WRTC selection is trying to accomplish. Are we trying to determine the best of the best and send them, or are we sending good operators that are represenative of the best? Or is WRTC really an "operating event" and it really doesn't matter who goes? 
An oft repeated comment here is that "contesting isn't fair". That goes double for WRTC selection. That's just the way it is.

73 Steve K0SR