[CQ-Contest] WPXSSB More 30 hour NONSENSE

[Robert Shohet]

One person seems to think that I would eliminate the time limit of 36 hours
in favor of 48.  That's silly.  While I might prefer to operate 48, I have
no interest in changing the rules for my benefit.  Others should keep this
in mind when requesting rules changes for THEIR benefit.

And to compare a RTTY contest to an SSB contest is completely ABSURD!

Are the activity levels the same?  Are the same stations and serious ops
making serious efforts in both contests?  Are the rules the same? Is the
strategy the same?  I DON'T THINK SO!   I can't believe that someone would
actually suggest such a RIDICULOUS comparison.

For those of you who would hurt the WPXSSB by FURTHER LIMITING the amount of
operating time, please HONESTLY answer the question I previously asked:

"Can we have a show of hands for those contesters who feel that
taking off-time in a contest is MORE fun than working guys?"

Go ahead, answer it HONESTLY!

Now please answer the next three questions honestly:

1) When, if ever, did you last operate this contest for all 36 hours?
2) When, if ever, did you last operate this contest for all 30 hours, when
it WAS 30 hours?

3) Will you guaranty that if the operating time limit is reduced to 30
hours,  that you will operate ALL 30 hours?

Now it is "put up or shut up time".  For those who would argue, answer the
questions honestly.  If you can't or won't, then you have NO ACTUAL
experience with the before and after effects of this possible rule change.
You just have an opinion, based on personal bias, NOT based on sitting in
"the chair".

Having operated the maximum amount of time allowable EVERY YEAR
in this contest since about 1983 (I missed two years), I have seen it at 30
hours and 36 hours.  There is NO comparison to the quality or activity level
between 30 hours with a lot of dead time and 36 hours.  PERIOD!

If you would change the rules and STILL not commit to operating the FULL
amount of time, then what standing do you have that gives you the right to
attempt to change the rules for the rest of us?

I note that the most vociferous among those who would change the rules, are
many of the same people that have NEVER made a serious effort in this
contest.  And, frankly I doubt that they would ever make a serious  FULL
effort just because the rules are changed to make a more boring contest.
All the rest is just talk.

Someone said that less than 10% of the ops operate 30 hours and were a vocal
minority.  I say that the REAL minority are those ops who routinely operated
36 hours each year who want to change it back to 30 hours!
So far (unless I missed it), I have seen only ONE perennial 36 hour single
op, suggesting a change back to 30 hours.  What does this tell us?

It tells us that the guys/gals who make the commitment to keep their butt in
the chair and form the BACKBONE of this contest, are happy with the current
time limit of 36 hours, and don't want it to be watered down.  As usual it
is a small group of part-timers who want everything to change for THEM.

Incidentally, it is only AFTER the rule change BACK to 36 hours, that the
activity level of this contest began to EXPLODE!  And while the 1 point rule
(which I personally championed) helped increase activity level more, most
serious ops observed that the relative scores didn't change much at all.

So, for those who would change the rules, have the decency to operate
full-time, do research on past rule changes and scoring, take a good look at
activity levels pre and past rule change, and THEN, after you have put in
the time to learn about the contest, THEN, and ONLY THEN, suggest rule
changes based on actual knowledge, not uninformed guesswork!

73 and CU next weekend in the MOST fun contest of the year for the little
guy!

Bob KQ2M