[CQ-Contest] Move WPX Back to 30 Hours?

[Dick Green WC1M]

I've been watching this thread for several days and keep thinking, "What
would WPX be like with a 30-hour limit?" I didn't start serious contesting
until after the move to 36 hours, so I don't know. This, in turn, has led me
to wonder, "Why not try it and see what happens?" Seems to me it wouldn't
hurt for the CQ WPX committee to simply say, "We're going to try going back
to the 30-hour format, for one year only, and results will determine if we
stick with 36 hours or go back to 30 hours." Would it be all that big a deal
to try it for one year? A little flexibility and willingness to experiment
wouldn't undermine the integrity of the contest and might produce
information leading to improvement.

There should be two deciding factors: number of logs submitted and feedback
received. If participation increases and/or strong support for the new
format is received, the 30-hour format should be retained. Otherwise, we go
back to the 36-hour format. Debating it endlessly on the reflector won't
give us the information we need. Many contesters, like myself, have never
experienced the 30-hour format, so it's time to let us try it.

As for not being able to beat the 36-hour record in 30-hours, I wouldn't bet
on it. Stations are getting bigger and better, and perhaps operating skills
among the elite are getting better as well. I'm sure there are a number of
first-rate ops who would consider it a challenge worth pursuing. Besides, if
after a few years it looks like it won't happen, then it's a simple matter
to keep track of the 30-hour record separately.

WPX CW is one of my favorite contests. But since mult hunting is not a major
factor (it's mostly a run contest), the 36-hour format is the driving factor
behind operating strategy: time management and band strategy are key. My
sense is that these factors would be even more important with a 30-hour
limit, which would make the contest more challenging, more interesting, and
probably more fun. I'm sure I can find 6 hours that would otherwise be taken
up CQing into marginal bands for 1-point US stations in the wee hours or
pleading for contacts Sunday afternoon.

I don't take my own suggestion lightly. As my station has improved over the
years, I've been able to do pretty well under the current format. I haven't
been able to win it from home, but keep hoping. I came very close to K5ZD's
record from KT1V's super station, pretty-much convincing myself that you
need a big station to win USA under the current rules. At first blush it may
appear that I might have a slightly better chance to win from home in the
30-hour format, but I suspect the competition from other parts of the
country will increase significantly and the top ten scores will be a lot
closer (like IARU.) It'll be much more difficult to win or even stay in the
top ten, and accuracy will be a big factor (always a plus, in my opinion.) 

Even though it may hurt my chances to win or place well, increasing
participation, making the contest more competitive, and giving more stations
a chance to win all sound good to me.

73, Dick WC1M


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Randy Thompson [mailto:k5zd at charter.net]
> Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 1:37 PM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Move WPX Back to 30 Hours?
> 
> At no time did any of the advocates of 30 hours make the argument that
> it
> was due to needing sleep.  All of the examples were around enhancing
> the
> competitive balance between various parts of the world.
> 
> Randy, K5ZD
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> > [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> > Richard L. King
> > Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 2:23 PM
> > To: Jim Neiger; cq-contest at contesting.com
> > Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Move WPX Back to 30 Hours?
> >
> > I agree with Jim on this one.
> >
> > When we start cutting back on contest time to fit our aging
> > sleep cycle, it is admitting that the end of contesting is at hand.
> >
> > When I hit 100 years of age, I want the WPX to still be a 36
> > hour contest and not a one hour contest to fit my physical needs.
> >
> > Of course, I am hoping that there will be another generation
> > of contesters to follow us. If we know for sure that
> > contesting is going to die out with us, then you can make all
> > contests an evening's sprint and I will find another hobby.
> > Maybe I will start running Marathons (Unless they get
> > shortened for me too).
> >
> > 73, Richard - K5NA
> >
> >
> >
> > At 22:51 3/21/2008, Jim Neiger wrote:
> > >And I would like to see this contest go back to 48 hours.
> > >
> > >o   Contests are for operating
> > >
> > >o   Sleeping is for non-contesters
> > >
> > >o   Bands are for congesting
> > >
> > >At my house, Trey was always fondly known as "The Kid", and
> > we tried to
> > >treat him just like one of our children.   Now he's starting
> > to sound like
> > >the rest of the OF's who can no longer 'cut the mustard'...
> > Let's see,
> > >Trey-ster,  was it 1999 that you were No. 1 SO/AB from HC8
> > and wasn't
> > >that also a new WR?? Surely you could operate the entire 48
> > hours....
> > >What happened?
> > >
> > >Gads, in 30 years when I hit the Century mark,  I sure hope
> > that there
> > >will still be some of you young guys around to work.
> > >
> > >Vy 73
> > >
> > >Jim Neiger   N6TJ
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Trey Garlough" <trey at kkn.net>
> > >To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
> > >Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 7:59 AM
> > >Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Move WPX Back to 30 Hours?
> > >
> > >
> > > > Randy has summarized the situation very well.
> > > >
> > > > I think the 30-hour SOAB WPX format was very good, and I
> > still think
> > > > that the new 36-hour format is a mistake.  I would love
> > to see the
> > > > contest go back to the 30-hour format -- it was the
> > quintessential
> > > > world wide contest for "medium guns."
> > > >
> > > > Anyone who has been in the contesting game for a long time will
> > > > recognize the following fact: The best ops with the best
> > stations in
> > > > the best locations tend to win contests.  There is not
> > much mystery
> > > > to this aspect of contesting.
> > > >
> > > > o The beauty of the 30-hour format is that it gives the best ops
> > > > with  the best stations in the best locations less time to
> assert
> > > > these  advantages over everyone else.  This makes the race
> closer
> > > > and more  exciting.
> > > >
> > > > o Because the big guns spend fewer hours on the air, the
> > bands are
> > > > less  congested and this gives the medium guns more space to
> > > > establish  themselves.
> > > >
> > > > o Having to pick what you think your best 30 hours will be
> > > > introduces an  interesting aspect of strategy that is not
> > present in most contests.
> > > >
> > > > o It's ok for contests to be different.  There are plenty
> > of 48-hour
> > > > contests available for guys who feel limited by the
> > 30-hour format.
> > > >
> > > > Not sure what else to say.  This horse was beaten dead 10
> > years ago
> > > > -- would love to see it come back to life!
> > > >
> > > > --Trey, N5KO/HC8N
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > K5ZD writes:
> > > >> History has shown that the shorter time period enables
> > more people
> > > >> to be competitive from more places around the world.
> > For example,
> > > >> from W6, it is more likely to find 30 good hours that include
> > > >> Europe or JA propagation than it is to find 36 hours.
> > Where from
> > > >> W1, we have 40+ hours of good prop to Europe.  By limiting to
> 30
> > > >> hours, both the W1 and W6 ops have the same amount of rate
> > > >> opportunities to work with.
> > > >>
> > > >> The biggest complaint against 30 hours is that there is a lot
> of
> > > >> time where you may be wanting to operate, yet can't.
> > This tends to
> > > >> drive a lot of activity into the first 24 hours and then
> > leave the
> > > >> bands a little emptier on day 2.
> > > >>
> > > >> As a side note, the WPX RTTY contest has kept the 30
> > hour limit.  I
> > > >> am not sure what prompted the increase from 30 to 36
> > hours.  Based
> > > >> on comments over the years, the guys who are on
> > expeditions or in
> > > >> high rate locations tend to favor the longer operating
> > time.  The
> > > >> guys in less advantage areas have voted by giving up on
> > the contest
> > > >> and so their comments have diminished.
> > > >>
> > > >> Randy, K5ZD
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> > > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
> > >
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