[CQ-Contest] No US DX Only - ARRL DX

[rt_clay at bellsouth.net]

> 
> >Now, consider the amateur in a more difficult to work state or province,
> >who has spent considerable time and effort, not to mention money, and is
> >trying to win the contest but must work hundreds of 0 point stations
> >whom may be covering up weaker DX stations calling, one that count for
> >valuable points and multipliers.
> 
>

Hmm, that exactly describes the IARU contest perfectly for people in western zone 8. To work EU we have to work a ton of 1 point W/VE. Yet if my station was moved just an hour+ drive to the west I would get 3 points for those zone 8's. Why not make it the same point value for all qso's within the same country (or continent)?

Being in a rarer state sometimes I get a lot of sked and qsl requests. I did have some W/VE call me during the weekend. If there was a dx station calling I just came back to the dx station instead even if I only got a partial call. If there wasn't anyone else, I just went ahead and worked the W station. 

Consider this: if you are just calling cq and not working anyone, someone tuning by will not hear your rarer exchange and might just keep tuning. But if you are working someone you send your state as well as your call again at the end. It's as good as calling cq, and even better because you are broadcasting your rare mult status as well. So working W's in slow times might even help. I guess you could put your state into the cq, but that would probably cause too much confusion (on cw at least).

Of course more W's might call you as a result too. But if only W's can hear you, either you are on the wrong band or conditions are terrible. You could also just call the W and go right back to a cq: "W1XXX 5NN TU N4OGW TEST", then you lose almost no time assuming he didn't cover someone up.

Packet pileups were very pronounced this weekend. Until I was spotted, I would get almost no callers, then suddenly would have a huge pileup. Very little in between.

Tor
N4OGW/5