[CQ-Contest] Improving the Fabulous CQ 160 Contest

[Michael Coslo]

On Jan 8, 2009, at 5:40 PM, Felipe J Hernandez wrote:

> What is it that you guys like most about the SP?
> Is it the distance scoring or the many grids?... Those two  are a  
> match in heaven
> thats why everyone like the SP so much.. nothing like plenty of  
> multipliers on a short band with limited audience.
> also some funky marketing from the sponsors and some history behind  
> the man make it more interesting, even Epic..
>
> Leave those two contests alone, they work well and they have their  
> audience.
>

Can I have an Amen? Amen..

We don't want to homogenize contests.

>
> NOw, God knows that we need to consolidate some  hf contests and  
> create some new entities
> maybe with grids, maybe with distance scoring on some bands, IOTA or  
> Field day kind of Fun and innovation and keeping some
> regional proudness..
>
> Instead of Florida Qso party, Ga qso party, tn qso party ,al qso  
> party etc.. do a 4th call area qso party..( i think this existed  
> once?)
> organized by all, nice interstate competition as well.. and do the  
> same in all call areas..
> Maybe in Europe, Africa, S. America ect and make them count to wrtc  
> points as well..

There was a 4 land party once. Recently there was a Mid-Altantic QSO  
party that lasted a couple years, then sadly it folded. There are some  
propagation issues with regional parties. NEQP works well because it  
is over an area that is about as big as some states.

The big issue is that there is operating in contests, and there is  
running contests. Huge difference.

> The contest operators  are getting diluted by hundreds of  
> activities, that never seem to get full efforts from
> their participants and never generate enought participation from  
> their own crowds.


I'm not sure I agree. PAQSO participation and scores tend to follow  
the sunspot cycle, and the odd geomagnetic storm, like this years.  
When 40 meters goes long, a state party is in trouble that year.

But in the end, what the individual contests have is their  
differences. And we do too. SP has it's own brand of coolness, so does  
CQWW, and all the rest. PQP runs a little differently than others, and  
that is how we want it. There are Ops out there who do not like the  
way we run our party, and choose not to participate. That's fine,  
because we have people who really like the way we run it. Balances out  
in the end.

Something for everyone, viva la difference!


-73 de Mike N3LI -