[CQ-Contest] Categories, Participation and Competition

[John T. Laney III]

The only reservation I have about short recognition periods in contests 
is the possibility that it encourages people to operate only 6 hours (or 
12 or 24) and quit, when they would have operated longer and made more 
contacts otherwise.  My approach is to operate all the hours I can spare 
from other activities and then enter the category that fits.  So, 
sometimes I am in the 12 hour group for IOTA and sometimes in the 24 
hour group, but not because I am trying to win either, but because that 
is the time I had available.

This is a good time to mention that it is a good practice to send in a 
log for a contest when you make only a few QSOs and were not a serious 
entrant.  It does encourage the sponsors, it helps to check logs, and 
for a few contests only, it allows the guys you work to get credit for 
contacts that otherwise wouldn't count for their final score. 

73,

John, K4BAI.