[CQ-Contest] WPX FAQ - Single op off times

[Paul Beringer]

As a more casual contester, I've often wondered about "off times". I can't
stay in the chair more than about an hour before I get "butt" sore. So I
often take 5 or 10 minute breaks during the contest. When other obligations
at home take precedence, I do make sure the time off is at least the minimum
defined by the rules. My concern has always been, what does the contest
checking software "think" when it sees a string of closely spaced qso's
followed by a 5 or 10 or even 15 min interlude and then followed by an hour
of closely spaced qso's. Is there a penalty of some sort? Comparing my UBN
reports and final published scores to my claimed scores would suggest there
is not. So perhaps the log checking software assumes the gaps to be
listening time?? Or maybe I am violating the off time rule? The NAQP and
Sprints are the only I'll really try to stay in the chair. I would not want
to compete at all if I couldn't take a short break after an hour.

73 Paul NG7Z
 


Message: 9
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:10:18 -0700
From: "Ed Muns" <w0yk at msn.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] WPX FAQ - Single op off times
To: "'Zivney, Terry L.'" <00tlzivney at bsu.edu>
Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com
Message-ID: <BLU0-SMTP30EC97F50EC868EB6C77AE909B0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

I've always understood "off-times" to only occur between QSOs.  Starting
late or finishing early are not constrained by an off-time limit, e.g., 60
minutes.  However, the total amount of "time off" or non-operating time does
include late starts and early finishes, e.g, 12 hours for WPX.  Tricky
semantics.

Ed - W0YK