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

Mon Mar 16 16:56:27 PDT 2009

FWIW (not much), I agree with Dave ... the FAQ seems misleading in
stating that you must take 12 hours of off-time, where infact the rule
is that you can operate for no more than 36 hours.

My approach is to stop when I have have operated 36 hours since the
first QSO in my log, not counting any periods of 60 minutes or more
when no Qs were logged. If that happens to occur at 55 minus before
the end of the contest, that seems fine to me.

     ~Iain / N6ML

David Gilbert wrote:
> Hi, Milt.
> 
> I don't see any such distinction in the actual rules.  The FAQ specifies 
> 12 hours off time, but the rules do not.  The rules merely say that a 
> single op cannot be active more than 36 hours in the contest and that 
> any off times must be at least 60 minutes each.  I think the FAQ 
> inadvertently generated whatever confusion that might now exist.
> 
> 73,
> Dave   AB7E
> 
> 
> 
> Milt, N5IA wrote:
>> Terry,
>>
>> I don't see anything in Randy's comment that has anything to do with the 
>> subject at hand.  He is talking about a different aspect of taking shorter 
>> "OFF" times during the contest and then just making up the difference at the 
>> end by not claiming time you DID operate but in the end was slow and you 
>> want to lop it off.
>>
>> Your original question revolves around the actual STARTING time for you in a 
>> contest and the actual ENDING time for you in a contest, IF you allocated 
>> time for operating is totally used WITHOUT operating at the beginning and 
>> end of the contest.
>>
>> OFF time denotes exactly that; that you are OFF; that your portion of the 
>> contest is still running and that you will RETURN to OPERATING.  It has 
>> nothing to do with your personal STARTING and ENDING times in the contest.
>>
>> If you have not started the contest, then whatever time has elapsed is LOST 
>> time, nothing else.  The contest has not yet started for YOU!  Whether it is 
>> 10 minutes, 59 minutes or 5 hours that has elapsed from the offical starting 
>> time of the contest until YOU make your first contact, that is LOST time and 
>> nothing else.
>>
>> By the same token, if you have completed your total hour allotment in the 
>> contest, your time is up and you cannot get credit for any more contacts. 
>> For YOU the contest is COMPLETE and ENDED even though the official end time 
>> of the contest has not yet arrived!  The balance of the time that the 
>> contest may run whether it is 10 minutes, 59 minutes or 5 hours is LOST 
>> time, not "off" time because you are NOT going to return to operating.
>>
>> Mis dos centavos.
>>
>> Milt, N5IA
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Zivney, Terry L." <00tlzivney at bsu.edu>
>> To: "Milt, N5IA" <n5ia at zia-connection.com>
>> Cc: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 11:47 AM
>> Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] WPX FAQ - Single op off times
>>
>>
>> See the thoughts of K5ZD in an earlier discussion about off-times and 
>> chopping extra minutes
>> off the end of the log and fairness:
>> -------------
>> Re: [CQ-Contest] NAQP Off Times
>> from [Randy Thompson] [Permanent Link][Original]
>> To:  <cq-contest at contesting.com>
>> Subject:  Re: [CQ-Contest] NAQP Off Times
>> From:  "Randy Thompson" <k5zd at charter.net>
>> Date:  Wed, 13 Jul 2005 05:20:55 -0000
>> List-post:  <mailto:cq-contest at contesting.com>
>> Sorry John, but the rules require you to take a 30 or more minute off time.
>> Not a 29 or 28 or 27 minute off time.  If they allowed you to take shorter
>> off times and then chop the extra minutes off the end of your log, it
>> wouldn't be fair to the guys who follow the rules.  (You might be gaining
>> QSOs at a time when the rate is good and then giving away minutes at the end
>> of the contest when rates are low.)
>> It would be useful to know the algorithm the log checking program uses for
>> NAQP. Tree has a very specific way he handles off times for the Sweepstakes
>> and once you know what it is, there should never be a problem with taking
>> enough time.  (See the accuracy sidebar in the online SS CW results for an
>> explanation).
>> Claiming a mistake in the heat of battle doesn't cut it with me.  You are on
>> an off time so should not yet be joined!
>> Randy, K5ZD
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________________
>> From: Milt, N5IA [n5ia at zia-connection.com]
>> Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 2:34 PM
>> To: Zivney, Terry L.
>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] WPX FAQ - Single op off times
>>
>> Terry,
>>
>> I believe you have a misconception that time at the beginning of the contest
>> and at the end of the contest have to comply with the 60 minute rule.  IMHO
>> and my understanding of the rules, the following is correct.
>>
>> When you say "you start the contest at 0059z that you cannot count the first
>> 59 minutes as off time", this is incorrect.  The reality is that the CONTEST
>> HAS NOT STARTED FOR YOU.  Therefore those first 59 minutes are just "lost"
>> time, not "off" time.
>>
>> You also state "you make your last QSO at 2301z you cannot count the last 59
>> minutes as off time".  This is also incorrect, because for YOU THE CONTEST
>> IS OVER AND DONE!  Those last 59 minutes again are just "lost" time, not
>> "off" time.
>>
>> Mis dos centavos,
>>
>> Milt, N5IA
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Zivney, Terry L." <00tlzivney at bsu.edu>
>> To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 9:39 AM
>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] WPX FAQ - Single op off times
>>
>>
>>   
>>> >From the CQ WPX FAW site:
>>>
>>> Single operators must take 12 hours off during the contest.  How are off
>>> times calculated?
>>>
>>> Single operator entries are permitted a maximum operating time of 36
>>> hours. Off times must be a minimum of 60 minutes. The 60 minute period is
>>> defined the same as the 10-minute rule described above. If your last QSO
>>> before an off time is at 09:27, you may not make another QSO until 10:27.
>>>
>>> Off times can be of any length. For example, you can have breaks of 1
>>> hour, 4 hours, and 7 hours. Or you can take all of your off time in one 12
>>> hour break. If you take a break that is less than 60 minutes, this time
>>> will count as operating time.
>>>
>>> Any QSOs in your log after 36 hours of operating time will be removed
>>> without penalty during the log checking.  The rules no longer require you
>>> to submit the list of off time periods in your log. The log checking
>>> software will do the off time calculations.
>>>
>>> _________________________
>>>
>>> This means that if you start the contest at 0059z that you cannot count
>>> the first 59 minutes as off time.
>>> Similarly, if you make your last QSO at 2301z you cannot  count the last
>>> 59 minutes as off time.
>>> You need to remember this when taking your off times in the middle of the
>>> contest.
>>>
>>> However, the last section from the FAQ above seems to suggest the
>>> following counter examples:
>>>
>>> example 1:
>>> operate from 0000-2359z - 24 hours operating time
>>> off time from 0000-1130z - 11:30 off time
>>> operate from 1131-2359z - more than 12 hours operating time  so last 29
>>> minutes QSOs removed
>>> with no penalty to bring down to 36 hours total operating time.
>>>
>>> example 2:
>>> operate from 0000-2359z - 24 hours operating time
>>> off time from 0000-1130z - 11:30 off time
>>> operate from 1131-2330z - Finish 36 hours allowed operating time.
>>> But now  the last 29 minutes are too short to be an off time - see second
>>> section in FAQ -
>>> minimum 60 minutes off time.
>>>
>>> Terry Zivney, N4TZ/9  aka KS9K
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>>>     
>>
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