[CQ-Contest] AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CQ CONTEST COMMITTEE

[Bill Tippett]

On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 10:10 PM, Alfred Frugoli <ke1fo at arrl.net> wrote:

> Again, really?  I'm not buying it in either theory, or looking at the mult
> totals.  For a top SOSB entrant, I would expect to see totals similar to a
> MM because just like a MM, a SOSB entrant can be on that band for 48 hours
> straight, working the weird short small openings that are not worth a SOAB
> entrant chasing.  In fact, the chart I just posted on my blog
> (http://wp.me/pdJH2-1y) using CQWW SSB 2007 results shows that the world
> winner SOSB entrants (who cannot use assistance) matched or beat the world
> winner MM (who can use assistance) in mults.

The problem with your analysis is that you're comparing across
different geographical regions.  For example 10 and 15m propagation
from Tunisia is not as good as from the southern hemisphere.  This is
why all CQ WW World Records for both modes on 10 & 15 are from South
America.  Similarly z33 is usually favored for the low bands.

A top SOSB entrant can never compare with top MM multipliers from the
same geographic area.  In 21 major DX contests over the last cycle, I
never had multipliers close to the top 3 MMs (not always the same ones
BTW) even though my QSO totals were higher on average.  This included
setting current USA records for all 6 contests (both modes CQ WW, ARRL
DX and WPX).

http://users.vnet.net/btippett/new_page_6.htm

The reasons for higher MM mults are:

1.  Packet spot alert MMs for marginal (weak) openings that might not
be found by a SOSB (e.g. spots from another part of the world).
2.  Rare mults spend a short time on a given band when the SOSB is
focused on rate (e.g. 12-16z  and 22-01z on 10m must be focused
exclusively on rate to EU/JA)
3.  Passing mults from other bands.

Using Packet would give an SOSB entrant the advantages of MM
advantages 1 and 2 above, but still not 3.

I'm glad the CQWW Committee is taking the stance they are.  You can
either enforce the rules or not, and it's definitely more work to
enforce them.  An analogy might be drugs in sports.  We can say
everyone is doing it and therefore we'll stop testing, but that is NOT
the right answer.  Combining SO and SOA may be easy for the sponsor
but that's a cop-out IMHO.

73,  Bill  W4ZV