[CQ-Contest] Is ARRL DX Really Broken ?

[Kevin Stockton]

Below are numbers I took from the ARRL results database.  I think many
people have just made a blanket statements that there should be a distance
based points system without even looking over the numbers. Is this contest
really broken that changes need to be made ?

No so much this DX contest, as all DX contests are broken.  


4)      Given that the east coast has the best propagation to EU and the
west coast to AS what type (fair) of algorithm do you use ? For example on
CW do you give the west coast  5 times more points for working EU and the
east coast 5 times for working AS. What do you do for the middle of the
country ? Do you cut that in half ?

A linear scoring system that is based  on distance.  The numbers could be 
manipulated to make almost anyone  win, that's not what is being advocated.  


5)      Since there is more activity in EU than anywhere else will this even
make up the difference for someone not on the east coast ?

No, it won't make up the difference.   East coast will still get longer openings 
and work more EU.  In most  cases they will also work more multipliers and in 
most cases they will still make up the majority of the top ten.  


7)      If the ARRL went to a distance based scoring system for ARRL DX then
will this set a precedence for other ARRL contests ?  After all ARRL
Sweepstakes isn't  fair to those who are not in W5/W6/W7. When is the last
time someone on the east coast won SS ? (Especially SSB)

This is a fair point.  Distance based  scoring in a DX contest is not meant to 
make it so that a W5 can win the  contest.  It is only meant to acknowledge the 
challenges in working a  DX contact is different across geographic points.  


VY2ZM won the SSB Sweepstakes this year from his QTH in PEI.  There is  no doubt 
that certain areas of the U.S. are in better locations for the  Sweepstakes than 
others, and I will be the first to admit that being on  the east coast is not 
the best place to be.  However, when you look at  the scattering of people who 
do well in sweepstakes, they are all over  the U.S. and not as closely knit as 
they are in DX contests.  Below are  the results from CW and SSB this year:   


CW
N9RV 232,480
NØNI (AG9A, op) 232,480
K1TO 231,628
WDØT 230,240
KL7RA (N6TR, op) 224,202
N2NT (N2NC, op) 223,360
W5KFT (K5PI, op) 222,560
WXØB (K5GA, op) 222,306
K5GO 222,080

SSB
VY2ZM
(K1ZM, op) 349,022
K7RL 338,080
N2IC 333,920
NR5M 332,320
W7WA 324,960
K5TR 312,000
KDØS
(WDØT, op) 309,920
NN3W
(@ N4RV) 293,920
NØQO 289,456
WC6H 282,662
K6LA 218,720    


Kevin, N5DX




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