[CQ-Contest] Inverse Distance Based Scoring Proposal

[w2lc at twcny.rr.com]

Inverse distance based scoring

If the ARRL DX contest changes, lets also change Sweepstakes as well, but to the opposite, inverse distance based scoring.  

Since W5, W6, W7, W4, W0, W9 all have the advantage of working W1, W2, W3 on 20, 15 and 10 meters (the same stations I am forced to work on 80 meters), inverse distance based scoring would “level the playing field” for those of us propagationally challenged to the major population centers on the higher bands.

As we all know it is much more difficult to work close-in stations on 20, 15 and 10 than it is on 80m, and there are more stations to work on on 20, 15 and 10 meters than 80m. Less noise too.

Therefore, since stations further away from the north east population centers have the advantage, inverse distance based scoring makes sense for SS!

ARRL DX is not broken and does not need fixing (same for SS), but it looks like there are those who want to break it.  

Distance based scoring and grid squares are what I don't like about the Stew Perry, the appeal is being a 160m contest and a shorter duration.

Bottom line for me is, change ARRL DX to distance based scoring and I will no longer operate the contest.

Those who think that distance based scoring will attract more participants are only kidding themselves. Putting the contest results back into QST might help though. 

FYI the top ten box write-ups in QST are NOT the contest results (my opinion), the line scores are (also my opinion). I don't even look at the QST contest write-ups anymore, well ok once in awhile.

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73 Scott W2LC