[CQ-Contest] Level Playing Field - my 2 cents

[Milt -- N5IA]

I am a competitor.  I often liken amateur radio contesting to the Hot Rod 
1/4 mile drag strips.  You work on your "rod" (station) all week long and 
then you go the the drags on Saturday night (favorite contest) to see how 
your rod (radio & antennas) and your driving skills (operating) stack up 
against your hobby friends.

I do have fun, designing my stations, building my stations, operating my 
stations; and winning is FUN also.  It is a reward for a total job well 
done.

The point is, it can be MORE FUN for MORE PEOPLE who do all the other things 
IF EVERYONE is playing on the most equitable playing field possible.

I know that a true, perfect playing field is not possible.  As they say, 
:The Law of Physics" doesn't change.  Likewise, the "Law of Geographical 
Location" does not change.

However, when there IS a possibility of "tilting the playing field" a bit 
more towards level, then that opportunity should be taken.

If I am beaten fair and square, then I have nary a beef.

BUT, if I am consistently outscored by stations with 25% of the station I 
have, by stations that make less contacts than I make, and by stations that 
put in 50% of the operating time I do, it puts a damper on my enthusiasm.

IF, and that is a BIG IF, there is an opportunity to decrease the inequities 
that exist in the scoring system of a contest, then by all means the Rule 
Makers should make the change.  Common sense dictates that action.  That 
type of change can only raise the level of activity and esteem for the given 
contest.

The advent of the Stew Perry Distance Challenge in 1996 was a gigantic step 
forward in HF contest scoring.  It truly has provided the opportunity for 
stations from all parts of the world to be Numero Uno.

Making Distance (DX) based scoring a portion of the scoring formula for a DX 
contest is a no-brainer!!  Let's see which contest sponsor is the first to 
get it right in an all band DX contest.

Mis dos centavos.

de Milt, N5IA


-----Original Message----- 
From: somata90924 at mypacks.net
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 9:09 PM
To: Milt -- N5IA ; Tom W8JI ; cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Level Playing Field - my 2 cents

win-win-win-win....... all u wanna do?...........  why not just have fun and 
work what you can?


w6vnr

-----Original Message-----
>From: Milt -- N5IA <n5ia at zia-connection.com>
>Sent: Jun 27, 2011 3:35 PM
>To: Tom W8JI <w8ji at w8ji.com>, cq-contest at contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Level Playing Field - my 2 cents
>
>Quite true Tom.  But NOT TRUE for the other 80% of the country!
>
>Mis dos centavos,
>
>de Milt, N5IA
>
>
>-----Original Message----- 
>From: Tom W8JI
>Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 8:27 AM
>To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Level Playing Field - my 2 cents
>
>All this envy of the east coast puzzles me.
>
>Anyone else with any room and a good rural location in the SE could do as
>good as the east coast.
>
>I don't see a reason for a rule change when a little work and good
>engineering would accomplish the same thing.
>
>73 Tom