[CQ-Contest] [wrtc2014] WRTC Category Weighting Factor

[Chris Plumblee]

Syl,

Lost in the discussion, I think, is the difficult balancing act that the
wrtc team has to do to balance out the very real geographic inequalities
with the category choices that we all make when we operate. Residents of
areas with dense populations of serious contesters might as easily say that
the high score in ve5 receiving  the same wrtc qualification score as the
high score in ve3 is not fair.  Depending on the relative seriousness of
both entries it might not be entirely fair, but it's the fairest of all
possibilities. I've interspersed some additional comments below for those
who are inclined to read on.

The reality of our hobby is that the best measure of who is the best
operator is who can score best in the single op categories, and the
category with the most serious entries and the most competition on a
regional, national, and international basis is almost universally single
op, high power. The scoring weight for single op low power was adjusted
upward this year in an attempt to be more equitable, as Dan pointed out.

On Wednesday, August 22, 2012, VE5ZX wrote:

>   The post was to CQ-Contest first because I was unaware of this reflector
>
> >Many argue that operating in the actual WRTC event requires skills that
> closer align to HP operations as the sought-after WRTC operators can run
> more frequently than typical LP entrants
>
> Gosh comments like that are annoying and naïve! It assumes that a LP
> operator has never worked HP in a contest perhaps at big station.  This
> logic is one of the reasons that contesting is losing its interest for me.
> Too much speculation and too many decisions behind closed doors!!
>

Given no evidence to the contrary (ie scores from a big station in some
category or another) that seems a very logical conclusion to draw. the
scoring algorithm was published before it was adopted and was open for
comment at that time.


>
> > It would seem that you could better keep pace with your competition by
> using LP than if you ventured into HP when using a smaller station, even
> with the 10% score adjustment.
>
> Gosh this sort of reasoning evades me. Enter a class that you are not in
> just so you can get the 10% that the WRTC rules take away from you.
> Nonsense! And from the off reflector comments I have been getting from
> other LP operators they rightfully feel completely discounted by the WRTC
> rules too.
>

I think what Dan was saying is that, in your specific situation, you would
be better served by entering low power and taking the 10% hit to your
maximum score, rather than competing with the larger stations using high
power. Not all low power contested feel slighted, as n4ydu states below.


>
> >Thirdly, I wonder aloud why this topic arises now, two years after the
> selection criteria were issued.
>
> I guess because many people are afraid of standing up to the contesting
> establishment. And I just became aware of rules when I found out via the
> grape vine that I was 2nd ranked in my zone. So I looked at the way the
> ranks were determined. What an insight and what a mess!
>
> Oh Well.
>
> Syl – VE5ZX
>

73,
Chris wf3c


>
>
>   *From:* K1to at aol.com
> *Sent:* Wednesday, August 22, 2012 4:29 PM
> *To:* wrtc2014 at lists.wrtc2014.org
> *Cc:* cq-contest at contesting.com
> *Subject:* Re: [wrtc2014] WRTC Category Weighting Factor
>  (This reply was interrupted by a lightning strike here in FL!)
>
> Syl et al,
>
> First, some historical perspective:  For WRTC-2010, the factor for SOLP
> was 0.7.  We sought to increase the incentive for operating LP in WRTC-2014
> qualifying events, and, after much behind-the-scenes discussion, arrived at
> 0.9.  Many argue that operating in the actual WRTC event requires skills
> that closer align to HP operations as the sought-after WRTC operators can
> run more frequently than typical LP entrants.
>  Secondly, I disagree that it hurts the urban op.  It would seem that you
> could better keep pace with your competition by using LP than if you
> ventured into HP when using a smaller station, even with the 10% score
> adjustment.
>
> Thirdly, I wonder aloud why this topic arises now, two years after the
> selection criteria were issued.
>
> Lastly, I see that you also posted this to CQ-Contest, thus the copy to
> that list as well.
>
> GL & 73, Dan, K1TO
> WRTC-2014 Team Selection Director
>
>
>  In a message dated 8/22/2012 2:22:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> ve5zx at hotmail.com writes:
>
>  The WRTC 2014 Team Selection criteria are given here
> http://www.wrtc2014.org/qualifying/team-selection/
>
> Could some please explain why the SO LP weighting factor (0.9) is less
> than
> the SO HP (1.0) weighting factor?
>
> It penalizes those of us that live in a urban environment and need to run
> LP
> in order to  keep peace with the neighbors :)
>
> tnx - Syl - VE5Zx
>
>
>
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>

-- 
Chris Plumblee
407.494.5155