[CQ-Contest] Suggestions

[Jeff Clarke]

Contesting has changed so much in the 35 years I’ve been doing it. This is mostly due to the technical advances that have been made over the years such as computer logging, packet, SO2R boxes, skimmer etc...  It appears to me that in today’s world that it’s almost impossible to enforce the current single operator un-assisted rules that state those competitors shouldn’t be using some of these technologies. Is it maybe time to get rid of the “traditional”  single operator category and just replace it with what is now allowed in the single operator assisted category ? Seems like this would cause much less grief for the contest sponsors that have to deal with the cheating that has been happening over the last several years. This probably wouldn't solve all the problems but it might help resolve some of the bigger issues.

Here is an analogy... I follow auto racing and see many parallels to radio contesting. Remember years ago when the only communication the driver had with his pit team was a big sign that someone would hold up when they zipped by the pit lane?  In today’s world all the teams have radio communication and telemetry with their pit and spotters high up in the stands. Even with these aids it’s still the skill of the driver that wins the race.  I think the same can be said in radio contesting. The time might be right to stop living in the past as far as the single operator category is concerned ??


I would like to close by saying a big THANK YOU to Box Cox, K3EST for all the years he ran the CQWW contests. This had to be the hardest job in radio contesting running the worlds largest and most popular radio contest. This is especially true today with the events of the last few years. Maybe we will hear you on the air a little more OM ???


Jeff  KU8E