[CQ-Contest] SS Sundays

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

Slow Sunday's have been in the cards since I started doing SS.  It is 
the number one gripe or complaint I have heard.  When something stops 
being fun, people will be drawn to other interests.  Mowing the lawn 
might be more fun than working 11 people an hour on Sunday in SS.

While it has been part of the contest forever.  It is part of the 
problem as well.

I wish I had a simple solution to make the contest more interesting on 
Sunday but I don't.

I hear comments that this and that cannot be changed because of the old 
records.  Records mean nothing if the contest dies.  Records are for the 
people that have them.  They are an indicator of that year. Things 
change and records were meant to be broke.  Even if the rules were 
changed those records are still on the books.

A great many of our contacts come from people that are not really 
contesters.  While we contesters will put up with lousy conditions and 
slow rates, the average ham probably will not.

It is unfortunate that we have to attempt to create more contacts by 
having people use multiple callsigns, stations, etc.

If most of the people can be worked in 14 hours then why not shorten the 
contest to 14 hours or change the time period to better coincide with 
peoples operating habits?

SO2R has become popular because it give the op something to do while 
Radio A sends out endless CQ's in hopes of a contact.

How many people look forward to Sunday afternoon in SS?  Not me!

Studies have shown that people are getting "addicted" to receiving 
emails and text messages.  They get a small rush of endorphins when they 
get a text or email.  When they stop receiving regular texts or emails 
they enter into a somewhat depressed state.  Can we take advantage of 
this.  Maybe we already knew this and running rate has always been king 
in my book?

We are in the age of instant satisfaction.  Shouldn't the contest be 
considered fun for the entire period?

I like the work once component of the contest.  There are plenty of 
other contests that allow you to work stations on all bands.  If all the 
fun is to be had in the first X hours then why not end it then?

Just some thoughts. If there were easy solutions they would have been 
implemented.