[CQ-Contest] Why ARRL SSB Contest is Not My Favorite

[hankkier at aol.com]

Didn't expect my thread to generate so much interest! Incidentally, keep forgetting that my email doesn't include my call, so wasn't identified as the author - I'm KF2O, Hank Kiernan.

Just to throw something out as a POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENT (?):

what if W/VEs were only allowed to call CQ or solicit contacts some other way, or do anything else to hold a frequency (=run) on the odd numbered hours, and DX only on the even numbered hours?

My thought here is that this might reduce the problem for the non super-stations on both sides of finding a run frequency without stepping on toes. I THINK (?) it might also make it much more possible for the weaker stations (on both sides) to successfully S&P by reducing QRM level somewhat. all of which makes for less "boring", to me at least. probably makes the strategy aspects a little more interesting for the competitive stations - what to do during the S&Ping hours.

S&Ping would be OK full-time of course. and might not make the rule effective on 160 meter band, since QRM and running is not nearly the problem there...plus propagation to a given area is often short-lived and might be missed if restricted from CQing.

I'm sure there are minuses to this, which we'll hear about!

Hank  KF2O