[CQ-Contest] WRTC2018 Qualifying

[Ed Richardson]

There have been a lot of posts concerning these changes and it looks
like I am in the minority, but I like the changes.

First, the ultimate goal remains unchanged. Operate in the designated
contests and outperform your regional competitors to win a spot in the
WRTC in 2018. Sure an east coast NA station will usually handily
outscore a Midwest or west coast NA station in the WAE or RXDC contest.
However your qualifying points are still derived from your regional
peers. Sure the no European areas of the world may not have great
propagation to Europe for the entire contest. It comes back to strategy
in selecting bands and operating times. You are still just competing
against your local competitors for WRTC points.

Second, the equalizing of the assisted vs. unassisted. As others have
pointed, this is a deviation from the previous attitude but I believe it
simply adds a new wrinkle and challenge. Learn to use the cluster and
effectively manage the balance between running for rate and chasing
mults. Do it right and you beat your local competitors? Do it wrong and
you lose. Forget the attitude that it is not the way it used to be.
Digital voice keyers, keyboards and computer logging are not the way
contesting used to be, no one is complaining about those enhancements.
Perhaps we should go back to paper logging for contests. 

Third, shortening the qualifying time to two years is a plus. It means
that those that are serious about qualifying for a spot will work hard
for two years. Compare this to previous events where several big names
would pick and choose which contests they would enter and when it was
convenient for them. There was a reduction in commitment because they
enjoyed the luxury of operating superstations and knew they were assured
a great score whenever they decided to operate. 

Fourth, reducing the number of contests where one can earn points while
outside of ones home area. I say eliminate it entirely. Points should
only be earned from within your home area.

Fifth, same situation for being part of a multi operator station.
Reducing, or better yet eliminating it altogether, would be a step in
the right direction I feel. 

Do the folks that feel that comparing assisted to unassisted is a
travesty and wrong, also feel that earning points from being on a
multi-multi in a small propagationally favored region, away from their
home area is also wrong.

WRTC goes a long way to level the playing field during the actual
contest. The winners should be decided based on operating skill,
strategy, and teamwork. 

Qualifying should be based on the same philosophy. An excellent operator
using a typical home station will never outperform someone in the same
region driving a contest superstation. Perhaps there should be score
reductions based on antenna height and number of elements?

I think the WRTC 2018 planners have got it right.

Ed VE4EAR