[CQ-Contest] W5WMU experiment in NAQP

[Radio K0HB]

I checked at Snopes and Myth Busters without success, but I am persuaded that truly "level playing fields" do not exist in the wild, and probably not even in captivity at WRTC.  




In fact, I'll venture the proposition that if a method of consistently "keeping the field level" were developed and applied, it would be the end of Radiosport.




Competition in ANY endeavor, not just radio contests, implies that the winner is the guy who finds a way to tilt the field to their advantage.   




Put that in quotes --- "the winner is the guy who finds a way to tilt the field to their advantage"!




Honda tries to build a more fuel efficient engine than GM.  The Vikings try to build a more formidable defense than the Giants.  The USN tries to develop quieter submarines than the PLAN.  Ms Clinton tries to hire better ad agencies than Mr Trump.  And I might try to become more proficient than KK at SO2R (good luck to me on that deal!).




Quit chasing the level field --- find ways to tilt the field to your favor.  A better antenna, faster code speed, better station ergonomics, develop a way to run SO3R......




Truly leveling the field (could it be done) would mean the triumph of Diana Moon Glampers.




https://archive.org/stream/HarrisonBergeron/Harrison%20Bergeron_djvu.txt










__73, de Hans, K0HB

"Just a Boy and His Radio"™

On Fri, Jan 8, 2016 at 12:14 PM, Stan Stockton <wa5rtg at gmail.com> wrote:

> There sure is a lot of talk about "level playing fields".
> Are there really those who think we should bring everyone down to the lowest level of station and antennas so we can say we have a level playing field?  If so you had better set all of them up in a flat field within a few miles of each other.
> Here are a couple examples of level playing fields -  2m repeaters and computer simulated contesting. 
> I would be sad, but I would very quickly find a new hobby if my activities were limited by the lowest common denominator - limited to dipoles, low power, operating 2m through a repeater, etc.
> About 75% of my enjoyment is thinking about ways to improve my station and trying to implement changes that could make it better.
> The challenge is more difficult but the reward greater when you try to get another 1 dB of gain when after 40 years of working at it you thought you had done all you could do.
> There is a lot of fun left out there for a lot of people who might only have a thousand foot roll of 18 gauge stranded wire ($25 on EBAY), a roll of black fishing twine ($8 from Wal-Mart) and a couple of trees.  End result, after all the fun, is you are way ahead of those who have dipoles, multi-band verticals, etc and perhaps ahead of the guy down the street with his tribander on a 50 foot tower.
> 73... Stan, K5GO
> Sent from Stan's IPhone
>> On Jan 7, 2016, at 10:18 PM, Jeff Clarke <ku8e at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Why not allow high power in the NAQP? The guys that win all the time typically run HP in other contests anyway. Plus most of them have large antenna farms as well. You call that a level playing field? I don't think so.
>> 
>>  Jeff KU8E
>> 
>> 
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