[CQ-Contest] New Category Suggestion

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

You're gonna wanna read this.

 

I really liked Andy's analogy below, but let me give you a REAL example of
something to think about.

If I raced my Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla or Dodge Dart at the track every

weekend against like vehicles, it would seem "fair", right?

OK, some would have slightly fancier paintjobs, slightly better engines,
stickier tires, tweaked suspensions,  etc

or a more experienced driver.  All good.

 

Now.

 

What if on every other weekend, Mr, Moneybags showed up and raced his
12cylinder Ferrari

600hp beast and won every single race.  EVERY race he entered..and somehow,
this was permitted

by the racing rules as he was a single driver.

 

Would that be allowed?

 

Of course not, it's ridiculous.  Makes no sense no matter what sport or
hobby you are talking about.

 

Move to ham radio contesting.

 

If all the local guys have a tribander @ 48' and inverted Vees for 40/80 and
an inverted L @ 40' for 160m

and some won and some lost, depending on their skill level , I think most in
that area would be happy.

Some would add a 4-square for 40m, some would use a beverage on 160m, or try
SO2R but all are "nearly" equal.  Fine.  Skill will play a key role.

 

Enter this: What if, this nice guy with 20 towers, huge arrays of stacked
monobanders 10-40m, 4-squares on 80m/160m and a salt water take off showed
up and won

every single contest he entered.

 

Nobody is saying he's not talented, not skilled, not a nice guy, or doing it
all by the rules..add to that, he built the station with his own hands, own
money or anything at all like that.

(I'd do the same)

It's just that he's driving a Ferrari and all the rest of you are driving
any combination of a normal or slightly more or less than normal cars.

 

How would that make you feel?

 

How is this allowed or maybe a better question would be WHY is it not a
different category?  At some point, it's even beyond "above average" and
you've outgunned all your competition no matter what they do and even a
mutant like N6MJ using a normal or above normal station could not beat this
rival to the towers of the BBC or Radio Moscow.

 

I am not saying some guy that has 2 tribanders to your one tribander should
be a different category (your race car analogy would elude to this) but

what I AM saying is your "normal station " versus a Monster Station, Super
Station, Mega Station or whatever you want to call it, really, by any other

hobby should be classed separately.  

 

If more K3LR's, W3LPL's, NR4M's, LX7I, K9CT, DL1A, 9A1A,  and N6RO's were
only single ops, we'd hear this discussed a lot. As it is, the contest
community at large is blessed that these fellas share their stations with
like minded individuals and you all benefit.

 

Brew on that.  

 

Respectfully, 

 

Mike VE9AA in NB

 

As someone who has worked and raced his own cars, and lost to "hired guns"

who show up and just strap in to the car someone else poured blood, sweat,

and tears into, you know what I did?

 

I worked my butt off to be a better driver, because I knew I'd never have

that kind of equipment on my own - or to hope to be noticed by someone who

DID have that kind of equipment who would put me in their car. I sure

didn't whine about it.

 

Don't like a "hired gun" beating you in your contest of choice after you

slaved to build a station? Real simple answer:

 

Get better at contesting, or stop complaining.

 

Full disclosure: I'm a guy who has a very modest home station (for various

reasons) who gets to play "hired gun" at someone else's nicely built and

engineered contest station. The awards and scoring records I've racked up

there as a single-op are as valid as any others. Don't like me beating you?

GET BETTER. It's a competition, not Romper Room.

 

"There is no terrible way to win. There is only winning." --Jean-Pierre

Sarti, "Grand Prix"

 

73, Andy NY7N

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB