[CQ-Contest] So Sunday Sucked?

[Ward Silver]

 >  Can someone explain how this time was chosen ("tradition" doesn't 
count).

No.  Next question? :-)

Remember that when Sweeps got started (1930) almost all hams were east 
of the Mississippi.  And there was no televised anything. That's 
probably the answer - maybe some of the folks who were around HQ in the 
50s could fine tune it for us.  I have inquired of She Who Knows Such 
Things and will report my findings.

To be completely equitable on propagation, a full 24-hour cycle is 
needed.  But that doesn't address the start/stop times which will always 
be more convenient for some - maybe IARU HF is about right for a NA 
domestic contest, starting at 5 AM on the West Coast and 8 AM on the 
East Coast. Alaska and Hawaii are further west and would have to start 
even earlier - ugh.  PR/VI, and the Maritimes/Newfoundland are in AST - 
so they'd get a 9 AM start...how civilized.  Pick your poison.

Realistically, we have 4, 10, 12, 24, 30, and 48-hour HF contests to 
choose from (and more).  Is one extraordinarily better than the other?

73, Ward N0AX


On 11/8/2017 6:15 PM, Alan M. Eshleman wrote:
> Sounds good, but...why is the starting time for us West Coasters either 1 pm or 2 pm (local depending on which weekend DST changes)?  The East Coast is going dark and cleaning up on 40 and 80 while we're in sun for another few hours.  The East Coast gets to watch college football,  Mostly, we don't.  OTOH, the East Coast operates until 10 pm on what is a work or school night for many.  Can someone explain how this time was chosen ("tradition" doesn't count).
>
> 73.
>
> Alan/K6SRZ
>
>   
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ward Silver" <hwardsil at gmail.com>
> To: "Reflector" <cq-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 9:20:32 AM
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] So Sunday Sucked?
>
>> ...the issue is getting more stations on the air and participating in
> Sweepstakes
>
> W3WN has the real issue identified.  Sweepstakes *is* hard and, frankly,
> that's the point.  Just like Sprint is hard in its own way.
>
> I would like to remind the creative minds here that it is perfectly
> acceptable to create third-party challenges, overlays, and team events
> that coincide with Sweepstakes and which could easily attract additional
> operators.  A CWAC (Contest Within A Contest) requires no rule changes
> and no asterisks.  Get a group together and sponsor one - Rookie
> Challenge, Halftime Rally, Kickoff Klub, Fresh Meat Market, etc - that
> would encourage people to get on Sunday.  Public service leaders - have
> a Radio Fitness Workout with your team on Sunday.  Club leaders - report
> on and offer membership awards for Sunday achievements.  Sunday is a
> perfect time for new hams (or hams new to contesting) to get on when the
> pace is less intense.
>
> Let's find ways to invite and encourage ops to give Sweepstakes a try.
> When they do, follow up with "If you had a good time, here are some more
> opportunities you'll like..."  Not only will we have a few more QSOs in
> our logs, we'll maybe have a few more regular participants and that's
> the big win, in my opinion.
>
> 73, Ward N0AX
>
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