[CQ-Contest] NCJ Article RE: Sweepstakes Change Suggestions

[Jeff Clarke]

I'm perplexed by some of the comments on this subject.  I'm not 
proposing counting multipliers for each band. (like NAQP) Only allowing 
QSO's on different bands. So I guess what I don't understand is why all 
traditionalists out there are willing to accept SO2R and using spotting 
assistance but can't accept the possibility of allowing QSO's on 
different bands. Why don't they complain about that ruining Sweepstakes? 
As far as I know Sweepstakes is the only contest (Or is it an operating 
event like Field Day?) that you can operate on multiple bands but only 
make one QSO per station.

I have been doing Sweepstakes for 40 years (from Ohio and the last 15 
years from Georgia) so I consider myself to be well versed on this subject.

I have come to the conclusion that everyone has some type of advantage 
on some band.

    a) For the east coast and eastern part of midwest (W8, W9, eastern 
W0) - 40 meters during the day and 80 meters at night.

    b) For MN,KS,NE,CO, northern WI, Dakotas - 20 meters during the day 
and 40 meters at night. Maybe 15 meters if the band is open.

    c) For the west coast - 20 meters, 15 and (10 meters if band is 
open) during the day and 40 meters at night.

    d) For W5 (TX and NM) - 20 meters, 15 and (10 meters if band is 
open) during the day and 40 meters at night.

    e) For the southeast - 20 meters during the day and 40 meters at 
night. Sometimes 15 meters if it opens.

  A station on the east coast and eastern part of the midwest can do 
very good without even going to 20/15/10 meters. The only reason to go 
to 20/15/10 is to work multipliers. If you look at QSO breakdown most 
stations in this part of the county make 85% of their contacts on 80 and 
40 meters.

A station further away from the east coast/midwest area can do very good 
by operating on just 20 meters during the day and 40 meters at night. 
Plus 15/10 meters during the day if it happens to open up.

So allowing contacts on different bands really doesn't give an advantage 
to anyone. The SO2R guys would probably do better but they are still 
going to kick your a** the way the rules are now. Allowing contacts on 
multiple bands would probably increase activity (and the fun factor). I 
guarantee there are lots of people who quit Sweepstakes early after they 
get a sweep.

Jeff


-- 
*Jeff Clarke*
Information Technology Professional
Ellerslie, Georgia

My LinkedIn Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-clarke-ga>