[CQ-Contest] Rule Changes for the CQ WW WPX SSB and CW Contests in 2021

[Paul O'Kane]

On 16/11/2020 15:01, Bud Trench wrote:

<snip>

> QSO alerting systems will now be permitted in all CQ WW WPX SSB and CW
> Single Operator categories, except the Single Operator Classic Overlay
> categories.

That's a weasel way of announcing that the Single Op Unassisted category 
has been abolished in WPX.

> This change also results in elimination of the requirement for
> audio recordings.

That represents no justification whatsoever for abolishing SOU. Rather, 
it's a consequence of abolishing SOU.

> The drivers for combining the Single Op Assisted and
> Unassisted categories include:
>
>   
>
> *	Use of QSO alerting systems by single operator participants is
> allowed in 70% (33 or 47) of the international DX contests recently
> reviewed, including CQ WPX RTTY

Again, that does not justify anything.  If 70% of entries in those 47 
contests were HP, would you use that to abolish LP and QRP? If not, why 
not?.

> *	It is becoming increasingly more difficult to draw the line between
> assisted and unassisted operations as SDR technologies become more
> integrated with contest software / networks

Then, you really should try harder.  Is it correspondingly more 
difficult to draw the line between HP and LP?


> *	This step further aligns CQ WW WPX SSB / CW with CQ WW WPX RTTY.
> The use of QSO alerting systems in CQ WW WPX RTTY has been permitted since
> the mid-1990's

You're aligning the SSB and CW events with RTTY.  Why not align RTTY 
with the others, and reinstate Single OP Unassisted?


> The Single Operator Classic Overlay categories will continue to prohibit the
> use of QSO alerting systems and should be considered by participants
> preferring to be unassisted.

That is no consolation whatsoever.  Further, it limits those "preferring 
to be unassisted" (as you quaintly put it) to 24 hours of operation.

73,
Paul EI5DI