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

[Julio VE3FH]

A very disappointing and discouraging change, I would have expected it to go the other way and for the WPX RTTY rules to be brought in line with the WPX CW and WPX SSB.

I agree with each and every one of the points raised by Paul EI5DI below.

73,
Julio VE3FH


On 2020-11-16 11:54, Paul O'Kane wrote:
> 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
> 
> 
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