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

Tue Nov 17 10:16:33 EST 2020

  You guys obviously haven't operated much away from the east coast. Mults are not the big deal in WPX. You are forgetting a key part of WPX scoring: there is a huge difference in qso point values, with 6 points for low band qsos and only 1 for in-country qsos. The 6 pointers are much more important than mults. It is also very tough that WPX CW is in summertime conditions with lots of QRN on the low bands.

If you are not on the east coast (especially if low power), for a good part of the contest cqing will only give you 1-point qsos. You have to also S&P very hard to work every 6 or 3-pointer possible. Balancing running and searching for high-point qsos is part of what makes WPX challenging as unassisted, and where skill can make a big difference. Having a ready list of 6-point stations from the cluster turns it into another spot clicking excercise for those who can't run EU 24/7.
"Classic" which does not allow SO2R is not a replacement for unassisted.

Tor N4OGW

    On Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 7:04:31 AM CST, Richard F DiDonna NN3W <richnn3w at gmail.com> wrote:  

 CQWPX is a very different animal than other contests.  When 1 out every 3
QSOs is a multiplier, the incentive to go packet hunting is very much
diminished.  This is a 100% run fest - the multipliers will come to you.
Especially when you get 6 points for intercontinental QSOs on the low
bands....

The only major thing that I can see happening is to alert hams as to when
people are switching bands (going from 20 to 40 or going from 20 to 15 and
10).  Beyond that, packet is not as big of a deal in this particular
contest.

Now I will disagree just a little with Randy's assessment regarding the
viability of assisted versus unassisted operations in the past 5 years.
WPX has been a big points earner for WRTC qualifications and you have seen
a lot of stations find the extra incentive to operate unassisted in WPX in
order to maximize qualification points.

Now if people start thinking about combining assisted and unassisted in
CQWW DX, there may very well be pitchforks and torches carried around.
There, assistance in finding multipliers makes a huge difference in scoring.

73 Rich NN3W

On Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 8:55 PM Randy Thompson <k5zd at outlook.com> wrote:

> On SSB, only 1 time in the past 5 years has the top USA single op winner
> used assistance.  On CW it has been 0 times in the past 5 years.
>
> Single operator success in WPX is about running and making big QSO
> totals.  This change will not have much of an impact on the contest except
> to make it harder for the guys who normally operate assisted to make a top
> box.
>
> Randy K5ZD
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CQ-Contest <cq-contest-bounces+k5zd=outlook.com at contesting.com> On
> Behalf Of Mark Bailey
> Sent: Monday, November 16, 2020 5:07 PM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Rule Changes for the CQ WW WPX SSB and CW
> Contests in 2021
>
> I am very disappointed that the CQ WPX Contests eliminated single operator
> categories.
>
> It isn't a merger - there is nothing left of the single operator category
> rules.
>
> Unfortunately, now the internet and, for CW, the RBN are required to be
> competitive in WPX. :-(.
>
> It is sad that the game of WPX can't be played competitively just on the
> radio any more.
>
> 73,
>
> Mark, KD4D
>
> On November 16, 2020 10:01:55 AM EST, Bud Trench <aa3b.bud at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >The 2021 CQ WW WPX RTTY, SSB and CW contests will include a new
> >Multi-Transmitter Distributed category.  Stations operating in this
> >category may have a maximum of six transmitted signals, one per band at
> >any one time, from stations in different locations.  All equipment,
> >including remotely-controlled equipment, must be located in same DXCC
> >entity and CQ
> >Zone.  Six bands may be activated simultaneously.  This is a new,
> >stand-alone category.  It is not intended to replace, or compete with,
> >other multi-operator categories.
> >
> >
> >
> >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.  This change also results in elimination of the requirement
> >for audio recordings.  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
> >
> >
> >
> >*      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
> >
> >
> >
> >*      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
> >
> >
> >
> >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.  Also, the maximum operating
> >time for Single Operator Classic Overlay participants has been reduced
> >from 36 to 24 hours.
> >Further, the Multi-Operator Single Transmitter High and Low Power
> >Classic Overlay categories have been removed from the rules.
> >
> >
> >
> >The full rules for CQ WW WPX SSB and CW 2021 will be posted on the CQ
> >website <www.cq-amateur-radio.com <http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com> >
> >and the CQ WW WPX Contest website <www.cqwpx.com
> ><http://www.cqwpx.com/> > in early 2021.
> >
> >
> >
> >73,
> >
> >
> >
> >Bud Trench, AA3B
> >
> >Director, CQ WPX Contest
> >
> >web:  <https://cqwpx.com/> https://cqwpx.com
> >
> >email:  <mailto:director at cqwpx.com> director at cqwpx.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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> >CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>
> --
> Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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