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

Tue Nov 17 11:22:22 EST 2020

Tor is spot-on. Out here in the western USA, the window for working 6 point 
Europeans in late May is very short. With the weak signals and loud static 
crashes, you don't simply run them. You tediously S&P, in between the very 
strong 1 point USA stations. It's a huge advantage to have 6 pointers presented 
to you on the silver platter of a cluster.

73,
Steve, N2IC

On 11/17/2020 08:16 AM, RT Clay wrote:
>    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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>> 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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