[CQ-Contest] [PVRC] A DX Contest on the WARC bands -- A terrible idea

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Tim,
IMHO, there's a big difference between an "operating activity" that has, at most, a relative handful of stations on the WARC bands... such as a DXpedition or two, or at most, 1 or 2 W1AW/# stations on each band/mode at one time, or a pittance of POTA stations QRV... and a contest that will encourage multiple stations (dozens to hundreds to more) to be on the WARC bands at the same time.
The Centennial activity was a special case... and even if it was called a "QSO Party" it was not a contest in the traditional sense, in that it took place over the course of a year, with multiple stations only operating for a week at a time from only a few states/territories at a time.  It was not hundreds or thousands of operators all trying to use the band(s) at once, in a short (4, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 consecutive hours) period of time.
It is also, IMHO, an ethical breach with the non-contesting or minimal-contesting portions of the Amateur community.  Literally for decades, we (the contesters in the community) have been saying that contesting is not supported on the WARC bands, at all, ever.  Period.  If this proceeds, it will be at best a stain on us.  It will give the appearance of condoning activity that we ourselves have decried for years.  And it will be used against us, by the more vocal of the anti-contest contingent... something on the lines of "they promised there'd be no contesting on the WARC bands.  And then there was.  They lied.  If they'll lie about this, then they'll lie about sharing the bands, and (etc etc etc)"

This was and is a bad idea.  The WARC bands should not be used for this.  Not now, and not for the forseeable future.
IMHO.  YMMV.  VWPBL(STn).
73, ron w3wn

-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Shoppa <tshoppa at gmail.com>
To: Frank Donovan W3LPL (Frank Donovan W3LPL) <donovanf at erols.com>
Cc: cq-contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>; PVRC Reflector <pvrc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Mon, Aug 30, 2021 2:09 pm
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] [PVRC] A DX Contest on the WARC bands -- A terrible idea

Frank, is it as simple that they made the mistake in calling it a
"Contest"? If they called it an "Activity tracker" or "QSO Party" would
that have been better?

The ARRL encouraged activity on all bands and modes in 2014 with their
Centennial QSO Party. Including awarding points for WARC bands. And it
didn't cause any problems. http://www.arrl.org/centennial

Tim N3QE

On Mon, Aug 30, 2021 at 12:54 PM <donovanf at erols.com> wrote:

> The URL for the Southeast DX Club's badly thought out DX
> contest rules that include contesting in the WARC bands is:
>
> https://t-rexsoftware.com/sedxc/100_watts_and_a_wire/index.htm
>
> I urge you to immediately state your objections to the SEDXC
> club president at:    c.catledge at gmail.com
>
> Hopefully this very well respected DX club (at least until now)
> will correct their egregious error before Sept 1st.
>
> If no correction is made, all self respecting contesters should
> boycott this contest in protest.
>
> 73
> Frank
> W3LPL
>
>
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