[CQ-Contest] Low Power Change to ARRL Contests

[John Unger]

I seem to remember that not all that long ago, when LP was 150W, that the
League made it illegal to use an amp in the LP contests to bring the output
of a 100W rig up to 150W. But I can’t remember exactly when that ruling was
made or how common the practice was, though…

73 - John, W4AU


On Fri, Dec 24, 2021 at 09:59 Edward Sawyer <EdwardS at advanced-conversion.com>
wrote:

> I believe it was - back in the 60s and 70s - however it changed to 150W
> output power sometime by 1980 or so and has been that ever since, by my
> remembrance.
>
> Ed  N1UR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: W4NZ Ted Bryant <w4nz at comcast.net>
> Sent: Friday, December 24, 2021 10:26 AM
> To: wc1m73 at gmail.com; Edward Sawyer <EdwardS at advanced-conversion.com>;
> cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] Low Power Change to ARRL Contests
>
> Wasn't the original rule for 150w based at that time on INPUT power, plate
> voltage X plate current?  With final amp efficiencies then, that equated to
> about 100w output, today's rule.
>
> 73 es MX,
> Ted W4NZ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces+w4nz=
> comcast.net at contesting.com]
> On Behalf Of wc1m73 at gmail.com
> Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2021 1:20 PM
> To: 'Edward Sawyer'; cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Low Power Change to ARRL Contests
>
> 100W vs 150W for Low Power has been under discussion at ARRL for a long
> time. I agree that it affects comparisons with previous scores, records,
> etc., but I don't have a lot of concern about that. It doesn't seem to make
> a whole lot of sense from a contesting perspective to make an exception for
> FD, but ARRL says FD isn't a contest.
>
> I think the idea is that the vast majority of modern transceivers max out
> at 100W (or a little less), and it requires a more expensive rig or an amp
> to achieve 150W. That means you have to spend considerably more money to be
> competitive in the Low Power category. Also, some amps may not perform
> properly (cleanly?) at such a low gain level. I guess there could be a
> concern that there would be too much temptation to goose the power a little
> higher to complete a tough contact. It seems like a sensible change to me.
>
> I'm thinking the exception for FD is to reduce the level of frustration
> when operating with low wire antennas from less than ideal locations, and
> ARRL wants FD to be a happy, non-competitive event. That said, I doubt many
> low power teams operating on emergency power use amps because they require
> more gas for the generators.
>
> As for messing up comparisons with previous scores and records, that's
> always possible when rules are modified. But if that consideration prevents
> modification of contest rules, then we can never improve contests. Similar
> things happen with DXCC, Honor Roll, #1 Honor Roll, etc. You can't compare
> apples to apples when the list of official entities keeps changing, which
> it must. And can we really compare Tom Brady with Joe Montana or Otto
> Graham?
> The numbers say yes, but the rules and game were totally different in
> their respective eras.
>
> I take contest records with a grain of salt. It's even hard to compare
> one's own performance from year to year because conditions and
> participation are never the same. Rough comparisons may be helpful to see
> if your performance is improving, but a more useful way to do that is to
> compare your rank with the same set of competitors over a period of many
> years and multiple sunspot cycles if possible. I have spreadsheets for CQ
> WW CW and CQ WPX CW going back over 20 years that compare my score, rank,
> QSOs and mults on each band, etc., with the winner of the contest. The
> spreadsheet also records the antennas I used and solar/geomagnetic activity
> for the contest weekend each year.
>
> 73, Dick WC1M
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Edward Sawyer <EdwardS at advanced-conversion.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2021 7:01 AM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Low Power Change to ARRL Contests
>
> I saw today that this change was announced in the ARRL Contests starting
> in Jan 1.  The Low Power Category will be changed from 150W output to 100W
> output.  On a contest to contest basis, this has no significant impact.
> However, on previous scores it does.  For any of you who have ever
> seriously competed using Low Power, 50W matters on 80 and 160M, especially
> on SSB contests.
>
> I found it surprising that an exception was made for Field Day????
> Really???
> Why Field Day? Isn't everyone using primarily mobile HF rigs for Field Day
> anyway and none put out more than 100W?  And since "its not a contest" why
> is making that exception so important.   The never ending head scratching
> over the ARRL and Field Day......
>
> This will make records harder to beat in this category going forward.
>
> Ed  N1UR
>
>
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