Topband: 42 or 48 hours?

[Bill Tippett]

G3SVL wrote:

>W4ZV said: " I'm not sure what is the point of endlessly debating this....."
>
>Because contests are for the competitors and others who just enjoy the band
>activity!  From the bandwidth generated on this reflector it seems less
>than an 'academic issue'.  Perhaps someone at CQ mag would like to
>volunteer an opinion to this reflector as to the harm of adding 6 more hours!

        Chris, just to set the record straight, I have no problems with a
change to 48 hours...in fact I favor it IF limited operating time were added
for single operators.  I certainly DO NOT want to see 48 hours if I have to
stay on during daylight working 5-10 guys per hour just to be competitive...
that is NOT fun and is about the most BORING thing I can imagine...not to 
mention tiring.

        What I do object to is discussions relating to "leveling the playing
field".  This truly is an academic exercise in futility!   We cannot all have
the same location with equivalent amounts of darkness, seasonal QRN, average 
distance to populated areas, multiplier density, paths through auroral zones,
soil conductivity, etc, ad infinitum.  The Stew Perry Contest was set up to
address some of these issues but you will notice its popularity may in 
fact may declining because it "leveled the playing field" to the point
that many are operating QRP or low power and thus actually discouraging
DX contacts.  The World Radio Team Championship is the only contest I know 
of that truly attempted to level the playing field but even that was not
totally successful due to some sites having power outages, bad weather, etc.

        I am working on the survey page and it will include choices for:

1.  Leave things as they are (42 hours).
2.  24 hours
3.  48 hours
4.  24 hours with a single op operating limit (like Stew Perry).
5.  48 hours with a single op operating limit (like CQ WPX).

Be thinking about your favorite and I'll let you know when the site is ready.

                                                        73,  Bill  W4ZV


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