Topband: QRP scoring in contests

[Ken Brown]

In every contest I know of, which gives a higher multiplier for QRP 
operation, the QRP multiplier is an all or nothing deal. You cannot use 
your better judgment and switch on the PA to complete a QSO that is 
requiring repeat after repeat just to get your callsign through at QRP 
power level, unless you want to lose your QRP status for the entire 
contest. If the QRP multiplier could be applied individually to each 
QSO, or not when the QSO is completed using higher power, we could all 
have more fun. One of the great advantages touted for QRP is reduction 
of QRM. With the all or nothing multiplier scheme there is no incentive 
for the big guns to use QRP to work a station across town, and someone 
wanting to get the QRP multiplier can be really frustrating to a QRO 
station who listens for weak ones. With a QRP multiplier applicable 
individually to each QSO, QRP really could reduce QRM.

Some will claim it would be too difficult to log, or too easy to cheat. 
I think the logging could be easily automated with a PA on/off status 
input to the logging computer. As for cheating, you can't prevent it 
even with our present scoring schemes.

DE N6KB