Topband: CQ WW 160

[Jim Brown]

On 1/26/2025 2:24 PM, Ed Parish wrote:
> The current scoring system penalizes US stations. VEs work the endless
> number of US stations for 5 points while US to US, whether it is CA to CA
> or CA to VT, only get 2 points. Eu to Eu is usually 5 points unless you are
> a DL working all the other DLs. Here in MA I averaged around 3 to 3.5
> points per Q. Examining most Eu scores and you will find they are closer to
> 5 and usually higher. I can't see any US station winning a world title (or
> even NA) in this contest.

It's not only VE compared to US -- that's nothing compared to west coast 
vs east coast, where under the best conditions and activity, I can work 
8-10 mults in OC and AS over water paths of 5,000 - 6,000 miles, with JA 
the only country with a lot of contesting activity, while a similar 
station on the east coast, especially New England, has a shorter path, 
also over water, to the many countries in Europe, many of them with a 
lot of activity.

Neighbor K6XX is a great contester who has built a fine contesting 
station at the peak of a ridge with a great dropoff to most of the 
world, and has been to WRTC several times. His station, before it was 
destroyed in a wild fire 4 years ago. was so good that when I had a 
chance to operate there in a major SSB DX contest, I could hold a run 
frequency at the low end of the band into Europe against the biggest 
east coast stations!  Bob didn't qualify for the one in New England, but 
did get to operate from a good station there. He described the 
experience as being in a completely different contest as compared to 
working it from home.

73, Jim K9YC