[UK-CONTEST] CQWW Observations

[G3SJJ]

I guess probably the worst example is CQWW 160 where the exchange is 59(9)
plus country, so you only need to get the callsign, and Super Check Partial
will help in many cases. There is no recognised list so you send what you
want!

What is increasingly drawing me to CQWW SSB/CW is it can be all things to
all people. For example, over the last few years Ian G4IIY and I have gone
head to head on SOAB. The Old Fart with slightly better aerials v The Young
Pretender who can hack less sleep. We ain't going to win any prizes but it
was interesting to see how we compared, during the contest by exchanging
scores at certain times, then at the end for the overall score. It was
actually fairly even. This year we both did multi-op and again it was close.
I have to say I now prefer Multi-Op.

You get all the guys going out to Carib, Africa etc. Also, a big spin-off is
the amount of preparation and research people do, and then later share with
other in articles in National Contest Journal for example. Here I have spent
some time working on the antenna system and it was great to see the mults be
worked many times on first call. There is so much to do during the contest -
Running to keep the Rate Meter up, S&P to find the Mults, keeping an eye on
propagation to get the optimum direction and band etc. We used N1MM for the
first time for all of us. It was great fun learning some new software
together.

Andy, as they say down London way, "Fink Positive."     Chris G3SJJ



-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Don Beattie
Sent: 29 November 2005 10:24
To: Andy swiffin; uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] CQWW Observations


I have some sympathy for this view, Andy,  (despite the fact that I think
the WW contests are great fun).

For example I get great enjoyment out of the Stew Perry 160 metre contest  -
there you need to exchange grid squares (which can be quite a challenge on
160 !) But I guess sooner or later someone will compile a "known grid
squares" look-up list for most 160 metre stations - hey-ho !

I think the skill in HF (CW) contests like WW now is propagation, competence
in reading CW (you still need to get the call right !), and the ability to
stay awake. I'm not too concerned about keyboard sending - although I find
you need to mix and match between keys and paddle to keep the speed up. I
think we need to embrace new operating aids - but not, heaven forbid,  to
the extent that the computer can run the contest unaided. Fortunately we are
a few years from that (:-)

73

Don, G3BJ





----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy swiffin" <a.l.swiffin at dundee.ac.uk>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 9:59 AM
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] CQWW Observations


>>  Everything else was great.  CQWW is!! Guess
>> Vive le CQWW. Chris G3SJJ, at G8D.
>>
>
> Obviously I'm missing something - quite a few people have written great
> praise for the cqww contests.  Surely its the most pointless one out -
> once you've got the callsign you may as well just qsy, the rest of the
> excgange is meaningless!  Oh - zone 14, 5, 11, 33 or whatever - what a
> surprise.......  With serials being passed (and compared at
> adjudication) there's some point in the contest exchange and some skill
> in correctly copying the info.
>
> You old style Hfers are just far too soft, every HF contest should
> exchange real reports (heaven forbid), serials and FULL LOCATOR, that
> would sort out the men from the boys.
>
> Oh, and no automatic keyers - everything by hand, then we'd see if 3V5A
> was still sending at 45wpm by sunday evening, I wonder if he realises
> how many qsos he lost because the other end couldn't work out who on
> earth he was - it was fun listening on his (and other hot rods)
> frequencies to the number of ..--..s there were.
>
> No serious attempt in this contest from me, about 160 qsos and some
> fun.  Nice to play a bit of topband and 80.
>
> cheers
> Andy
> gm8oeg