[UK-CONTEST] VHF Contests too long?

[Ray James]

  Richard G3CWI wrote:
  An exchange of emails elsewhere led to someone suggesting that the VHF
Contest (all of them) are too long. This related to the VHFCC where it
 was suggested that 2.5 hrs was too long and the HFCC ones were more
 realistic.  
I found it hard to agree with that but having done the VHF Low Power
 (2m) and the Backpackers Contests recently, I did think they might benefit
 from a slightly shorter period.
The six hours of the VHF Low Power remined me somewhat of the old RSGB
7MHz DX Contest - now that was really slow from 0000zzzzz to 0500zzzzz.
   
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  I wonder if the recent VHFCC decision to put the UK out on a limb in relation to Europe with the non use of DXC/ON4KST for 6/4/2/70 generated the email exchanges Richard has had.
  The knock on effect is exactly what I told the VHFCC at the time....an exodus of operators in further reaches of the UK wishing to support these contests.
  This in turn leads to fewer "multiplier opportunities" so what we get now from my experience is a mayhem of low scoring inter-G contacts taking place and everyone scrambling for the last bit of RF to be heard and then finding the contacts dry up.
  Personally, the only band effected for me was 70cm as I only ever came on 2m to give points/multipliers away. The conclusion reached since the rule inception is substantial lack of stations on 70cm looking to the four corners of the UK for contacts because they're scared stiff of missing something medium range. 
  VHFCC used a sledgehammer to crack a nut and deserve the wrath of operators who feel exactly as I do and have voted by also not supporting the contests effected.
  The european operators think it's hilarious from the comments I've seen.
  VHFCC brought in this change without producing the proof of DXC/ON4KST abuse.
  Rather than penalise everyone...they should have penalised or disqualified whoever they found abusing their rules and not everyone.
      
As it is not effected, I'll be qrv this Tuesday for the 2.5 hours of 23cm/13cm UKAC and as usual expect to be kept pretty well occupied from start to finish. Being able to make a schedule is no guarantee of a contact. It is the experimental nature of trying to make the contact that is more important. Use 'em or lose 'em.
   
   
73 Ray GM4CXM 
  IO75TW
   

       
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