[UK-CONTEST] Domineering VHF Contest Stations.

[Ken Eastty]

The question which needs to be asked is what is the point of taking part 
in a contest ?
If it is simply so that the same few people see their calls at the top 
of the contest results tables perhaps there's little point.
If however the object is to make V/UHF contests a challenge and not just 
an exercise in working DX then there's no reason why a handicap system 
shouldn't work as it does in many other 'sports'. Once a station has 
reached the top of a particular contest table a power reduction handicap 
could be applied starting at -10dB, this could be taken further if 
required, I suspect that some stations would still do well even if they 
reduced power by 20dB! This is just a basic idea which needs a bit more 
thought otherwise we'll all end up running QRP. Perhaps the handicap 
would be applied when a leading station  exceeds  a  certain  score by 
a  certain percentage.
I can imagine how popular this might be with the lucky few who have 
prime contest locations! However these stations would still have the 
advantage of being able to hear far more than other stations in average 
or poor locations but they will have to work a bit harder to make 
contacts. Instead of being able to sit on one frequency for the whole 
contest and let the rest of the world come to them they might actually 
have to make an effort and chase other stations.
Unfortunately this wouldn't work unless the stations who had a handicap 
applied were inspected, as it is the mere fact that some stations are 
using amplifiers which are capable of running well over the legal limit 
already raises the question about whether every one is playing by the rules.
I don't see any future in either trying to accommodate stations who only 
have vertical antennas and only work FM.

73....

Ken

G3LVP