[UK-CONTEST] The UK Activity Contests

Sat Dec 31 06:37:30 PST 2011

Hi Reg, Chris, Roger & all,

Before I make any other comments, I'd like to say I'm not asking for the old
scoring system to be re-instated, time to move on. Something new and radical
is required.

I've been writing this as other posts have come in, and added to it as
necessary, so it may seem a bit disjointed.

I've not thrown my teddy out of my pram, but was not happy with the decision
to change the format of the UKAC's. I still participate most months, mainly
on 144 & 432, with odd forays onto 50 & 70 Mhz. When you lose more than half
your score each month due to the rule change, it's no wonder you get
annoyed, and teddy goes sky-diving.

However the new system is also flawed, by moving the "sweet spot" somewhere
else. I don't believe that was the intention, just to try and bring in areas
where there was little activity. Those of you in that spot won't agree for
obvious reasons and that's ok. No-one expected certain areas to have such an
upsurge of club activity. I'm glad Roger has scotched the myth M5 is
responsible
for the upsurge in activity from IO83. I think I've worked you only once
this year,
I have a similar hill in the way to my NW, but unlike you to the east, have 
very
few lifts
to the NW, having to rely on random aircraft to get contacts.

Question, what is UKAC trying to be. Is it an activity contest from the UK,
or an activity contest within the UK only? Rule S8 would suggest the former.
I quote " These contests are timed to coincide with the last two hours of a
number of European activity contests, with an extra half hour at the end to
encourage intra-UK activity." Whether that statement is now no longer
relevant is up for debate, it was brought in because there was a lack of UK
activity. If not let's go UK-UK and have done with it. Ditch Tuesdays and
you won't be "pestered" by those pesky Europeans. Is that what you really
want?

Stations in squares farther west and north than JO01 are quite happy to work
EU stations when there's a chance (at greater distances), but seems aren't
happy for us to work it a less distance when they can't hear it. I can't
hear a lot of the stuff to the NW, but no-ones suggested doing away with
those mult's.

The difference with IO83 as opposed to JO01 is all your "short" contacts
seem to be there each month, our continental friends can be quite absent if
they have conditions to Scandinavia of further east. Mention has been made
of the amazing activity up in and around IO83, unfortunately I call and call
up there and get very few replies, if I do they are from the better equipped
stations.

Agreed there will never be a completely fair system, but all this one has
done is disadvantage some for the benefit of others, that's not a recipe to
keep loyal supporters happy. Just because it's difficult to do, doesn't mean
you
shouldn't try and improve things after what appears to you to be a
successful change. Don't
rest on your laurels. There's lots of alternative scoring systems, postcodes
only, weighted
locator mult's, radial rings (remember them),  and lots not yet dreamed up.
You just haven't found the
best one yet.

This topic isn't going to go away, we "east coasters" can lobby as well as
anyone up North. :0)

73 Bob G8HGN

---- Original Message ----- 
From: <Regwoolley at aol.com>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] The UK Activity Contests

>I am in the centre of England and struggle to make good points per QSO. So
> all those nice QSO's in io83 io92 are small beer for me. I must therefore
> try  and up my points by working some DX. So from here that's PA,DL etc.
> No
> system is  fair. But those that threw baby out of the bath water forget.
> Its
> A UK ACTIVITY  CONTEST! I do think, the playing field now is about as
> level
> as we can get in  terms of overall points.
>
> I do however like some have mentioned  find the normalise score a bit
> strange. I have had debates with GM4JR over this very subject. Where some
> times
> our scores overall were very close. Yet one gets 1000 points the other
> 500.
> Then  next month one of us have a massive win one gets 1000 the other high
> 800's. This  seems a pretty bizarre system.
>
> To all you who gave up. Then I say this you only fail when you do not try!
>
> Reg G8VHI
>
>
> In a message dated 31/12/2011 09:18:59 GMT Standard Time,
> john at carltonhouse.eclipse.co.uk writes:
>
> Ray and  all
>
> I agree it's been good to see activity in the UKAC increase this  year,
> even
> though I have not been qrv myself, except very occasionally.
> Nevertheless,
> I
> have listened and observed on a number of Tuesday nights.  And I'm glad
> that
> your tireless efforts to persuade the committee to change  the rules to an
> M5
> multiplier were successful. By a remarkable co-incidence  it has enabled
> you
> to achieve some regular top spots in the results  table.
>
> However, as Bob G8HGN has pointed out, there has been a  down-side too. A
> number of previously keen competitors in the SE of England  have voted
> with
> their feet and no longer enter the UKAC. It's ironic that  you can now see
> comments posted along the lines of "worked no-one in 01 or  02 last
> night".
>
> I find the M5 multiplier to be insular and introverted.  It plainly
> discourages us from looking further afield, and instead  encourages
> intense
> areas of activity such as we now see in  IO83.
>
> Unfortunately, the Tuesday night increase in activity has not  been
> transferred to other contests, at least, not yet. I rather think that
> this
> is because longer contests, such as the Trophies, fall into the  "too
> difficult" category.
>
> Ah well, Happy New Year to all, including  the Committee, who have the
> thankless task of trying to please almost  everyone almost all the time !
>
> Regards
>
> John  G4ZTR
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:  uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com]  On Behalf Of Ray James
> Sent: 29 December 2011 01:15
> To: UK  Contesting
> Subject: [UK-CONTEST] The UK Activity Contests
>
> Hi  all,
>
> Here we are approaching the end of year and the final UKAC under  the new
> rules and M5 multiplier of 2011 has taken place.
> I would like to  thank Ed GW3SQX and his contest committee for taking on
> board what myself  and others interested in fostering total UK
> participation
> in VHF, UHF and  Microwave UKAC contesting had suggested.
> Not only did he listen but took  action and the results speak for
> themselves
> with the ever increasing  numbers participating from 6m through to 10 GHz
> and
> equally as important,  from a wide UK geographical spread.
> It has been a great year for UKAC  participation and appreciation must
> also
> be expressed to Richard G4WFR, Ian  G0FCT, Roger G4BVY and Bob G0KYS for
> all
> their prompt adjudicating and  tabulation of results.
> Thank you.
>
> And a very Happy New Year (when it  comes) to everyone on this reflector.
>
>
> 73 Ray  GM4CXM
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