[UK-CONTEST] 144 UKAC

[Ray James]

--- On Thu, 7/6/12, Rob Harrison <robharrison at g8hgn.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

 
> The format of UKAC did need changing to attract new stations and the 
previous method of including EU squares did have a bias.

Great to see somebody in JO01 finally accept what those outwith the SE had felt for years. Though it wasn't just very "new" stations that needed attracting to the UKAC's but many existing licence holders who were seldom heard, put off by constantly being on the back of beams or hearing nothing under M2 in UKAC's or similar rules evident in  most pan-European contests.    
I never started up the call for M5 those years ago to put Scotland in a place of advantage. I did it for two main reasons.

Firstly, for more inclusive UK support in what is after all a UK Activity Contest. As I've written previously, M5 provided the fairest compromise to everyone in the UK by shifting any perceived advantage to the middle of England rather than the South East corner.
The fact that a number of vociferous JO operators continue to moan, groan and abstain 18 months after the change holds little water with me.
I don't give a Castlemaine XXXX if a minority of folks nose's are out of joint 'cos they've lost a perceived position of advantage working X number of G's and XXX number of continentals in a UK Activity Contest. 
They are selfishly only looking at what they get out of it and not the greater good of UK VHF+ Radio. 

Now we have active participation in most of the UKAC's along the south coast, deepest SW, all parts of Wales, IoM, GI and right up to the top of GM including the Orkney's. Not everyone enters but that brings me to my reason number two.

We do not ever envisage any threat to our HF bands.
They are mostly primary allocations but the same cannot be said on VHF+.
Though 2m is a Primary allocation, between 6m and GHz bands many are secondary and if we don't use them we weaken any claim we have to entitlement in retention for amateur radio use.
The more strings those who safeguard our spectrum have to their bow the better and contesting and contest entries provide a perfect indicator that can be be presented should the need for proof arise.
By entering, even a token entry, UK amateurs will be contributing even if not competing but both aspects have positive attributes.


> However a bias is now with other stations, and the scoring system needs
> looking at again to eliminate geographical bias for ANY part of the UK. 

Impossible Bob.

M2 = JO00/JO01/JO02/JO03 heavy bias + beams predominently south east.
Points per Km = JO00/JO01/JO02/JO03 heavy bias + beams SE again.
Radial Rings = JO01/JO02/IO91 + beams predominently SE again.
M2 + Postal Codes = JO01/JO02/IO91/IO92 med/heavy bias + beams All D + SE.
M5 = IO91/IO92 low bias + beams all directions.
M5 + Postal Codes = IO91/IO92/IO82/IO83 med bias + beams all directions.
Postal Codes = IO91/IO92/IO82/IO83 med bias + beams all directions.

So whatever is chosen there is going to be some part of the UK and usually the same or similar few with a geographical advantage.
I always maintained a retention of interest to work continentals and as shown by my own results and others, this has continued unabated. 
Accepting that the middle of England (just about) has a slight edge with no guarantee every month is a recipe for a happy UK ship and would only be surpassed and made even more interesting and/or competitive by having M5 + RSGB Postal Codes, which I also wrote about.
The reason I like Postal Codes is that continued interest would be maintained in working stations in a locator you've already worked for a multiplier when PC's present additional multipliers within them. 

> I can use selective examples just as well as Ray can, somewhere in between lies the truth. Lies, damn lies and statistics!

Agreed Bob!
You body swerved the results for JO02 with G4IRC, the Ipswich Radio Club currently topping the 2m restricted section in the UK and more proof positive that being in the JO line and near to the North Sea coast isn't the massive disadvantage some make it out to be with M5. 
Good contest tactics to work as many UK squares and stations as possible and also fill your boots with long range continental contacts for "points only" is a recipe for success. Bryn G4DEZ in JO03 has managed to do the same and I'm sure enjoying not sticking out like a sore thumb with a runaway lead but others now snapping at his heels each month so it'll go to the wire who eventually wins. Runaway east coast winners are a thing of the past now that any perceived bias has moved inland yet each month is usually throwing up different winners. It's a win win situation :-)
 
 
> So committee don't rest on your laurels just because it appears that everything is ok, it isn't. It could be better, it may be hard to find a solution, but that's no reason not to try.

Me thinks if it ain't broken, don't fix it!


> 73
> Bob G8HGN

73 Ray GM4CXM

> PS: I haven't gone over to the dark side yet.... HF contests :0))

Pity Bob...it can be good fun as well. Have fun.