[UK-CONTEST] UKAC Contests.

[Robert Chipperfield]

Hi all,

While I think the argument that the UKACs are too long may have been 
true a couple of years ago, I think it's much less true now. Here's the 
(claimed) hourly rates for the last four 2m UKACs for G3PYE/P for 
2000-2100, 2100-2200 and 2200-2230:

September: 61, 43, 52
August: 54, 56, 34
July: 23, 53, 48
June: 47, 30, 20

Yes, there's generally a drop-off later in the evening, but it's not 
exactly at the point where you're falling asleep in front of the radio 
(like 2m AFS was for the last two hours, for example!).  I think I'm 
right in saying that entries are still on the rise, and with that, it's 
becoming harder each month to work everyone in the time available, so a 
shortening of the contest duration seems unnecessary.

Regarding the end time for portables, while I can understand the unease 
about being in a remote location on your own, I'd simply advocate doing 
so with a friend instead! It's obviously how we operate, and I believe 
G5MW/P, G8MKC/P, M0NUT/P and no doubt others do likewise - it's a nice 
social occasion.

(For the record, I also find the 2000 local start time convenient as it 
allows time to get to site and set up after work, whereas an earlier 
start would make this a little tighter for those who do go out and set 
up gear every week...)

As for the club aspect of the scoring, that's a tougher problem. On the 
one hand, most clubs (the Camb-Hams included) can't hope to compete with 
those at the top of the table who have huge numbers of entrants, which 
is a shame. On the other hand, it's wonderful to hear all the activity 
that the likes of Bolton have generated, and I wouldn't want to swap 
that for any certificate! In a contest that labels itself an "activity" 
contest, it seems that making the rules err on the side of generating 
more activity is a good call.

Maybe it could be a second table of results: the current table of 
overall club scores, and another as Robert suggested taking the top four 
entrants from each club, as in AFS? Then again, maybe that's a niche the 
AFS contests already serve, and the UKACs are just a good excuse to get 
loads of people on air for a few hours...

73,
Rob, M0VFC

On 10/09/2012 21:47, RONALD PRICE wrote:
> I agree totally with Robert's first statement especially the finishing
> time of 10.30pm.
> I only ever consider going portable during the lighter evenings of
> May, June and July and even then I usually pack up at about 9.45 in
> order to get home by 10.30.
> Portable locations by their nature are usually very remote and I feel
> very uneasy being all alone at that time of night with a car full of
> expensive radio gear!
> I am sure that a starting time of 7.30 and a finish at 9.30 would
> encourage much more participation by portable stations.
>
> Best wishes to all.
>
> Ron, GW4EVX
>
>
> On 10/09/2012, Robert <m0oro at aim.com> wrote:
>>
>> The Tuesday night UKAC contests taking 2.5 hours are too long. Most contacts
>> are made in the first hour and then it tails off. Think also of the /P
>> stations having to pack up at 10.30 pm. A time reduction should be
>> considered.
>>
>> Use of clusters and chat rooms should be prohibited for all UKAC contests.
>> Using the INTERNET to secure a contact is NOT what radio contest operating
>> is about. Not all contestants have an Internet connection available during a
>> contest.
>>
>> This series of contests is good for individual scoring, but not for clubs,
>> how can you have a serious club contest when teams vary in numbers, of
>> course a club with say 10 entrants will beat a club with say 2 entrants.
>> Where is the fair competition in that ?  Therefore limit the team size to
>> specific numbers. Then different leagues for different team sizes.
>> Four and two operator teams would be appropriate.
>>
>> 73,
>> Robert. M0JRB/G8BUN.
>>
>>
>>
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