[VHFcontesting] 6meter - distance scoring

[Tad Danley]

The Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge uses distance scoring. 
http://www.jzap.com/k7rat/stew.html
The Stew also has a power multiplier where you get 2X points for working 
100 watt stations and 4X points for working QRP.

Personally I like the fact that differenct contests have different rules 
- it makes things more interesting.

73,

Tad Danley, K3TD
EM10dq


On Fri, Jun 20, 2008 at  8:30 AM, Duane - N9DG wrote:

> I too am a long time proponent of distance based scoring. Not so much 
> for the notion of "leveling the playing field", whatever that is. But 
> instead to build-in more incentive for all of the participants to want 
> to build more capable stations. More stations that there are that can 
> make the long haul Q's, then the more Q's there is for everybody. The 
> way it is now there is comparatively little incentive for people in 
> the denser population centers to build better stations to pick up just 
> another dozen Q' on 2M or above when they can make nearly 100 closer 
> by with fairly modest antenna systems. Also with the current emphasis 
> on Q counts over distance we get silly things like grid circling by 
> rovers and rovers clinging to population center. Rovers would want to 
> do that simply because that's where the Q's are, that's 
> understandable. Although fuel prices now may be the biggest 
> disincentive long haul roves.
>
> A 6 digit grid exchange based distance based scoring system would not 
> necessarily break the ability to compare new score with old scores 
> because extracting Q counts and 4 digit grids is a piece of cake. 
> Calculating scores by the contest sponsor is no challenge either with 
> computerized log checking.
>
> At this point the single biggest challenge of distance based scoring 
> is how to handle 6M. Simple distance based scoring will turn almost 
> every VHF contest in to a 6M only event. Today even with a decent 6M 
> opening the ops that score very well overall also show a strong 
> presence on the higher bands. It is somewhat rare for 6M only op to 
> win a VHF contest even with a wide open band all weekend, though they 
> can make a real good run at it. But trying to scale 6M Q/distance 
> values destroys the value of 6M Q's if there is no Es at all. I really 
> don't know what the answer is for the 6M distance based scoring 
> conundrum.
>
> And if I'm not mistaken don't many of the EU VHF contests use distance 
> based scoring? And from what I can tell they have high levels of 
> participation.
>
> Duane
> N9DG
>
>
> --- On Fri, 6/20/08, David Olean <k1whs at metrocast.net> wrote:
>
>> From: David Olean <k1whs at metrocast.net>
>> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] 6meter
>> To: "Ron Hooper" <w4wa at alltel.net>, "Gabor Horvath, VE7DXG" 
>> <ve7dxg at rac.ca>
>> Cc: VHFcontesting at contesting.com
>> Date: Friday, June 20, 2008, 7:31 AM
>> Hi Ron,
>>     I am with you, but anytime the concept is brought up,
>> the complaints start flying.  The fact is that contest stations are 
>> built
>> to accomodate the conditions in the geographical area of that 
>> station.  I
>> live in a remote area far away from most VHF active population 
>> centers. The
>> only one I can take adavntage of is the Boston Area, about 100 miles 
>> away.
>> Philly is 350 miles. NYC is 250 miles away.  Needless to say, a seven
>> element two meter yagi would be a waste of time here. If I lived 
>> between
>> Philly or NYC I might be very happy with a seven element yagi. I 
>> could be
>> competitive, contestwise, as the numbers of stations I could work 
>> would
>> be high. Here in rural Maine, I would work about 25 stations.
>>     The complaints revolve around the unfair advantage
>> gained from:
>> 1. Running high power  VHF amps cost too much and are not
>> affordable for many.
>> 2. Big antennas They are unfair too.   I can't swing a
>> big antenna in my yard.
>> 3. Towers cost way too much money. I can't compete
>> without a big tower.
>> 4. Running too many bands.  Transceivers are too expensive
>> making it impossible to compete.
>>
>>     Still it would be fun to have distance scoring.  It
>> removes the advantage, to a small extent, of stations in high
>> population areas. I think it levels the geographical playing field a 
>> bit.
>>
>> Dave K1WHS
>>
>
>
>
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