[VHFcontesting] A distance scoring contest

[k3dne at comcast.net]

If I remember correctly... The W3ZZ distance scoring scheme described in his 1999 CQ-Contest article capped the # of points per contact over a certain distance and further at 3 points per contact: The W3ZZ scheme was to use a concentric grid square ring model for distance scoring where contacts with stations in your own grid or the ring of grids that touch your grid to be worth 1 point, the next ring of grids outward count for 2 points, contacts with stations in the next ring AND beyond worth 3 points. Points are the same on all bands. During the subsequant discussions, various versions of that theme and a 6 digit grid exchange was banterred about extensively. 

If a 6-digit distance based scoring scheme was used max points per contact could be set as well so that eme, wsjt etc. qso's wouldn't skew the score - as much. 

73, 
Ed K3DNE 


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marshall Williams" <k5qe at sabinenet.com> 
To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com 
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 11:08:33 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: [VHFcontesting] A distance scoring contest 

Hello to everyone.....Concerning the Distance scoring thing: First, let 
me say that I neither oppose nor favor a distance measured contest. I 
have never operated in one and it might be fun. 

However, I would like to bring up an issue that has not been 
considered. In the Jan VHF contest, I made 36 2M EME contacts with 
stations all over Europe and the US. Although there are only a few 
JA's, VK's, and ZL's on EME, it is certainly possible to work them too. 
Below I have listed a few of these contacts, just for calculation 
purposes. 

A bit of analysis here: The longest contact made was to Glenn, ZS2GK at 
9124 miles....the shortest to John, W4RBO, was only 774 miles. Most EU 
contacts are 5000+ miles. The run of the mill US contacts were from 
1200- to 1900- miles. I have only listed 31 contacts, with a total 
mileage of 120997. 

The issue that I want to advance is that a single contact of 9124 miles 
would be the same as 91 contacts of 100 miles--or 45 contacts of 200 
miles. I doubt very much that I make 45 contacts of 200 miles or more 
to non-EME stations in *any* VHF contest on 2M. The contacts listed(the 
other 5 are scattered in my log somewhere) would be equivalent to 1209 
contacts of 100 miles and 604 contacts of 200 miles!! I certainly have 
never made 1209 contacts on 2M in any contest, much less of 100 miles. 
I have never made 604 contacts on 2M either....of any distance. I guess 
I can dream.....HI. 

Hence, and I am finally getting to the point of all this, a distance 
scoring contest would inevitably become a "mini-EME" contest with 
whatever locals you could find thrown in. I would participate in this 
contest and have fun, especially since I would have a major advantage 
over everyone in the country except for a few spoil sports.....like 
W5UN, KB8RQ, K9MRI, W7GJ, K6MYC, K1JT, and a few others. HI. You may 
see pictures of my "advantage" on my web site. 

Finally, a contest where the advantage of the folks living in the 
"Golden Corridor" is eliminated!!! It is CLEAR that we should have such 
a contest!!! Considering how awful the propagation was in this Jan 
contest, maybe the Jan contest should be it. 

OK you say, we will just ban EME contacts in such a contest. Well that 
certainly files in the face of a distance measured contest. We want 
people to work hard to make difficult, long distance contacts--just not 
TOO long distance!! 

Again, I think that a distance measured contest might be fun and I would 
certainly participate. I just wanted everyone to know how such a 
contest will be "gamed". 

GM es 73 to all.....Marshall K5QE 
www.k5qe.com 

QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0704 K5QE EM31 ZS2GK 
KF47 9124 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0710 K5QE EM31 DL8GP 
JN39 5055 miles 
QSO: 144 CW 2009-01-18 0720 K5QE EM31 SM2CEW 
KP15 4963 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0730 K5QE EM31 RK3FG 
KO86 5729 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0734 K5QE EM31 K0KP 
EN36 1043 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0750 K5QE EM31 IK1UWL 
JN33 5260 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0754 K5QE EM31 HA0HO 
KN07 5666 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0758 K5QE EM31 K0AWU 
EN37 1112 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0802 K5QE EM31 9A3GE 
JN75 5519 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0807 K5QE EM31 YL2HA 
KO26 5403 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0811 K5QE EM31 OM3BC 
JN98 5550 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0816 K5QE EM31 YT3I 
KN05 5752 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0820 K5QE EM31 WB2RVX 
FM29 1195 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0825 K5QE EM31 DK1CO 
JO63 5139 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0832 K5QE EM31 IK1FJI 
JN44 5310 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0837 K5QE EM31 DK5EW 
JN48 5168 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0845 K5QE EM31 DL4DWA 
JO61 5212 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0855 K5QE EM31 S52LM 
JN65 5438 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0905 K5QE EM31 K1JT 
FN20 1224 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0908 K5QE EM31 WA3QPX 
FM29 1195 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0914 K5QE EM31 DJ9EV 
JN49 5134 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0921 K5QE EM31 K6MYC 
DM07 1495 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0924 K5QE EM31 IK2DDR 
JN55 5357 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0940 K5QE EM31 I2FAK 
JN45 5274 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 0958 K5QE EM31 EB1DNK 
IN62 4655 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 1025 K5QE EM31 K7CW 
CN87 1899 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 1100 K5QE EM31 K1OR 
FN42 1469 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 1110 K5QE EM31 W7CE 
CN87 1889 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 1134 K5QE EM31 W4RBO 
EL99 774 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 1140 K5QE EM31 W1TMZ 
FN41 1442 miles 
QSO: 144 PH 2009-01-18 1146 K5QE EM31 VE5UF 
DO61 1542 miles 
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