--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: N4KG
To: 0004504465@mcimail.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] WPX
Message-ID: <19970407.042253.9990.3.N4KG@juno.com>
References: <97040706335418/0004504465DC4EM@mcimail.com>
Hi Gene...Good to see you on the reflector. Here is a copy of
a private message I sent to N2SA following his response...
Hello Tom - (N2SA de N4KG)
Apparently you are not intimately familiar with the scoring rules
for the WPX contest and their impact on "local competition"
within large countries.
The ZERO point rule for same country contacts give people with
rare prefixes an advantage over others with more common prefixes.
MULTIPLIERS for the WPX contest are the total number of UNIQUE
PREFIXES, regardless of country. Therefore if KR2Q and K2USA
are each calling CQ, other USA stations with rare prefixes are much
more likely to need, and therefore call, KR2Q, than to need and call
K2USA, hence KR2Q will most likely have a higher multiplier than
K2USA, even if they operate at the same times on the same bands
doing the same thing. This very scenario has happened to many of
us not blessed with unique and rare prefixes.
Most USA participants thoroughly understand this inequity in the
scoring and MANY refrain from operating in such a contest where
the odds are stacked against them. (I have received several notes
to this effect.)
I find it most intesting that (most of) the complaints about correcting
this inequity come from those very people who benefit from the
inequity. What a surprise!
Another interesting observation is that (within an order of magnitude)
the number of stations and number of prefixes in Europe and North
America are comparable. The Europeans get points for working
each other while the vast majority of North Americans DO NOT.
Is this equitable in a PREFIX contest? I think not.
BTW, I have not competed in the WPX contest for over a decade.
My goal is to make this a more fair and equitable competition for
ALL participants.
de Tom N4KG
(plus NEW additional comments:
(BTW, since WPX was created, USA prefixes have exploded
from 40 (K,W,WA, WB X 10 districts) to 900, which is the
root of the problem. WA4ZXA reported that 1/3 of his SSB WPX
contacts and 1/2 of his multipliers were ZERO point USA contacts.)
Also, I notice that no one complains that WPX is a "European" contest
but several DX stations express fear that it will become a domestic
USA contest if NA stations get points for working each other like the
Europeans and Asians. Personally, I think that a PREFIX contest
should have equal value for ALL contacts, but the concensius is to
keep the incentive for DX contacts by using a 3/2/1 point scheme.
The 3/2/1 does eliminate the in-country inequity and so I support it.
I firmly believe ZERO point contacts have NO PLACE in a PREFIX
contest (where a substantial number of multipliers are from one's
own country, and there should be NO COUNTRY BIAS in a
PREFIX contest...it is just plain DISCRIMINATORY against large
countries!)
73, Tom N4KG
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