Jiri's comments have truth, but...
>I still believe that even if this change would be applied it would not
>change the winners in each "category" since you "state-side" guys do not
compete in
>absolute score with a Caribean expedition or with us here in EU or with
JAs,
>same valid to us or JAs. Simply you can be GOD with the "largest
antennas man
>can imagine" but beeing for instance in JA you simply can not beet good
operator
>from the caribean or western Africa with a modest tribander. So why to
make this
>change - in the reality nothing will change.
Of course ops in NA, JA, or Eu cannot expect to WIN the SO categories.
The reason for the change is to increase participation by decreasing the
"frustration factor". I was lucky enough to play at AE0M (N6RO) last
weekend. Sunday morning, I was assigned 10m. The band was poor; most
contacts were difficult. What was frustrating, however, was the fact that
my total contribution to the AE0M m/m score was only a dozen QSO points
and one multiplier--in EIGHTY contacts.
Is this fair? Of course not. Is it worthwhile? We thought so, since we
were striving for the maximum number of QSOs--but that is not relevant.
Thinking like a lawyer, (ugh) the possibility of miscopying calls and the
resultant score reduction (penalty) liability means I should have sat on
my hands instead! That does not advance the contest!
I was a multiplier for some (most?) of those 80 contacts, so why
shouldn't AE0M get something out of it? I strongly agree with those
stating "there should be NO ZERO POINT CONTACTS in a contest.
In the IARU HFWC, QSOs count 1, 3, or 5 points. One point for in-zone
contacts, three for different zone, same continent, and five points for
different continent Qs. This makes it worthwhile for me to stay on the
air for the full period, even though I have hours of low-point
Qs--anything is better than zero. (To me, it is more fun making more
contacts--but they must be worth SOMETHING.) How does it affect the final
results? In 1996, WRTC was held during the contest, and I made about 50%
more QSOs than the year before. But since the competitors and I shared
Zone 6, the 300+ WRTC contacts were all one-pointers. My score actually
DECREASED from 1995. To me, this proves the SA or N. African islanders
have nothing to worry about with this WPX scoring change proposal--they
will still be the winners.
Zero pointers are discouraging.
73,
Bob, K6XX
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