From: i4jmy@n8it.#nwmi.mi.usa.noam
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Here some objective considerations about WPX rules and complaints.
Someone want to change a little, some other a lot, someone prefers
it like it is.
Partly, everyone it's right in his opinion but it will be impossible
to match all the expressed positions.
So it is a real chance nothing will change, but even like this I think
it's worth to partecipate the next one.......
1) Like an "European" i can't blame USA complaints not having points
qsoin' between W1 and W6 while QSO between ON & DL (only an example)
is logged with 1 or 2 points.
My experience, anyway, say in WPX it's very important to MINIMIZE
continental QSO in order to maximize score.
In WPX, QSO/number vs. QSO/points could bring to 50% LESS in final
score.
Apart this period of solar mimimum where transcontinental contact in
same emisphere are nearly "prohibited" on higher bands, it is will be
always impossible to keep a so high QSO/rate of 1pt QSO to compensate
the 3pt QSO of a transcontinental QSO.
In other words when higher bands will be opened, be sure next 98 WPX
already will have 20m well opened, 15m available and possibly something
will happen on 10, for 12-18 hours on each day there' ll be chance for
a consistent DX traffic.
Six hours of continental QSO at 120 per hour will give 720pts while a
more easy 90 per our of "Non Domestic" traffic 1620pts.
And 90 per hour.....is not so much, who experienced contesting on 15
& 10m with propagation knows this rate can be easily more than doubled.
If You lost your time with little value QSO You 'll be beaten by the
first smarter neighbour, not only by the PY0....
2) It is obvious that some areas are always in favour over other ones, but
this is going to be less and less pronounced as soon as propagation will
improve. Giving one point for USA/USA qso won't change the fact a east
coast station will beat a west coast one unless the first waste to much
time with in-continent qso or makes havoc mistakes.
Historical review of contest result show less pronounced gaps between
areas as much as sunspots are on.
3) The true risk in allowing points for USA/USA qso will be in having 2
separate contests, one in North America, one in Europe and few stations
in south America (read south Atlantic) getting advantages from the
steady propagation they have with those 2 areas.
Who experienced, i.e. 96 IARU and 97 ARRL (phone) know the problem.
4) A solution would be to take away points to all in-continent QSO, solving
like this the "unequalities" and giving some (little help) to VK an ZL.
5) Apart our should be a thecnical-thecnological hobby where learning how
to make our station more efficient and getting nore skill as operators
is a primary goal, there is a very little satisfaction in doing what's
easy and avoiding to deal in something that's still difficult for us.
It would be like fishing in a 100ft lake where someone puts small hungry
fish all mornings. Exciting ??
6) Competition is first against our previous results, to do better. Secondary
against who is in our same position (position, NOT condition) to have a
more efficient station and developing the skill to utilize.
Then the competition can be WW, even not winning we can be ahead a number
of station in favourable areas.
7) The favourable "areas" are there. Who is only a little "awake" knows
where and why there are advantages. They are not restricted areas and
everyone can try to go there.
Anyway a place itself it is not useful for a contest.
A standard expedition setup it is not suitable for winning a contest so,
to get the advantages for winning, it is necessary to realize a station
that would be anyway over the average ones.
Often thousand miles away from home, it's evident the effort is pretty
big and some "advantages" are the engine to move people going there.
Who will deal with the installation of big towers and antennas, with the
lack of AC supply, with the transportation of "strange" goods trough
customs, with scared inhabitants and with all the other "risks" and
expenses if there wouldn't be a serious chance to get a 1st place ?
Hope to see You all in next WPX with or without changes.
73 de Mauri, I4JMY (one of IR4T and MCC, http://www.galactica.it/MCC)
E-mail i4jmy@uugate.aim.utah.edu
P.S. We have been very pleased to see in March issue of CQ-Magazine we are
again 1st M/S EU in 96' WPX after 5 years. Infact in the all time record
page for WPX SSB where we lead EUROPE M/S with IJ4R, our previous call.
Well, since the record was made in '91 we 'll be VERY glad to finally
receive our certificate.
Never seen, several solicitings among years didn't have success....
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