K5ZD wrote:
> Is the ARRL contest too long? 48 hours is better
> than 2 weekends, but would 24 hours be even better?
> As it is now, there are only a few competitors at
> the top of each category. Everyone else is in
> participant class. Would shortening the contest
> enable more guys to compete seriously (i.e. be on
> for the whole contest)? Or is this "contest" run
> as a DX/WAS chasing promotional activity?
I'm not a big fan of "category dilution", but as
Sylvan pointed out, a year or so ago, a few of us
batted around the idea of a 24-hour contest-within-a-
contest in various forms. It occurred to us that if
there were a recognized shorter event that there might
be contesters, who normally not competitive at the
48-hour level, who might increase their operating
time. Perhaps instead of operating 12-18 hours half-
heartedly, they might aggressively operate a 24-hour
event because they felt more competitive.
As with any proposal, there are drawbacks (some might
reduce their 30- to 36-hour effort to 24 hours), and
whatever is proposed (even if nothing is) someone will
not like it. However, the goal here should NOT be to
make everyone happy, or to maintain the status quo for
its sake, or to accuse anyone of whining or of
"getting old" but to try to determine if activity
would be improved or not. We make room for single-
band and packet-assisted operations, why not for
single-day? Do we summarily dismiss it because it's
a "new category" or that it isn't "macho"?
As humorous as the US Open post was, it isn't really a
good comparison. Ham radio contests are events in
which the total participation is not limited to the
"best". There is (almost) always room for more - and
the more the better for all involved.
73 Mike N2MG
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