There are only 2 criteria I use in evaluating contest rules:
1. What is the date and do I have anything else scheduled then already.
2. How to operate to have the most fun given the rules as written.
David Robbins K1TTT
e-mail: mailto:k1ttt@arrl.net
web: http://www.k1ttt.net
AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Scott Currier [mailto:scott_currier@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 04:16
> To: cq-contest@contesting.com
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] A principle to go by when evaluating contest rules.
>
>
>
>
> I think that it is reasonable to have an idea of what you want the contest
> to measure before designing your contest. Start the process by laying out
> your goals.
>
> As far as the CQ-WW DX contest goes, the contest sponsors state that the
> objective is for Amateurs around the world to contact as many other hams
> in as many zones and countries as possible.
>
> Ok, that being said, why are continents figured in the scoring? Does
> figuring in continents help or hinder the stated objective?
>
> I think it hinders it because in effect it changes the objective. You now
> need to contact as many hams as possible on OTHER continents. That's not
> what the original objective says. Therefore the scoring system isn't
> matched properly to the objective.
>
> The real CQ WW Dx objective is to work as many hams around the world in as
> many zones and countries as possible, provided they're on different
> continents.
>
> So, what do you have to do now? Easy, get as close to the population
> centers as possible without being on the same continent.
>
> That monkey wrench of the continent issue really throws things off and
> creates a situation where the winner and person behind him are separated
> not by who worked the most countries or zones but by something not even in
> the objective of the contest. They happened to make a lot more 3point q's
> because of the continent issue.
>
> If it's not in the objective, why does it have such prominence in the
> scoring?
>
>
> WPX is even worse.
>
> WPX sponsor states that the objective is as follows...
>
> I. Objective: For amateurs world wide to contact as many amateurs
> and prefixes as possible during the contest period.
>
> If that is the case, then why more points if the other station is on a
> different continent? If the objective is to believed, why more points for
> use of the lower HF bands?
>
> The objective is not to work as many hams and prefixes as possible, it's
> to contact as many hams and prefixes on different continents and on the
> lower bands as possible if you want to get the highest score for the
> number of contacts that you make.
>
> The scoring is out of line with the contest objective.
>
> Extra points because of distance, continent, zone, band, or anything else
> aren't part of the objective and therefore don't belong if the objective
> is to be believed, which it clearly is not.
>
> According to the contest sponsors, the name of the game is prefixes.
> According to the scoring it's prefixes with a rather large disclaimer and
> strings attached. In other words, these prefixes over here are better than
> those prefixes over there. At least for some people.
>
> If the contest is part dx contest and part prefix contest, put that in the
> objective.
>
> With that being said, it seems to me that contest rules need to be looked
> at to see if they support the contest objectives or move the contest in a
> different direction.
>
> After all, without knowing what the sponsors are looking to accomplish,
> how can you tell whether or not a rule makes sense? The objectives are
> your reference point.
>
> 73 all and good contesting.
>
> Scott Currier KT1B
> Haverhill, MA
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