This is why the contest structure set up by Tree of the Stew Perry Top
Band Distance Challenge, where the exchange is grid squares is so
appealing. If it a DX contest this makes so much sense as the computer
logger determines the points automatically base on the distance between
the stations grid exchange. Spending 40 hours to send 599 to every
contact is not needed for any valid reason. Imagine how exciting and now
fair the CQ WW would be if the score were computed by grid distances.
Clearly this would give a chance for stations that are not now
competitive a better chance to be so. Right now Aruba is actually closer
to the western half of the US than the Virgin islands which is 64.7
degrees West Longitude. Using grid squares would level the playing
field and remove the clearing unfair continent ambiguities.
But contest rules are nearly impossible to change. Like in the ARRL 160
meter contest the U.S. Virgin Islands are lumped in with the states but
only a few miles away VP2V in the British Virgin Islands are consider to
be DX. The same is true with this contest where all the U.S. Pacific
Territories are consider to be Hawaii. Even if you were to operate from
Palmyra in this contest your are not considered to be DX but lumped in
with Hawaii. You could never be in the top ten no matter how rare you
are on 160 meters. Because of the fact that this is patently fair by
the contest gurus who refuse to make actual DX as DX I just don't
operate in this one. What is the point when your good effort can't even
be listed? The structure of the ARRL 160 meter contest is so screwed up
that a station operating from KP1 or Navassa is consider the U.S Virgin
Islands. How does this make any sense as neither are considered DX
which everybody should know is just plain wrong.
Me Dos Centavos
Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
On 11/6/2015 11:50 AM, ve4xt@mymts.net wrote:
It's pretty simple. Geography places certain islands in South America and
certain other islands in North America. If the battle over Arctic territory is
any indication, there are specific geographic rules regarding tectonic plates
and undersea shelves that determine to which continent a landmass belongs.
It's not much different than why southern Spain is in Europe and northern
Morocco is in Africa, yet you can see one from the other.
WW long ago decided that in a DX contest, contacts between different continents
should be worth more than contacts between points of the same continent. Do we
not like that distinction?
If we eliminated the distinction, it would certainly also eliminate a huge
advantage enjoyed by the Eastern Seaboard, for which Europe can be like
shooting fish in a barrel compared to stations inland, such as K7 or W0.
If we accept the distinction, mustn't we also accept there are places where the
dividing distance is pretty small? Where do we draw continental lines? If we
moved, for WW purposes, the line between Europe and Asia further east or
further west, doesn't that merely change where the bone of contention is
located?
If we declare, for WW, Aruba is no longer part of SA, what do we do when a
station figures out a way to set up in Colombia, just a few miles away? Declare
Colombia part of NA?
Frankly, an all-Qs-are-the-same point system would be a boon for us landlocked
types.
73, kelly, ve4xt,
Sent from my iPad
On Nov 6, 2015, at 3:13 AM, Herbert Schoenbohm <herbs@vitelcom.net> wrote:
In some contest this is patently unfair where a contact with some Caribbean
Basin islands yield a higher point structure than others close by. This is
also why the big winners are always located in Aruba, Trinidad, and Curacao.
The islands only 100 miles away have a definite disadvantage. But this has and
always be the case. There is the same issue in Europe where a station in Cyprus
from a hotel with just a vertical can clean up. I believe also that stations
in Turkey in the European side are still counted as Asia.
Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
On 11/5/2015 6:31 PM, Ron Notarius W3WN wrote:
If memory serves, Zone 8 stations are considered part of North America, Zone
9 stations are considered part of South America. And always have been. It's
that simple.
See
http://www.icomamerica.com/en/amateur/amateurtools/2013_ITU_CQ_WorldMaps.pdf
, and in particular, the insert part of the map on the Caribbean.
Considering the proximity of the former Netherlands Antilles islands, and
Trinidad & Tobago, to the coast of Colombia and Venezuela as compared to the
bulk of the remaining Caribbean islands, it's no wonder. If anything, I'd
wonder why Grenada and other islands as far North of the zone line as
Barbados, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and maybe even St. Lucia wouldn't be
considered Zone 9 if the zones were ever reconfigured.
No big mystery here. It has everything to do with the map.
73, ron w3wn
On 11/05/15, Fernando PY2LED<py2led@fuertesind.com.br> wrote:
Hello Dear Contesters, good day!
I was analyzing results from CQWW, CQWPX and in some categories we can see
some nice records made by stations located in the Caribean Islands. Some of
this islands counts like South America.
It is extremelly difficult or impossible to beat their scores from South of
Brazil, Argentina, Uruguai, Paraguai and other south countries due to the
big distances to the main countries lime USA and some European countries.
Also during the main contests, we have only one station (one multiplier) in
some of this islands like Bonaire, Aruba etc and everybody will try the qso.
I would like to understand if's there an explanation or criteria why they
are located in South America for this contests. When we go to some Geography
books, some autors gives reason why they don't include such islands at South
America and they do like Caribean islands.
Maybe this example applies to other parts of the world. Why not to create an
Islands Category or Central America or so?
Would like to share and listen opinions about this issue.
Many thanks and best 73's
Fernando Cordoba | PY2LED | PX2B
Sao Caetano do Sul | SP | Brasil
GG66rj
py2led@fuertesind.com.br
www.altodaserradx.com.br
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