CQ-Contest
[Top] [All Lists]

[CQ-Contest] Be careful what you wish for

To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Be careful what you wish for
From: Jeff Clarke <ku8e@ku8e.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2017 11:36:10 -0500
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
I love CW contests with a passion but I might consider not doing CW SS FT anymore.  I took just about all my off time in one stretch starting at 0800 Z so I could get a decent nights sleep because I dreading operating (BORING) on Sunday. The only thing that kept me going was that I needed about 5 multipliers for a sweep. Watching football when operating also helped me get thru it ! If it wasn't for those things I might have quit early.

Maybe it's the right time to think about a rules change because it isn't  going to get better anytime soon. The declining sunspots will make participation decrease even more than it has.  I'm still fairly young in my 50's and I'm afraid in 10 years there won't be anyone to work in a CW contests.  Lots of checks in the 1950's and 1960's. Not as many in the 1970's when I was licensed. Very few above the 1990's and 2000 +.

 I know it's been discussed before but maybe it's time to allow a QSO with the same station on multiple bands. It would at least make SS more fun. Before anyone argues this wouldn't be fair consider pretty much the same people win every year because they have a good station/antennas and are SO2R experts. Plus most have a geographical advantage as well. I will admit I have it a lot better in Georgia then I did in Ohio. But not as good as those on the west coast. How else could I make almost make 400 QSO's on 20 meters using a dipole at 40 feet? Plus when 40 meters goes long it's good for me too because the guys north of me can't work each other. That gives me somewhat of a captive audience. On the other hand 80 meters isn't as good for me as it was in Ohio. Always get beat out when a station further away is called by someone closer to them. So no matter the advantage you might enjoy it might be offset by someone else's on another band.

I also wish they would make SO2R a separate category because it gives someone an advantage similar to SOA.

Jeff KU8E

_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>