This is my first input to the contest reflector, so forgive me for
this lengthy gripe.
I believe that WPX is a satisfying contest only for those on the DX
side, and for the stateside "big guns". It is a waste of time for us
"little pistols" (odd callsign or not), except for picking up a new
country or prefix for the DXCC or WPX awards.
It's been pointed out that the most effective way to "win" is to use a
garden-variety prefix and put out as much RF as possible with as narow
and directive signal as possible, reducing the number of pesky Ns and
Ws and Ks that clog up your logs with zero points and shut out the
DX. I don't disagree with this strategy, if you can do it.
I do however ask you "big guns" to have a little sympathy and patience
for the low power stations that dearly love contesting as much as you
do. We are often trying to do no more than set a personal best. We
know we have a slim chance of nailing some wallpaper from CQ (which is
quite another matter in itself).
When I call some bizzarro 2x1 US prefix who's CQing away with no takers
on a Sunday afternoon because I NEED THE MULTIPLIER, please don't cop
an attitude and ignore me because I'm the 10th N9 that's called you in
the last hour. I've seen this happen not only in WPX, but in CQWW
where I may NEED that zone/band multiplier! I may mean nothing to
you, but you may mean several thousand more points in my log, and
perhaps the margin of victory in a low-power category! Multpliers can
and do mean a lot to the little guys, and we really do go S&P-ing for
them.
I would like to see same country stations be worth 1 point in WPX. If
you're going to allow same country prefixes to count as multipliers,
why not as points as well?
Flame on - Dan, N9XX
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