Your comments regarding contesting

[KG0MN]

Am I the only one that feels that the current system of contesting is flawed? Here is why I say that, I did a survey of the the top scores over the course of about 7 years and that was looking not only at high power but low power and QRP as well. The next part is not very scientific but I think generally it would be pretty accurate. Here is what I came up in my finding. The majority of the top station had what I would call above normal antenna systems. I can not think of any other competition where the contestants are not on equal footing.

Perhaps it is time that contesting rules are changed to something such as each contest starts out with X number of points then you figure out what the effective radiated power of your antenna is and that number is then subtracted from your allocated points. Then if you are operating at 1.5 kilowatts you will subtract 1500 points from you allocated points, if you are running 1 watt you have no penalty. I should add that I have been a ham since 1976 and I do not contest and I have never even submitted a log for one. I guess I would be curious how others feel about contesting, do you think it is fair the way it done today.

 

[Beetle]

Depending on what type of contest it is, I either ignore it (going to WARC bands or another mode), or, if it's a DX contest, I hunt and pounce. I don't enter the contests formally and, like you, I've never submitted a log other than check logs back in the '60s.

The way the contest stations work can be fascinating or frustrating. It wouldn't bother me much if they took the ten top stations' operators, put them in a big cage and told them to fight to determine overall winner.

I wouldn't watch the fight, either.

 

[Billk]

Kevin,

The CQ marathon is sort of like that :

http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/cq_...t_rules/2012_cq_dx_marathon_contest_rules.pdf

That being said, I have been a ham since 1970 and have never entered a contest either but was thinking about giving one a try. The problem as I see it is that contesting has taken the same turn as just about every other sport in this country. People just take it waaaay too seriously and it isnt "fun" any longer. Now I know that contesting by its very nature has got to be competitive, but like you said, maybe we need a "professional" category for those that have the unlimited funds and time to spend, unlike most of us.

The CQ VHF contest sounded interesting and a lot more laid back but I just did not have time to borrow or buy the rig and antenna needed.


Then again, I guess almost anyone can enter a contest just for the self satisfaction and not worry about winning.

Not sure what the answer is ?
73,

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

As far as station makeup goes it is fine as it is. Just because someone has a huge antenna system is no need to be penalized.That is the whole idea,make the best station you can. Many contests have power level classes such as QRP, 100 watts and one kilowatt plus. The problem I have with contesters is two-fold. There are a lot more contesters than you think running illegal power levels and they do it from the beginning of the contest until the end of it.I have heard several bragging about their Henry 5K or 8K that they only use "at legal limit in order to maintain reliability". Yeah right. Unfortunately it is pretty hard to prove during a contest. The biggest beef I have is with the rude anything goes-get the hell out of my way I need the points attitude of a great deal of contesters. You know the ones, they walk onto a frequency whether it is in use or not and try to cause enough QRM to force the QSO in progress to move or shut down. Those ar the ones that should not only be penalized but just plain disqualified from contesting. Personally I do not bother with contesting other than to use it as an opportunity to pick up a new country.Just two much cut throat BS for me.

 

[RatsoW8]

Do you know why there are contests? I think this is fundamental to your obvious problem with them to begin with. Contests are an operating activity meant to keep hams, who need something like contests, active and keep our frequencies alive. That's all I see them as. I couldn't care less about winning or who wins....to many variables. But there have been times I needed a contest to get my rear end on the air when I was getting bored with radio.

Example...Two years ago I though it might be fun to give the MI QSO party a whirl and at least try to stay with it most of the day. I was on the air from start to finish and I had a blast making contacts. Turns out 40 meters was wide open all day to just about the entire US. I almost didn't send my log in but decided to a day before the deadline. Much to my surprise I got a nice certificate in the mail many months after because I was top single Op in my county. All with 100 watts and a low hung dipole. Go figure.

I rarely do contesting but when I do it's one I want to participate in and it's all about having fun and making contacts. I realize there are guys out there with better gear and bigger antennas than me but I don't get my panties in a bind with antenna envy. And I certainly don't think there needs to be more regulation and contest police out there watching over the masses trying to have fun. Yea, we all know there are guys out there taking it way too seriously but I guess that's they way they enjoy the hobby. To each his own.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

And I certainly don't think there needs to be more regulation and contest police out there watching over the masses trying to have fun. Yea, we all know there are guys out there taking it way too seriously but I guess that's they way they enjoy the hobby. To each his own.

I disagree with he last part. The rude behavior is not caused by guys having fun in their own way. It is an ego thing whereby they have to be the best and get those points at any cost in order to be able to hang something on their wall. Often these same guys are hardley, if eve,r on the air except for contests. Contests are their life-blood to their ego. Sort of like the 10-10 member we had here a while ago that lives for the points/numbers to stroke HIS ego and piss on anyone else.

 

[Se7en]

I disagree with he last part. The rude behavior is not caused by guys having fun in their own way. It is an ego thing whereby they have to be the best and get those points at any cost in order to be able to hang something on their wall. Often these same guys are hardley, if eve,r on the air except for contests. Contests are their life-blood to their ego. Sort of like the 10-10 member we had here a while ago that lives for the points/numbers to stroke HIS ego and piss on anyone else.

Iv had jerko's try to chase me off the freq during a contest while the OP contesting ignored there rude bs and got my call. I swear some ops are just plain evil!!!