[NLRS] Request for Revision: 10 GHz & Up Contest rules

[w0zq at aol.com]

Hello NLRS land

Attached below I have cut and pasted a proposed request for changes to the ARRL 10 GHz & Up Contest rules.  This request comes from the SVHFS where it was presented at their conference this last Spring as well as presented again at the recent MUD conference.   

I am taking a non-binding survey on this proposal to help gauge our collective interest.  Call it a strawman vote.   All those that are active on this reflector are invited to reply.  

For those so interested, please review the request for revision proposal that I have cut and pasted below and let me know if:

Yes, I generally agree with the proposal or
No, I don't agree with the proposal.  A "No" vote doesnt mean that you necessary like or dislike the current rules, it means that you like the current contest rules more so than this proposal. 

Please send your reply DIRECTLY to me so as not to clog up the reflector .... you will need to modify your reply address when you send your vote to w0zq at aol.com.   I will summarize the vote and report to the reflector in a few days.  I also promise that no names or calls will be used or forwarded in that summary, just the total results of the voting along with a summary of comments.  Please keep any comments that you may have short and focused to this point.

73, Jon
W0ZQ


Request for Revisions to the ARRL 10GHz and Up Contest Rules 
The existing ARRL 10GHz and Up Contest rules have not kept up with the advancements in competitive operation strategies and do not promote operation of the available microwave bands 24 GHz and above. The proliferation of narrowband equipment on 10 GHz. has made operation much easier on that band and more hams are getting excited about microwave operating but are not exploring the higher bands above. It is recommended that the following points should be addressed to possibly increase activity and promote development of all microwave bands the original rules of the contest were designed for. 
• Create single band entries and eliminate the "10GHz and above" class. This would evenly promote activity on all bands 24 GHz and above by creating individual band competitions. As one goes higher frequency, the contacts are more time consuming and more difficult to amass cumulative distances. Those that wish to compete now on the bands 24 GHz and higher have their efforts masked by easier 10 GHz contacts. 
• For the "10 GHz and Above" class, the existing rules promote the strategy of amassing the bulk of one’s score on the lower 10GHz band and only use the 24GHz and higher bands for short QSO’s to gather the initial 100 point QSO’s or simply make one QSO just to qualify for the class. This strategy of operating in the "10GHz and Up" class is demonstrated in past contest entries and is responsible for inhibiting activity on the bands 24GHz and above. 
• Single band awards will show appreciation of the difficulty, the time consumed to make a quality contact, and the expense of constructing and operating equipment for 24 GHz and above. 
• Include 5.7GHz since it shares similar propagation and methods with the higher frequencies and increase use of existing equipment and activity on an otherwise seldom used band. 

The intentions of the Florida Weak Signal Society are to have these suggestions circulated among all weak signal enthusiasts and all 10 GHz Cumulative Contest operators for their review and if in agreement, forward these suggestions and/or possibly provide additional comments and suggestions to the ARRL contest dept and your ARRL Division Director. 

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• Create single band entries and eliminate the "10GHz and above" class. This would evenly promote activity on all bands 24 GHz and above by creating individual band competitions. As one goes higher frequency, the contacts are more time consuming and more difficult to amass cumulative distances. Those that wish to compete now on the bands 24 GHz and higher have their efforts masked by easier 10 GHz contacts. 
• For the "10 GHz and Above" class, the existing rules promote the strategy of amassing the bulk of one’s score on the lower 10GHz band and only use the 24GHz and higher bands for short QSO’s to gather the initial 100 point QSO’s or simply make one QSO just to qualify for the class. This strategy of operating in the "10GHz and Up" class is demonstrated in past contest entries and is responsible for inhibiting activity on the bands 24GHz and above. 
• Single band awards will show appreciation of the difficulty, the time consumed to make a quality contact, and the expense of constructing and operating equipment for 24 GHz and above. 
• Include 5.7GHz since it shares similar propagation and methods with the higher frequencies and increase use of existing equipment and activity on an otherwise seldom used band. 

The intentions of the Florida Weak Signal Society are to have these suggestions circulated among all weak signal enthusiasts and all 10 GHz Cumulative Contest operators for their review and if in agreement, forward these suggestions and/or possibly provide additional comments and suggestions to the ARRL contest dept and your ARRL Division Director. 

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