[PaQSO] Why PAQP's Quirks are GREAT

[Mark Kempisty]

Well it looks like this went out on the reflector before I intended it to.

But what I said still holds.

73,
Mark N3GNW
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Mark.Kempisty at L-3com.com>
To: <k3pp at k3pp.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 10:14 AM
Subject: RE: [PaQSO] Why PAQP's Quirks are GREAT


Glenn,

I'll post this publically to the reflector but please don't think I'm
complaining about PQP's quirks though I'm probably the one who first
used the term in this current discussion.  

I like the contest and seek out rare counties to operate.  If every
contest was the same I'm sure I'd hit a plateau and at some point and it
would get boring.  But with different contests I need different tactics
and points of view.  So I also vote keep the quirks.  Its fun to work a
county line and special event station. 


Take care,
Mark N3GNW

----- Original Message -----
From: "Glenn O'Donnell, K3PP" <k3pp at k3pp.com>
To: <paqso at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 9:59 PM
Subject: [PaQSO] Why PAQP's Quirks are GREAT


> I've been supremely entertained by the discussions going on here about

> one of my favorite contests, the PAQP. I must say, I'm also pleased by

> the relative civility to the debate. The absence of personal attacks 
> proves that PAQP is still a gentleman's (and lady's) contest. Is this 
> one of the "quirks" that makes the PAQP so wonderful? Absolutely! I've

> seen some downright vicious, inexcusable attacks in other forums and 
> it's refreshing that we haven't had them here.
> 
> I LOVE THE PENNSYLVANIA QSO PARTY!!  I love it because it **IS** 
> different. There's been a lot of mention and complaining about the 
> PAQP's quirks. I get annoyed by people who want all the contests to be

> similar (I know that hasn't been suggested here explicitly). If they 
> were all so similar, I think most of us would get bored stiff and many

> would leave contesting. The variety is the spice of contesting! I like

> the WAE primarily BECAUSE of the QTCs. I don't see them as an
annoyance! 
> The QTCs make the event delightfully different.
> 
> PAQP is delightfully different too. I like the following quirks (feel 
> free to add to the quirks):
> 
>    * Saturday night shutdown lets us all rest - ALL of us, which
levels
>      the playing field.
>    * It electrifies the entire state of PA with activity in (usually)
>      every county
>    * It electrifies the other states, provinces, and DX because there
>      are so many three-landers to work
>    * It truly is a polite contest! I've had stations pause their runs
>      to allow me to work a mult and I've done the same.
>    * QRP is NOT a terrible handicap because most participants are
>      running medium power, reducing QRM
>    * You CAN be competitive with medium power. I've run what I thought
>      were great QRO efforts and I've been beaten every time by a few
>      medium-power guys (with obviously better skills than mine!)
>    * The bonus station really does little for the score, especially
>      high scores, but it adds a unique element of fun. Even with the
>      biggest scores, you still want to get the bonus station because
>      it's a competition within the competition.
>    * The half-point scoring is maddening, but kinda cool too. These
>      days, the main people inconvenienced by the half points are the
>      software authors and software can adapt to anything. I'm in the
>      software business. I know!
>    * County-line operations are fun. Are they needed? Probably not,
but
>      people hunt down good county line QTHs just for the fun factor
and
>      the rest of us like working them for the same fun factor. These
>      days, the main people inconvenienced by the county line issue are
>      the software authors ...
> 
> Can we spice it up a bit? Probably. Is that a bad thing? Not 
> necessarily. Change is wonderful, as long as it has a purpose. I
thrive 
> on change, but I despise change just for the sake of change. Are there

> things that could be fixed? Probably, nothing is perfect. Should they
be 
> changed? Only if the change has a purpose. I think the points raised
on 
> this reflector are worth discussion and open, civil debate is healthy.

> It will keep this the best contest on the planet.
> 
> Some people prefer to eat vanilla ice cream all the time. Some like to

> mix it up, a little butter pecan here, some chocolate marshmallow
there, 
> and yes, vanilla from time to time too. I'm in the latter group and I 
> think most of us are. Maybe PAQP is like Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby 
> flavor. There's nothing else quite like it and that's precisely the 
> attraction!
> 
> To all of you who have made the PA Quirky Party the coolest, maybe 
> quirkiest contest in the land ... THANK YOU!!
> Goody, you've stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest!  Keep up the good 
> work!  You're awesome!
> 
> VY 73 de Glenn K3PP
> http://www.k3pp.com (under major reconstruction)
> 
> P.S. As much as I love PAQP, work commitments have killed my ability
to 
> play (this year I was in PY-land). I'm working to get back, though. 
> Hopefully, I'll be in the fight in 2008, QRO, QRP, QR?, whatever ...
as 
> long as I'm playing ... and I'll be playing to defend my Carbon County

> record!
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