[SJDXA] CQWW 160 SSB PRESS RELEASE

[Bob Schenck]

(0115 Contest ADD.doc)

 
Calendar Mischief: A One-Time Date Change for the 2015 CQWW 160-Meter SSB Contest
2200 UTC Friday, February 27 - 2200 UTC, Sunday, March 1, 2015
 
The calendar has played a trick on us this year, and in order to avoid conflicts among contests, we have decided on a "just this once" date change for the SSB weekend of the 2015 CQ World Wide 160-Meter Contest. 
Traditionally, the SSB weekend of the CQWW 160 is held on the last full weekend of February. The CW weekend of the ARRL DX Contest is traditionally scheduled for the third full weekend of the month. In most years, this means the two contests are held on successive weekends.
But not this year … in 2015, February begins on a Sunday and ends on a Saturday, meaning that the month has only three "full" weekends, and the weekend of February 21-22, 2015 is both the third and the final full weekend of the month. Sticking to traditional schedules would put both the CQWW 160 SSB Contest and the ARRL DX CW Contest on the same weekend. 
Of course, there are many contesters who enjoy operating in both events, and keeping them both on the same weekend would force them to choose (and we wouldn't want to embarrass the ARRL!). In addition, 160 meters is the one HF band (MF, to be technical) which the FCC has not subdivided by mode for U.S. amateurs. Both CW and SSB operation are permitted across the entire band, so keeping the two contests on the same dates would also result in CW and SSB contesters slugging it out over the same frequencies. And since 160 is nicknamed "the gentleman's band," well, that just wouldn't do.
So as a result, for this year only, we have re-scheduled the CQ 160 SSB contest to run one weekend later, from 2200 UTC on Friday, February 27, to 2200 UTC on Sunday, March 1. We apologize in advance for any confusion (blame whoever's responsible for February having only 28 days!) and assure you that next year, we will be back on our regular schedule, February 26-28, 2016.
For now, though, mark February 27-March 1 on your 2015 calendar for the CQ WW 160-Meter SSB Contest.


73. Bob Schenck, N2OO
Proud Team Member QSL Manager K1N Navassa Island 2015 
www.navassadx.com
DX Editor CQ Magazine 
Sent from my iPhone 
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