The New year has already surprised the contest community.
The New Russian SSB Cup rules have already shocked Russian contesters but it looks like we have more news to come soon.
Some other contest committees also have some surprises up their sleeves.
As far as I know intensely veiled discussions have taken place on cancelling SO category in CQ WW contests.
I do not know how K3EST spent his Christmas Week and how this came to his mind. Was it red wine or some other kind of alcoholic drinks? (his words "From through the Looking glasses"). The fact is that this topic is currently being discussed by the CQWW CC.
It should also be mentioned that not all of the CQ WW CC members have had a chance to take part in the discussion.
Bob, K3EST, is good at creating email reflectors and he decides solely who is allowed to be subscribed to the reflector. It looks like very soon the number of the reflectors, created by K3EST will exceed the number of CQ WW CC members.
I have lately expressed my view on CQ WW rules.
Currently the idea of cancelling the SO category is argumented by the fact that CQ WW CC can not control whether cluster networks were used by a contender. How so?
What if this will cause claims to nullify the disqualifications and changing participants entry categories that we saw last year?
The worst thing from my point of view is that that those talks are not about how to make the judging better but that if we can not control the cluster usage than we should allow it to everyone.
I think Fred K3ZO was the one who made his point clear saying that following this principle the dope should also be allowed in some other sports. Why should one control the doping if they can just allow it to everyone instead? It looks like Fred neatly pointed that the form this topic has been raised sounds idiotic.
It is sad that some of the well-known contesters back up this opinion zealously. As for now the SO category is the most prestigious and in many ways it stays the most prestigious because many of those backing up the proposed changes have always been arrogant on the Assisted category. Why would CT1BOH not submit his logs in Assisted and then make the Assisted as prestigious as SO?
Why cancel the SO category?
All of this undercover fuss inspires pity. If the CQ WW CC is not able to judge the CQ WW contest, they should not start changing the rules, there is a proper way - to leave the judgement to those able to do that.
Changing the contest rules is a topic holding much favor and many have noticed the WPX rules have been changed too. Unfortunately those changes do not apply the transparency of the contest refereeing. Disqualification and participant's entry category changes are taking place. Many of us have heard of K3EST letters where he asks the entrants to change their contest category.
Randy K5ZD decided not to remain behind, like:
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I received your email. Are you sure you want to change to checklog?
The WPX rules do allow a multi-single to make band change mistakes. Per the rules, any band change errors are simply removed from the log with no additional penalty. Of course, the QSOs should all be logged at the correct time.
I would accept a corrected log if you want to send it in the next 48 hours. I am finishing the SSB checking over the coming 2 weeks.
Randy Thompson, K5ZD
Director - CQ WPX Contest
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I received your email. Are you sure you want to change to checklog?
The WPX rules do allow a multi-single to make band change mistakes. Per the rules, any band change errors are simply removed from the log with no additional penalty. Of course, the QSOs should all be logged at the correct time.
I would accept a corrected log if you want to send it in the next 48 hours. I am finishing the SSB checking over the coming 2 weeks.
Randy Thompson, K5ZD
Director - CQ WPX Contest
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It means BRAVO, the participant realized his mistakes and decided to change his category, but the Contest Director advises him to correct his log and re-send it.
Are those possibilities common for all the participants?
Will this be reflected in the contest rules?
Are those possibilities common for all the participants?
Will this be reflected in the contest rules?
The Contest Director's actions like this put in doubt all his decisions and finally the contest results.
The contest committee's decisions will not lead to anything productive.
Probably it is time to think and start making decisions corresponding to current conditions and stop burying our heads in the sand.
Probably the classical author words give the best fot for the situation:
Swan, Pike and Crawfish
When partners can't agree
Their dealings come to naught
And trouble is their labor's only fruit.
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Once Crawfish, Swan and Pike Set out to pull a loaded cart, And all together settled in the traces; They pulled with all their might, but still the cart refused to budge! The load it seemed was not too much for them: Yet Crawfish scrambled backwards, Swan strained up skywards, Pike pulled toward the sea. Who's guilty here and who is right is not for us to say- But anyway the cart's still there today. 
CQ WW Contest Committee in action
73 Al 4L5A
