Last Updated 22-Feb-2008
- What's new for 2008?
- A couple things:
- We've re-added most of the location codes that were retired in 1997. These codes were retired under the premise that the contest committee would review the list of active codes annually, but this has never been done. Hence, we've decided to open these old codes up for use in the contest again.
- We've tweaked some of the suggested frequencies. This was needed because bandplan changes made some of the suggested frequencies illegal, plus we've broadened some of the HF ranges where we've noticed congestion in prior contests.
- We've changed the Year's of Service designation for non-Bell participants. Instead of always being '1', we've elected to honor repeat contesters by making it the number of contests that person has participated in.
- Why has the cost for a CQ-WE Certificate been increased?
- In the past, most clubs were affiliated with AT&T locations, and received yearly funding to cover the cost of awards and postage. Today, most CQ-WE host clubs are comprised of participants who are retirees, and who have to bear the cost of producing and mailing the certificates themselves. We just cannot get a quality certificate to you for a buck anymore. However, as an alternative, if you want to roll your own, we'll gladly email you the certificate for free, and you can print it yourself.
- Why include Non-Bell people?
- Why Not? Non-Bell hams are curious and want to participate. By opening the contest, we get increased participation for CQ-WE. We eliminate the problem of having to explain to people that this is a "Closed Contest". It also makes it possible for us to list the CQ-WE contest in certain national contest registries, thus making other contest organizers aware of our timeslots and providing a greater opportunity for those Bell System folk who may have lost contact with us to find us again.
- I used to work in the Bell System many years ago but I quit (or was laid off, or was fired etc...) Can I still participate?
- Absolutely! Add up your years of service (see next paragraph) and join in on the fun.
- How do I calculate my Years of Service?
- Add up your years of service in the Bell System and Round it off.
Example: WA3UFU worked at the Allentown Works for 12 years, 6 months, and 14 days, so he would use 13 years... If you don't know exactly, use your best estimate.
(If you are a non-Bell participant, use the number of times you've participated in this and prior CQ-WE contests for your Years of Service.)
- Why was VHF Eliminated?
- VHF has not been eliminated. In fact, the 222 band has been added. This year's contest includes all the (contest) bands from 160 Meters thru 450 MHz.
When the CQ-WE Contest started back in 1960, VHFers were a separate group of hams using homebrew equipment and modified commercial radios. Back then, the HF and VHF CQ-WE Contests were held on separate weekends. Hence, the separate scoring.
In the mid 1970's, the VHF and HF portions were combined into the same weekend, but nobody ever changed the Score Sheet to reflect this change. Now we have.
- What happened to the (R)etired, (N)ovice, and (T)echnician Designations?
- They are now optional. Please continue to use these designations if you wish, since they have been a tradition of CQ-WE. The only difference is that they don't mean anything in the 'Points' scoring, since the 'Points' multiplier is now the 'Years of Service'.
- Why allow scoresheets to be filed by email?
- This is just another way to submit your entry -- it makes life easier and saves postage. It also makes it easier to cross-check the winning logs for accuracy. Today email is becoming the standard way to submit contest results, with paper mail becoming the exception.
- Is there a Computer Logging Program that will work with the CQ-WE Format?
- There are two available, one by K8NU, being actively maintained, and one by W4AXO, mainly for older W95 and W98 machines.
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