Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, John Cooper, who writes with the following request:
Hello all SWLers and DXers:
I have been interested and actively participating in the Shortwave hobby for almost four years now. I have not seen a DX Contest originating in the USA in those years although we have a lot of SW hobbyists here and in North America as a whole. I have participated in the Canadian ODXC contests which were fun. A DX Contest has been proposed for all North American Shortwave DXers/SWLers to include those with Ham licenses. The survey below is to gauge response to the possibility of having this contest. If there are enough responses there is a possibly it will be sponsored by a Shortwave Club in North America. Personally I am excited about the chance to have one early next year when the DX conditions are optimum.
73
John P. Cooper
Click here to download, complete, then email the survey (MS Word).
Thanks for producing and administering this survey, John!
That sounds great. It sounds like it will be set up similar to a contest the ARDIC DX Club in India put on. There was a contest form with stations listed and you had to find them. It was good fun and everyone that participated at least got a certificate.
Yes, now your talking. I participated in an oversea clubs DX contest for the past three years and it was a blast, plus increased and improved my DX skills. Everyone will for sure get a nice certificate showing how they placed. Please fill out the survey and get it in to me. Thanks for your reply.
I think it is a great idea – particularly if they let it go on for a month or so – I enter amateur contests regularly knowing I am not going to win place or show, but just for the challenge of the contest, particularly ones like these where there is a good time element so you can work it at your leisure.
Robert,
I’m thinking that we will have it for at least a month based on replies I have received so far. That’s good for those who work and can’t sit by the radio all day, plus we know conditions aren’t always good one week but better the next. Thanks for the reply. Please fill out the survey, and e mail it to me.
I see that this proposed contest will include SWLs and SWLs with Ham licenses. Don’t you think that a reception report with a Ham call is going to get a better response ratio from Hams than one without? SWL’s face severe difficulties receiving QSLs from SW broadcast stations. Besides, most SWLs aren’t tuning into Hams with any regularity.
Dan,
It really doesn’t matter if you have a Ham ticket or not when your trying to get a Shortwave Broadcast station in. The stations that will be in the contest will all be SWBC so it won’t matter if you have a call sign or not. Once we firm up the contest rules and guidelines I’m sure you will have just of good of a chance to receive a prize as a Ham. You won’t be sending out reports to any stations, you will be reporting on SWL stations you have heard and can identify using a contest form. I hope you decide to participate as I promise it will be fair and fun.
How will this contest differentiate West Coast North American reception from East Coast North American reception and equate this difference for contest results?
Dan,
We haven’t addressed that though yet but will now that you have brought it up. Thanks.
I have personally participated in a Eueipean DX clubs contest for several years. It did seem to favor European DXers but I did enter and had fun. One year I placed 23rd last year I placed 7th. There was only two stations/countries I didn’t get. Bangladesh was one of them. My QTH is on the East Coast but except for some Oceania stations like PNG or Vanauta, I usually get just about everything they do and vise versa especially for a month long contest. Case in point was last night there was an awesome opening for Africa but in California it wasn’t. Today it might be different where they can pick it up and I can’t. Don’t worry we will make it fair, and your input on that will help, so please participate.