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A review of the 2009 CQ WW DX SSB logs now posted on the internet shows that while Single Operators can be on the air for 48 hours, the average time spent in the contest last year was much less, just over 12 hours per all-band entry.
The study by Chris Schneider DL8MBS, with help from Michael Hoeding DL6MHW, showed that of the over 3500 Single Op, All Band entries, 87 percent operated less than half the CQ WW DX SSB contest.
At the top end of those participating, only 25 operators - just 0.7% of those who submitted entries - worked more than 44 hours of the contest.
Schneider's review divided all SOAB entries by six hour operating periods, showing how few people put in even 24 hours in CQ WW SSB:
As you can see, over half of those Single Ops who sent in entries did not work more than 12 hours of the contest.
Only 3.6% of Single Ops - just 110 entries - operated between 36 and 48 hours.
"Runners mostly have a choice of marathon, half-marathon and 10k in the same event without any detriment to the still paramount status of marathon," Schneider argued in an email to radio-sport.net.
Schneider admits the idea has received strong opposition from within the contest community in the past, but he still hopes that others will listen, arguing that it can help boost participation.
"87 percent operated less than half time. So IMHO there is no risk of reduced activity with a halftime category when such an overwhelming majority already now stays below this threshold," wrote Schneider.
"There may be even a net gain when those a bit below the threshhold add hours to be suddenly competetive in the "half-marathon" category," he added.
Regardless of whether you support the ideas of DL8MBS, a quick review of these numbers does prove one thing - the longer you keep your butt in the chair, the better chance you have to finish higher in a contest like CQ WW.
But there always is an exception, like the SOAB LP entry of Teddy Jiminez HI3TEJ in 2009.
He missed the first 13 hours and 30 minutes of the contest, and still managed to turn in the second highest claimed score in the World from the low power category.
You can see his 2009 rate sheet to check for yourself!
You can look through all of last year's CQ WW DX SSB logs on the CQ WW web site. The 2009 CQ WW CW logs will be released soon as well.
Here is a breakdown by the number of hours worked in 2009, how many operators that represented, and the overall percentage of those who sent in logs to CQ WW.
