Hi all,
Sorry for this long inquiry.
I have since 2000 been active at playing all the VHF contests including the
CQ VHF Contest, but I do have a complaint I wish to air to maybe get some
feedback regarding the awards for the 'real' weak signal stations like
myself.
I have participated in approximately 16 contests since I started contesting
in 2000, and since that time have been graciously awarded 7 certificates
from the ARRL contest group, but have never had a snowball's hance in h***
of getting any 'award' for the CQ VHF Contests I've entered ( 3 of the last
4 I've played). I didn't even enter my scores for last years attempt for
this reason.
Now I realize that there are a lot more stations active in a world wide
contest, and many of those have super-sized stations, and are in locations
that have more than ample chances of getting 10,000 plus scores for
contesting, and that quite a few of them do indeed win an award/plaque for
their efforts. BUT, what about the pip-squeek stations like myself who are
running low power, and are nearly 200 miles away from well-populated areas
to compete. I guess what I'm trying to say is what kind of incentive do
smaller stations have in working the CQ VHF WW Contest if they can never
achieve any recognition for their efforts?
There has, in the past 4 years I've read the reflector mail seen plenty of
chatter about revamping the ARRL contests to make a concerted effort to
increase VHF contest activity, scores and bring in 'new blood' to keep
things alive, but too little about the CQ contest of the same topic.
I've enjoyed playing all of the contests including the CQ VHF WW Contest,
but with 7 certificates under my belt for the ARRL contests, and nada for
my CQ efforts it seems not much worth my efforts to fire up the rigs, short
of giving a bunch of points to the bigger stations out there for thier
efforts.
Lets get a decent thread going in an effort to maybe changing , or rather
expanding the scope of the CQ VHF WW Contest to give stns like myself a bit
more incentive to want to compete, and be competative for this contest, and
as a result more fun. Also in these endeavors, much like the ARRL's, will
increase VHF activity even further. As I have seen a steady decline in VHF
activity over the last 4 years I've been active.
What are your thoughts...?
Jim, N2YEV
FN34gs, Plattsburgh, NY
Six Club #1663, SMIRK #6480
jhayes9424@charter.net
_______________________________________________
VHFcontesting mailing list
VHFcontesting@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
|