Dave, I'll have to agree with you on every point here. You've pretty much laid it out. For the past 6 years we've been having groups of kids over for the January ARRL Kid's Day event. We do it multi-
Lloyd and Dave, First, let me say that I disagree with you all. The amateur radio population in the US is at an all-time high. Yes, many of these new hams are V/U types. Part of the problem is we do
Let it go. The conditions that made ham radio exciting, ground breaking, and FUN are over. There is no allure of the unknown and no excitement of talking with real people of the world. Those were and
I agree with several reports that it took several years for amateur radio and amateur radio contesting to catch up with the computer revolution. I bought my first CAT YAESU in 1983 but it only suppor
Exactly. Times have changed and the thrill is gone. Technology has changed ham radio. I don't need to talk to anyone on ham radio ... I just go on the internet and get all the information I want. The
Perhaps it is why we need to keep contest managers in check when they change rules that are to the detriment of tech advantage - The extra levels of superb placed by the Russians at CN2AA or the lads
Well, if things were all rosy as you imply we wouldn't be having these discussions and you wouldn't have to work so hard to draw a handful of youngsters into the hobby. The reality is that the averag
I really don't think technology per se is the issue here. It's the appeal of competition. There are all sorts of extremely popular activities that involve competition that have nothing to do with tec
Been here done all that. It is just like general club participation. I know of several clubs in my area, where the average membership is between 60 and 80 members, Yet it is pretty close that only 10
This is both an interesting and perennial topic, both for contesting specifically and ham radio in general. Many elements of it do not bode well for this aspect of the hobby nor the hobby in general.
My thoughts as one whom was a rabid contester as a teenager, but has no time for contesting currently: There are three simple paths to recruit contesters: 1). Field day. Many of us became smitten wit
Hi Scott, Number (4) could be problematic. For instance, I have stacks on 40 through 10, a rotating tower, a tall fixed tower, and a full-sized 160 meter vertical, and I reckon I have less in all of
While I am reluctant to look like I'm supporting the notion of creating so many categories that everyone is virtually guaranteed to be a winner, I should point out that the introduction of the Rookie
I still like the if you're not using it station, let someone else use it. I still, now 40 years later fondly remember being a Novice in 1976, remember running SS as my first contest with a large numb
Im dx'er small time contester now conditions are waning it not easy with 100w tribander and wire from where i live technogy is the key to getting young people in. Sdr, great logging/spotting software
Hello George, My idea is specifically for beginning contesters. So perhaps they can participate in the entry level overlay for 3 to 4 years after starting. If somebody started with the impressive sta