It has been really enjoyable seeing these issues and their debate on the
reflector. This has probably generated more VHF Contest reflector activity
than most any other topic. Spread the word to others interested in VHF
contesting and tell them to get signed up for the reflector now.
I think Ev's points are excellent. I could probably be considered one of
those who marginally participates and does not usually submit the log. That
will change over the next year as I get my new house and station built, but
for now it is my reality. I am looking forward to building a 160m through
at least 1296 MHz station over the next couple of years. It is not as if
submitting is tough these days (thanks Trey), but sometimes it just doesn't
happen. In the future, I am going to do my best to make sure I always
submit logs regardless of score.
I do have a suggestion for increasing log submission and probably overall
activity. This would primarily be applicable to ARRL sponsored contests and
is not necessarily limited to VHF. How about allowing the logs submitted to
count toward VUCC, WAS, DXCC, etc... With the ARRL's Logbook Of The World
(LOTW) project, we are entering a time when this might be plausible. I am
not a software engineer and probably underestimate the impact, but it
strikes me that this should be possible soon.. The upside of this seems to
be that those non-contesters who are most interested in chasing gads,
states, etc. would then have an incentive to not only submit their log, but
be more active during contest weekends. I am sure I am missing something
simple, so I look forward to further discussion. This was one of my
comments that I submitted in the recent VHF contest survey the ARRL
conducted.
An additional suggestion would be to, via the web, allow the creation of
participation certificates upon either submission of log or publishing of
the results. Once results are published, a participant would be able to go
in and create a couple of different certificates, some even dependant upon
their results, that they can print locally and thereby receive immediately.
Finally, I think it would be interesting and enjoyable to read, see and hear
from some of the active stations in these contests. The ARRL soapbox is a
very good start. I really enjoy looking through the entries. More is
better, so encouraging everyone to submit soapbox type info would be great.
The Web provides a great opportunity to make available audio, video and the
written word available to everyone.
Reading about this stuff gets me excited about upcoming contests. Radio,
for me, is still magic, even after 26 years. There is something really
fundamentally exciting to me when you hear LP signals on 40 or 80, JA's on
160. Aurora and MS on 6 or 2.. Bringing that excitement to someone new
should be on all of our lists. It will increase our own fun and increase
participation.
Sorry this got so long.
73,
Scott, N3RA
Also have been
Op at K3LR (current) Multi Multi's
Op at K3UA (mid 90's) Limited VHF station
Op at W3GNR (early 80's) VHF Multi.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Ev Tupis
> (W2EV)
> Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2003 8:37 AM
> To: VHFContesting eMail Remailer
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] Full Circle -- Why we operate
>
>
> One can argue 'till the cows come home about what makes it fun
> for you, and
> custom design rules that make it more fun -- for you.
>
> The best contest rules are those that allow lots of ways of
> having fun; none to
> the exclusion of other's fun. The best contesting sponsors are those that
> realize this and referee without removing the fun-factor
> (Referees: it's about
> having fun...stop seeing yourselves as judges, juries and executioners).
>
> We operate (even between contests) because:
> o It's fun
> o We are rewarded somehow
>
> We turn in logs because:
> o It's easy
> o We are rewarded for doing so
>
> My point continues to be that the wrong people are commenting (and making
> decisions) on this stuff. These people are already operating and
> turning in
> logs. To know why someone *doesn't* do something, you need to
> ask the person
> who *isn't* doing it. Not let those that are, speculate.
>
> Ev Tupis, W2EV
> --
> What's cool in Amateur Radio?
> PropNET, CU2QSO and Cu2QSO -- All part of the BEACONet Project
> http://www.BEACONet.org or join the on-line community by
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>
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>
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