Tad Danley wrote:
>
> Hans Brakob wrote:
>
> > Let's let them mix with mainstream hams, expose them to the
> > "culture" of HF, and watch how fast they upgrade to get on
> > the "real" DX/contesting bands like 20.
> >
> > 73, de Hans, K0HB
>
> Hans is right. We learn best by doing. Getting new hams on the air with
> experienced operators is the right way to teach proper operating
> techniques.
That whole more-bands-for-weenies proposal was just a sleazy scam to
boost the advertising revenue in QST. The ARRL bean counters want all
those techs and tech-pluses out there agressively buying big-bux HF
rigs, antennas, and accessories.
This kind of warped mindset is what killed the Novice Roundup. Most
novices played 10SSB after the Newington successfully inspired that
degeneracy. Activity in the novice CW bands went down the tubes, and
participation in the Novice Roundup died with the last sunspot
downswing. Which caused the ARRL to announce in their NR Contest
Obitiuary something like , "Golly, for some strange unexplainable reason
there is no longer much interest in the Novice Roundup so it must be
time to phase that out. (or some such drivel)"
I propose deleting 10 SSB priveleges for license classes below general.
More high-quality contesters emerged the old-fashioned way. As is
readily seen by the frequent complaint of, "gee, where are the young
contesters?" 10 ssb kissed them goodbye...we don't need any more of
that nonsense.
Go down and listen to the 40/80m Novice CW bands any evening. Fifteen
to 20 years ago they were thriving...it was really hard to find a clear
frequency to call CQ. Now days you are lucky to hear one or two
on-going QSOs.
Big Don
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