I think the CQ VHF Contest's format of just two bands is great because it's
different, and you only have to have two bands QRV. If there were 500
people available to work between two bands, it would be great fun. But
it's not - because barring stupendous propagation, there's only 100 people
to work on the two bands. It makes for a dull weekend.
I can't get behind any contest proposal that limits bands. I admire single
ops like K2AXX, W2BZY, et al and the multi teams such as SZ and GP, that
pull together the gear to work all the VHF contest bands. Stations like
this need the opportunity to run all bands, and give us something to aspire to.
But not everyone can afford the time and/or money to put this together. I
thought W2BZY's note was really cool, and shows how an all band station can
be put together over the years with cunning, scrounging, and patience.
But not everyone has that much interest or perseverance, and that's what
started this discussion - how to attract new participants to the VHF
contests we love.
With VHF contesting I think we have a "sell job" on our hands. VHF is not
like HF, where you can buy one radio, one amp and a couple of antennas with
modest feedlines and be part of the action. For the beginning VHFer, the
VHF bands on his HF radio is only the starting point. He gets at most four
bands from one radio, then has to buy bricks which cost as much as a used
SB-200, expensive feedlines and monoband antennas (admittedly
smaller/cheaper than HF). This is the problem - we're asking the VHF
newbie to buy a bunch of hardware to try something to see if he likes
it. Then, he has no other choice but to compete with guys with all bands.
It seems so simple to me. Provide a playing field for those "all
banders". Don't cut back anything we already have. Simply provide a venue
for those with fewer bands by adding band-restricted categories (we can
fine-tune the specifics later).
IMHO the VHF contests are not impossibly broke. We just need to add some
things to attract newcomers. Getting on VHF has never, repeat never, been
easier. We should not blow this opportunity.
Dave/K8CC
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