Hi Ward:
Clearly, our game is going to become more connected and real-time. I see no
reason, however, that this new world cannot co-exist with the traditional
single operator categories (WRTC-like for instance). What I would like to see
considered is making sure that the new world doesn't require everyone to be
connected and integrated - interoperate with a game where the "radio" people
can play.
I was particularly struck by, and disagree with, the following:
"So everybody has to be
connected - so what - make a new CWAC overlay to CQ WW called the
Internet WW and run everybody's totals there. If a QSO isn't validated
because the station isn't online, give it one point or something."
I think this new game, which is very rapidly taking over the Assisted and
Multi-operator categories, can easily coexist with the traditional single
operator game that some of us still enjoy playing! :-)
73,
Mark, KD4D
> On November 15, 2017 at 12:31 AM Ward Silver wrote:
>
>
> I like where this thread has gone and picked out a few of the bits I
> thought most thought-provoking. N3BB's earlier comments were of
> interest, as well. Perhaps I could add a couple of thoughts and maybe
> RM2D will re-appear with some thoughts about younger contesters, as well.
>
> My "sales pitch" is usually some variation on "you can hear the world
> turning" on HF. This immediately provokes questions and starts any
> number of stories. Most people are completely unaware of the
> ionosphere, solar weather beyond the occasional sensationalized news
> item about how we're all going to die from a solar flare, and the idea
> that things change every day and every hour. This at least starts a
> conversation which can lead anywhere the interest goes.
>
> Radiosport is also missing two crucial elements to hold the interest of
> anyone accustomed to being online: visualization and real-time
> interaction. At the moment, contesting is like submarine racing -
> awfully interesting to whoever is in the submarines but not of much
> interest to anyone else. All the amazing stuff we imagine during the
> contest - openings, pileups, grey line, angle of arrival, rate, strategy
> * they're all between our ears and very little is displayed visually.
>
> Some progress is being made - like with the waterfall display - but
> there is so much data we could overlay onto various presentations.
> People are visual today and we need to make what we do a little more
> visual. I'm not saying turn it into a video game - just think up ways
> to make the core functions of what we find so exciting something to see
> as well as hear and imagine.
>
> Real-time interaction (meaning scoring) is the other part. The
> real-time scoreboards are a step or two in the right direction - more of
> us need to be using them and we need more tools for comparing, tracking,
> ranking, analyzing scores and the breakdown data. The underlying
> mechanism of reporting score data to a common processor seems to be
> solved. Why not send QSO data along with the score? Collect the QSOs
> and send them to a cross-checking validation engine that runs until the
> contest is over. (gross oversimplification) Then the final scores are
> published in minutes, not weeks or months. So everybody has to be
> connected - so what - make a new CWAC overlay to CQ WW called the
> Internet WW and run everybody's totals there. If a QSO isn't validated
> because the station isn't online, give it one point or something. Or
> make a new contest with everybody online - that's where our target
> audience is anyway. We can't wait until the last non-online holdout
> gives in.
>
> Those are tonight's ideas.
>
> 73, Ward N0AX
>
> >
> >> But if the sales pitch for amateur radio is "hey look how fascinating
> >> ionospheric HF propagation is compared to big budget VHF/UHF line of
> sight
> >> communications" I think it's a very easy pitch to make.
> >>
> >> = = =
> >>
> >> For the young person who has $100 and is
> >> looking to invest in something with a high probability of fun, how does
> >> amateur radio stack up? How much fun would it be for any of us with a
> $100
> >> station budget?
> >>
> >> = = =
> >>
> >> I've found contesters to be among the most young-at-heart people I've
> ever
> >> met. I've been shocked a few times to discover that a contester I had
> >> operated with was 10+ years older than I'd realized. Contesting truly
> may
> >> be the fountain of youth. Maybe it's the combination of a spirit that
> does
> >> not decline with age and the strategic insight that only gets stronger
> with
> >> experience.
> >>
> >> = = =
> >>
> >> ...they are interested in integrated stations (computer &
> >> radio) with automation coming quickly as the world that they are used
> to,
> >> this is a bit of a challenge for some of our mentors, who want to start
> >> from the theory of discrete components and work toward crystal radios,
> then
> >> onto discrete components, then ...
> >>
> >> = = =
> >>
> >> I believe that both approaches will appeal to different constituencies;
> >> however, the former approach of starting with the integrated station
> and
> >> then dealing into the theory, seems to be more effective on a broader
> base.
> >>
> >> My take away is that there is no one single bullet and that we will
> need
> >> multiple approaches; however, from my observation, if not a
> statistically
> >> significant sample, is that this approach in getting them online then
> work
> >> to fill out operational and theoretical competence has offered an
> appeal to
> >> a broader set of students that we have the privilege to interact and
> offer
> >> a road to hamdom....
> >>
> >> = = =
> >>
> >> Amateurs have spent decades building the foundations of radio, it's
> time to
> >> help the new crowd take those foundations and build something of their
> own
> >> on top of it.
>
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