I agree with Bill. As a contester in my 20's (OK, up until August 30), I can
speak from personal experience on this one.
Perhaps even more important than getting new people to try contesting is
getting new people to become contesters. The thing that we can all do is to
foster the spirit of inclusion. I can remember when I first got into
contesting when I was a teenager and started going to contest club meetings.
Like most people, I was nervous about going up and talking to people. If
people like N5RZ, K5RX, K5MR and others hadn't been willing to come over and
talk to "the new guy" I might have dropped out of the club. Joining the club
led to being able to operate at big multi-multi stations like WM5G where I was
able to operate and learn from top ops like N5TJ and W4AN. Again, these guys
treated me like an equal and not like the "kid" and "newbie" I was. These are
the kinds of things that encourage new contesters to stick with it.
So the next time you are at a club meeting or contest forum at a hamfest and
see a young person sitting back in the corner alone, go up and talk to them.
You could be talking to a future CQWW winner!
73,
Alan, WQ5W
Bill Fisher wrote:
The CQWW CW & WPX CW contest dates have nothing to do with the aging
contest ranks and changing the dates will do nothing to attract younger
contesters. Suggestions on how to do so...
- Host a multi-op and invite newbies. I owe everything to K4VX for having
me. I'll never do enough to equal his generosity.
- Write an article. NCJ, CQ-Contest, Contesting Online, local club. They
are all mediums for expressing yourself. Write a motivational piece.
- Help your club. Be an activities director. Has anyone noticed what K1ZM
did for the YCCC this past year? As I hear it, he has single handedly
brought the YCCC back as the winning club in the DX contests by beating on
doors and getting people on the air. - Sponsor a plaque.
- Be a volunteer (log checker, certificates, etc).
My point? ******* DO SOMETHING !!! ******* Anything.73
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