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Re: [CQ-Contest] Stimulating Participation

To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Stimulating Participation
From: Jim Smith <jimsmith@shaw.ca>
Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2004 21:49:36 -0800
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
Hi Bob,

You're right, SSB contesting is tough with a modest station, and therefore not that much fun. One can have a lot more success with CW. You can get quite a few CW stations in the bandwidth occupied by an SSB station. I usually don't have any trouble finding a run frequency and keeping it in CW with my 100-150W and a 37 yr old tri-bander. Admittedly, I don't have the same number of close-by super stations that you do.

CW also simply gets through better, giving you more range. The simple equation is that CW provides more fun for folks like you and me.

I see RTTY as a middle ground between the two. Easier to do if you don't know CW.

73 and I hope you find a way to join in the fun.

de Jim Smith VE7FO

BDaniels01@aol.com wrote:

Hello All:

I've been following the discussion on the list regarding "Stimulating Participation" in contesting with some interest.

I'm one of those casual operators that many of the "Real" contesters seem to want to attract. My station is a single transmitter (about 100 watts out) to a ground mounted vertical. That's all I can manage to put on the air for now.

I love to get in there and see what I can do. Like many of you have already mentioned I have no real intention of turning in a log. I'm just trying to work a new one here and there.

My biggest turn-off to contesting hasn't been mentioned yet, so I thought I would say it and then take the flames.

There are so many Super stations on during the big contests that there is literally no room (band space) for the little guys. What I hear from Southwest Michigan during any given big contest is the same "BIG" U.S. Stations running shoulder to shoulder about 2 khz apart from the bottom of the band to the top of the band for most of the contest (There are a few "BIG" DX Stations mixed in as well). There is no way a station as small as mine can establish a run freq. So of course I S/P. The "BIG" stations are usually worked in short order. After an extended period of listening to the same BIG stations calling CQ over and over and fighting with other BIG stations to maintain their run freq, I get bored and go find something else to do. I may come back from time to time to see if anyone new is calling CQ. Its only during the last hour or two of a contest that this Wall seems to break down and then I get my chance to work the DX.

Before I get flamed too bad, remember I don't claim to be a hardcore contester. This just happens to be my reason for not really getting into it.

Bob K8KWT _______________________________________________
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