I think a better question is ...
What are they doing in Europe (especially Eastern EU) that *is* attracting so
many younger folks. They do come from a culture where ..in Soviet Bloc days,
amateur radio was more "radiosport" than a chatting hobby, but that can't be
the whole thing.
73
Steve KL7SB
-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2016 5:25 AM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Observations of a young ham
On 12/18/2016 10:18 PM, W0MU Mike Fatchett wrote:
> My comments below:
>
> On 12/18/2016 8:24 PM, Taylor Kelly wrote:
>>> On Dec 18, 2016, at 11:42 AM, W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu@w0mu.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> I had the opportunity to talk to my son in more detail and ask him
>>> why contesting does not interest him. Here is what we discussed.
>>>
>>> 1. Cost to get in the game and have a chance to win is prohibitive.
>>> You need a great station, land, etc to really win or compete. The
>>> playing field is so unbalanced that it becomes a show stopper. For
>>> him he has no costs when at home. I consider my station modest with
>>> a 70 ft tower and land to put up Inv L's and full sized 80m
>>> verticals and some receiving antennas. I could do more but we have
>>> horses and they need to roam and are hell on things in the pasture.
In my situation, 100 watts and a vertical I know I will never ever "WIN" But
you CAN "WIN" in another way! My "WIN" is beating the last time I entered in
the contest. Did I do better against myself than previous times? If not then
in what "Place" did I place compared to past attempts.
> Can’t argue this point. The software we have is superb to our needs,
> but it’s hardly attractive.
> Is making a fancy front end going to make things more interesting,
NO, the more plain and clear is what's Important.
> if we could even define what that would be? Not sure.....I explained
> paper logging and big monster dupe sheets and how we used to try to
> dupe JA calls. He looked at me like I was nuts! I think we were.
> Underline JK, Circle JH, box JI and do it while logging the contact
> and working the next guy! We did this!
Personally I always liked the dupe sheets that were the combination of the last
number in the call and the first letter after the number determined where the
call went in the dupe sheet. so in my case someone
who worked me would place me in the 9S slot. Then it matters not
anything about the prefix.
>
>>
>>> 7. He proposed that all participants use a scoreboard type system.
>>> Many of us have said this was something we need to do but have
>>> instead met with amazing resistance and a ton of excuses why people
>>> refuse to use it. A system where everyone can check it out and see
>>> what is going in in the contest. We are back to visuals.
The "Live" scoreboard I have mixed feelings on. It's kind of like any contest
that has a serial number in it. Sometimes you are amazed and in awe that the
guy you just worked has 1000 Q's in his log and you just gave him #333.
And then depending on your own "Mood"? You get all Pissed off when you been
trying your hardest and have 333 Q's in your log, and the Guy you just worked
has 1000! You think why bother? I'll never Win.
Unless you do the "Win" as described earlier.
>>>
>> I think that could work with the right safeguards in place.
What do you mean by safeguards?
Joe WB9SBD
>
> W0MU
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
|