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>Any advise, hints and ideas for the article will be appreciated.
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Every time I think I won't write again on the topic, I go and do it! ;) As
everyone knows by now. I'm fairly new. When I first heard of 'weak signal'
work I was being told by all the new FM friends I found that if I wanted to
go outside the repeater I'd need an HF rig and better license. In fact,
that's how most of the clubs around here see it. A little over a year ago, I
found out what else existed in VHF thanks to a phone call and meeting with 2
great guys from the SE VHF Society - Bob and Jim. As they'll tell you, my
entry into this wasn't normal, but I must have been a salmon in a previous
life - I keep trying to swim upstream it seems ;)
I've been a little slow to get excited about contesting (I'm at "interested"
right now). However, my XYL was listening to the Jan contest on 6m as I
called back to a few folks and her eyes lit up. You know, that kind of real
interest and excitement. She had talked about getting her license for a over
a year, but no study yet. Then, less than 2 months after the contest, she
got it! I can't swear it's total cause and effect, but I'd say she's got
more interest in contesting than you'd find in most FM places. She also saw
me put together last year's program for the SE VHF Society conference, so
she knows a bit about weak signal too. However, she's also the one that
didn't think I should submit my measly score in Jan. SO, let me try to use
our perspectives as newcomers to see what we went through...
Unless you already know other hams well, you get your first license and go
get an FM rig and/or an HT. You get to talk to lots of interesting people,
although local, and you hear that IRLP and other internet ways let you talk
around the world. The clubs tell you you'll have to upgrade your license for
'real' DX. When I promote the SVHFS conf at club meetings I get VERY LITTLE
interest. A few tell me they might get into it someday, others believe that
it's too much work...
SSB and weak signal work are TOUGH! I've almost given up several times
listening to static. The close encouragement I've gotten has kept me in.
Knowing the technical side, I also know what is possible. Not so with many
who hear the faint sounds in the static and think I've wasted my money when
I could have clear FM.... ;) or HF. If you have the $ for MegaWatts and
antennas bigger than the house, maybe you can have a good VHF or UHF
station.... (I don't believe that..... maybe....almost.... ;)
My conclusions so far:
- It's a CONTEST! Not a jog in the park, and not a golf game.... If you're
in ham radio, you can chat anytime - you don't have your station just so you
can turn it on one or two days a year. This is the time you do your best and
COMPETE! Competitors want a chance at recognition.... That can include
published standings, awards, etc. If you're not competing, sending in logs
isn't important... It also means having some class for newbies, or there
won't be any... It's not guaranteed awards that bring out competitors, it's
HOPE! Look at the classes and past scores and see how long it will be before
a newbie even has hope... Even runners in a road race get a T-shirt (no
nasty comments - I'm not advocating a 'something for everyone' approach,
just hope for something...).
- An FM only contest or class probably won't create long-time contesters,
but it will get people exposed. However, there needs to be a growth path to
get those that get some recognition on FM, and like it, to take it further.
Otherwise, they will just stay there or leave...
- Education is important. The local (FM) clubs don't know much about this,
but think they do and it isn't fun. Many have HF too. I see a LOT more
interest in IRLP and satellite than WS VHF. As it is, I don't feel qualified
to do a club presentation about it and make it sound really cool... Can we
collectively put a presentation together for everyone to use?
- Non-contest activity is important!! Hold nets, listen, call, and whatnot
all the time (you like this stuff, right?). I can get on dozens of nets on
all sorts of topics on VHF FM any time, have a call returned on any
repeater, and on HF you can find folks all the time, but I've spent a lot of
time calling with only occassional replies on VHF. Because of limited range
and no atmospheric enhancement, it's more important for everyone to 'talk
more'. That way, it's also easier to generate interest in the bands between
contests. Why enter a contest if no one is there? *See megawatt perception
above*
- My interest in this has gotten me a higher power amp and working 2m FM
simplex more. Breaking the repeater habit... It helps keep the "real radio"
enthusiasm between dead spots.
- Loaning antennas is a nice gesture, but I don't think it will be a big
impact, especially without the above. So they borrow the equipment, then
without the patience, they confirm the bands are dead.... Better to invite
them over to share the shack. Or, how about antenna building projects? It
happens in other areas, and VHF/UHF ones are so easy - like the Cheap Yagis!
Do it at a decent VHFer's shack and spend some time on the air too.... Then
they'll have a workable antenna and be psyched...
I think it would help to take a newbie-FMer's point of view on this, if it's
new blood that's needed. I'll recap:
* It's a CONTEST. You can ragchew anytime... Why get involved in the cost
and effort to do what can be done more easily on HF, or IRLP, or Sat.?
* Be on the air. WS VHF isn't just for contests, and newbies won't buy into
it just for contests they won't ever place in ;)
* Take advantage of some easy ways to get newbies interested - help them
build an antenna instead of loaning one and show them how to operate. Now
they're in it with their HF+6+2 rig...
* Think like a newbie first
* Let's have a 'message', like all the other facets do. And not everyone
wants to smell solder flux <G> so it has to have broad appeal.
* Give the FMers a path one step at a time (maybe FM simplex operations,
Vertical SSB operation to make use of existing newbie antennas, etc)
* Be on the air - after they get all excited, build an antenna, attend the
party, see it done, and go home all fired up, who they gonna talk to on the
air??
I hope I didn't offend anyone, and many thanks to the guys that help(ed)
me - but it's not over for me yet either (I still need help). I thought
there might be some benefit in going back and retracing some of our steps,
thinking about the reactions I've gotten from newbies on the repeaters, and
what hit and what didn't, and sharing that.
73, Skip
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Dr. Skip Coppola, KG4QDZ
EM73ru
6m, 2m, 70cm: SSB, FM, & Digital modes
NWS Advanced Spotter
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