On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 11:52 AM, Steve London <n2icarrl@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> What can we do to increase activity ? Making drastic changes, such as
> allowing the same station to be worked on each band, are off-the-table.
>
>
If memory serves, propagation in November 2011 was wonderful. November
2012...not so much.
While SFI figures were similar for the 2011 and 2012 phone tests, if you
look at the SFI in the couple of weeks leading up to those tests, there's a
significant difference.
Hypothesis: it is much easier to attract the interest of casual competitors
when their overall interest level in HF has been whetted with good
propagation. If propagation is mediocre, it could be tempting to simply
say, "maybe I'll sit this one out, and rest up for CQWW next weekend."
If you want to increase activity, find a way to improve propagation. :)
In terms of more practical ideas --
1. Outreach. If folks are concerned about getting more people in the
contest, perhaps they should proactively contact occasional/casual
participants to drum up the interest level.
2. As a relative rookie, contests with rookie classifications have a
special place in my heart. The ARRL Rookie Roundups are a nice idea, but
there is just so little activity in the CW and RTTY RR's. I've wondered
the intent of the RR would be better-served by merging them with a larger
event. Would double-points for working stations with honest recent
year-licensed boost the interest level, I wonder?
3. If rare sections lie within a club's circle, perhaps those clubs could
do their part by extolling the fun to be had by triggering pileups by
virtue of being a rare one, even if that requires mounting a little
mini-DXpedition.
--
*Michael D. Adams* (N1EN)
Poquonock, Connecticut | mda@n1en.org
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