To run with the Big Dogs - you can't be a puppy, pull yourself up by your
bootstraps, and all that. Admirable, true, and good personal advice for
improving your contesting success.
But...
I must point out that contesting is quite unique a sport in that the success of
the competitors depends entirely on the ability to connect with as many other
participants as possible. And not only other participants, but
non-participants. Certainly an auto race can not open the gates to every
possible participant in every event - but radio contesting depends on doing
just that. No one has to pre-register or qualify to play - just show up and be
welcomed, right?
The success of the sport depends on its open-ness and easy access. We should
not over-react to a poor experience by one or two, nor should the behavior of a
couple knotheads reflect poorly on us all. Yet, having a healthy sport means
more than publishing the rules and an email address for logs and saying, "Take
it or leave it". There have been several good ideas put forth as to how to
educate and attract contesters. I hope some of them are widely implemented.
To a large degree, however, the methods by which we conduct ourselves on the
air is the primary window by which others view and form opinions of the sport.
Outreach is THE challenge to the contest community over the coming solar
doldrums - not amplifiers, cheating, packet spotting, or log formats. Outreach
is required to the casual and non-contesters - even anti-contesters - to keep
the sport healthy. We have a great opportunity at present with super
conditions and participation in many contests at record levels.
Let's not blow it in our urge to be competitive with one another.
73, Ward N0AX
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