I have kept track in some of my recent phone contest operations
of the number of QSOs I make with stations that are being operated by
female voices. I know that gender recognition through voice
characteristics is imperfect, but nevertheless I am confident that
women account for fewer than 2% of the contest QSOs I make on HF
phone.
I am sure that women account for more than 2% of licensed
amateurs in the U.S. and most other countries. I am sure that women
account for more than 2% of the "active" amateurs. Roughly 20% of
the electrical engineering bachelors degrees granted in the United
States go to women. 12% of electrical engineering PhDs and 16%
of computer science PhDs in the United States go to women. There
are plenty of technically-skilled and educated women quite capable
of understanding the technical aspects of radio contesting, and
lots of women of all ages are involved in other serious amateur
sporting and competitive events. But women seem to account for
less than 2% of HF phone contest activity.
How can we interest more women in radio contesting?
--
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker@kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/
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