N8XX wrote:
"Maybe the malaise isn't the Sprint itself, but the lack of leadership in the
contest clubs? I've been one of the first (sometimes
THE first) in a contest club in which I'm a member, to ask "Is anyone going to
organize teams for the XXXX Contest which is coming up in the next week (or
couple weeks)"?
At PVRC, our participation incentive program (called '5-Meg') requires a
contest to have a 'Club Competition' category before we would include it. The
NA Sprints do not have a 'Club Competition' category.
The only exception we have ever made to this rule is 2014-2015, where we added
all 3 modes of NAQP to 5-Meg on a trial basis for two years, based on the
recent (but informal) 'NAQP Challenge' involving NCCC, SMC and PVRC. As a
result, PVRC has fielded as many as 13 NAQP teams in this year's events,
compared to 0 teams three years ago.
I have not measured overall NAQP activity levels this year versus 2013 and
prior years, but I sense the the NAQP Challenge has been helpful in creating
additional activity overall (NAQP Contest Directors are BCC'd here ... maybe
they know?)
We hope the NAQP organizers will take note of this success, and add a formal
Club Competition category in 2015 and beyond. In such a case, it is likely we
would make our experiment permanent.
I mention this since the NA Sprints are not so different. They are also
short-duration, domestic events where small stations can have fun. In fact,
the QSY Rule gives 'Little Pistols' a bigger advantage in the Sprints vs
NAQP's.
In recent years I have noticed experienced NA Sprint competitors complaining on
3830 they ran out of stations to work on CW, never mind SSB.
73,
Ken KE3X
PVRC President
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