Howdy,
For many years people on this Reflector have noted the relative lack of
"younger" Checks seen in SS exchanges. We are 18 years into the 21st century,
and yet the majoity of contacts made are with folks who were licensed 30 to 60
years ago. There is a demonstrable lack of "new blood" in CW SS.
This has been disguised in two ways. First, I submit that the new technologies
used in contesting (SO2R, Internet/Cluster, computer dupe checking, logging
software with band maps, etc.) have made us all much more effficient at working
the majority of people who actually show up on the bands. Without these tools
it was much harder to find everyone. Now there are no openings missed, no
stones unturned. If you get on and "make a few contacts" people will very
efficiently find you and work you. Secondly, it used to be a difficult chore to
submit a log. Running through hundreds of entries cleaning up poor penmanship
and dupe checking the whole log after the contest and mailing it all in was a
big job. Now it couldn't be easier. A couple of minutes of button pushing and
your log is on it's way.
Because of these two factors, raw scores and logs submitted would have us
believe that all is well. I am convinced however that scores have remained high
because we all have become better at scoring, and "logs received" is high
because it's much easier to submit a log than it used to be.
A more useful metric might be "Number of unique calls reported". I'm suggesting
that this number has been going down ever since the code requirement was
dropped. Unfortunately I don't think there is any way to prove my hypothesis
unless there is an archive of old contest logs and someone who is willing to
type them all into a database of some kind (and I'm not volunteering!).
This leaves me with two conclusions. First, any change to SS CW contest rules
will have no significant effect on the fundamental problem.......CW contest
operators are a dying breed. Secondly, if the problem is a lack of enthusiasm
for CW SS due to Sunday Doldrums or lower rates, then perhaps a change on the
rules could be made to increase the enjoyment for those of us who are left.
73 Steve K0SR
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