On Tue, Apr 08, 2003 at 12:20:24AM -0400, Ed Kucharski wrote:
>
> o How can log submission be made easier?
>
I think it is pretty easy as Ed pointed out in the post.
The NA Sprint contest has gone a step further recently
by providing a way to enter your log online.
http://www.ncjweb.com/manualsprintlog.php
Really quite cool and seems to be both useful and used.
>
> o How should log submitters be rewarded?
>
> Participation pins were popular several years ago but did they really
> encourage participation and log submittal? Would t-shirts, hats or coffee
> mugs help?
These sorts of awards have helped the ARRL November Sweepstakes contests.
I will use this to share my thoughts about contests and getting people on the
radio.
The contests that have big followings and seem be growing or holding their own
are contests that have devoted people behind them doing all sorts of things
from promoting them, making sure logs are checked, awards are sent, answering
questions etc. While the large contests like the ARRL and CQ contests have
editorial
space in published magazines to help get the word and the results out many very
successful contests do not.
Here are some examples:
The California QSO party
http://www.cqp.org/
The Florida QSO party
http://www.qsl.net/fqp/index.html
The Stew Perry Distance Challenge.
http://jzap.com/k7rat/stew.html
The NA Sprint.
http://www.ncjweb.com/contests.php
The North American QSO Party.
http://www.ncjweb.com/contests.php
All of these contests are thriving and growing because some very dedicated
people care.
That is not to say that the ARRL does not care but I think in order to keep the
excitement up for a given contest people have to do it - some contests have
enough people (the ones who get on the radio) talking them up throughout
the year that they sorta feed on themselves at some point.
Contests need to be promoted in an ongoing active way.
One reason club competition gets more folks on the radio is because their
are people in the club talking those select contests up among their
members.
So perhaps one of the best ways for all of us to help the VHF contests is to
encourage our circle of friends to get on the radio and make contacts
and send in logs.
All of us.
--
George Fremin III - K5TR
geoiii@kkn.net
http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr
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