Finally we return to heart of the issue which was the original mission of
the committee - to increase participation at VHF+ in competitive events and
award programs. We all know why contesting is desirable, it's a question of
how to get more people interested in it.
Discussions about VHF+ contesting veer rapidly away from the participation
aspect to arguing about fine-tuning the rules for the existing competitors.
This is only natural, since they're the ones that respond. Those that
aren't yet participating obviously aren't tuned in to the discussion. We
need to think more about how to get Joe 706 to drive up to a hilltop and
tune to 50.125 and 144.200 for a few hours.
The suggestions for challenges and plaques on a local and regional level are
good. The ARRL operates at a national level, but individuals have a much
closer horizon. New operators aren't likely to have much success unless
they are Elmered by more experienced players. Remember when you got into
contesting and how much you thrashed around before getting some helpful
advice? K2AXX and KA5CVH have some good ideas - let's build on them.
In your discussions with your own clubs and groups, see if you can keep the
focus on how to attract new operators. It's really, really easy to fall
back into arguing about the fine points of the competition. Call "time out"
and put those issues aside for the moment. You all know your local and
regional operators better than anyone. What would work to get them
interested? Free beer is always popular :-) Seriously - how about
club-to-club challenges, invitations to multi-ops and rovers,
demonstrations, open-houses, activity and practice nights and the like?
Drop in on local VHF nets and invite the participants to join some activity.
People will take an interest in any activity in which they see others like
themselves having a good time and learning something interesting. They
won't take it up because of the national organization urging them to do so.
The ARRL can create a reasonable set of rules and adminster them, but you
guys are the ones that will have to show them how much fun it is. Once they
figure out that it's fun, look out!
73, Ward N0AX
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