frank bechdoldt wrote:
> This is no different than Callaway giving out free golf clubs at random at
> the Master's tourenment. Even if Icom didnt write the program, what to stop
> them from sponsering a contest in such a manner? They allready loan or give
> stuff to DXpeditions.
>
> The question is how to be organized enough to offer a credible idea to a
> sponser? Even if we produce something from the grass roots.
The thing that worries me most about sponsors is eventually you end up
with McDonald's sponsoring the food at the Marathon, as if their
restaurants served healthy food worthy of being served to marathon runners.
(Yes, heard of this happening for real. Didn't get to see in-person
what they served or how they spun it. $5 "Fruit and Walnut" cups,
perhaps? Ha.)
The thought that Ham Radio contesting could be further infiltrated by
marketers that dumb/ignorant/bold/whatever, kinda turns my stomach. HF
contesting is already lost to the marketers hawking $10,000 rigs. I'm
not sure I'd like to see VHF contesting go the same way.
Seeing the Peter I island 3Y0X guys on stage at Dayton telling their
stories was neat, but knowing they had to do it to "cover" their use of
the Icom rigs (even if Icom didn't really REQUIRE such public speaking,
it's just a "courtesy" I assume, but who knows... I wondered while I
watched them...), and seeing Icom capitalizing at the event and hawking
radios to people -- like buying an Icom is what it takes to do a big
DXpedition and be a "successful" ham -- was kinda, sad. Especially for
a first ever trip to Dayton.
It sounded a little bit like carnival barkers trying to convince people
to come take a ride through the fun-house, to me.
Of course, the ghost-town empty Kenwood display wasn't nearly as fun or
interesting, either -- so I guess that proves there's a good and a bad
side of sponsorships, to some extent. Talk about dead...
I guess, if a manufacturer were to put their weight behind
building/designing a "killer" VHF+ contesting rig or line of rigs and
sponsored contests (or should we even consider that they might sponsor
INDIVIDUALS or CLUBS that contest???), it probably wouldn't break my
heart, but part of the "fun" of VHF+ contesting right now is that there
really aren't any "perfect" rigs or setups out there.
Most of what we do comes with some hard work and decisions about what
trade-offs to make when designing a good VHF+ contest station or rover.
Would it make me happier with my hobby if I could buy a high-power all
band/mode VHF+ rig off the shelf and fire it up for a contest, if it
meant that the manufacturer had to sponsor the contest at the end of the
day, and have guys standing on some podium somewhere talking about their
contest "experience" with the new gee-whiz-bang rig?
I honestly don't know my answer to that question. But if any
manufacturer feels like sending me a rig that'll do at least 100W on
everything from VHF to microwaves, and wants me to stand on a stage and
tell everyone else how cool it is... I'll take it under consideration!
(GRIN!!)
My $0.02, minus taxes, shipping and handling. (In other words, I owe
you money for having read this far in this missive!)
Nate WY0X
p.s.
No, the June QSL cards STILL haven't gone out, and while I could make a
bunch of really lame excuses, the good news is that I'm caught up on
previous cards prior to June, and another 500 cards are on the way from
the printer... and the script to print Avery labels for the over 500
QSO's from the Cabrillo format log is done, and (hopefully) ready to
print every single QSO a sticker for their card(s).
Hopefully the cards will arrive here very soon. You've all waited a
very long time, my apologies.
At least next year the "system" will be in place to handle the onslaught
of paper that ensues after a contest! I'm not much of a "wallpaper"
person, but you all deserve those cards, especially those of you who
kindly sent SASE's, e-mails, and other things to try to hurry me
along... I know you're all working for your VUCC's and other things!
They're coming!!! Anyone know of a QSL printer that wants to SPONSOR
the contest? Haha... perhaps who could also print the cards completely
from Cabrillo format logs? (HUGE GRIN...)
Ahhh, damn. Didn't think so...
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