Rumor/flame control: QST

[frenaye at pcnet.com]

With the debate hot and heavy (except for the cool wisdom from N6TR) maybe 
this will help to fill you in.  Since the change was made in October QST 
which most of you should have had for a month now (my November copy arrived 
this week) and no one noticed, isn't this really a dead issue?  

73 Tom


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Hi (deleted):

I'm sorry to learn that you're so strongly opposed to the way we are now 
presenting announcements for ARRL-sponsored contests in QST (starting with 
the October 1995 issue).

The motivation for this change is simple: We want to encourage as many 
people as possible to try contesting, especially newer hams.

Take a few minutes to read the Sweepstakes announcement in October QST or 
the 10-Meter Contest and 160-Meter Contest announcements in November. It's 
our opinion that the new format is easier to understand and a heck of a lot 
more readable and inviting than the "official rules" format previously used. 
The new format includes all the information that someone needs to know to 
get on the air and operate the contest: Dates and times, bands and modes; 
who you can work and what to send; entry categories; point and multiplier 
structure; scoring instructions; log deadline and entry information; and 
available awards. We've also included some new features, like the box 
highlighting What's New for those already familiar with the contest.

The old format contained a lot of detail not of interest or use to the vast 
majority of entrants -- the casual contesters who make anywhere from a few 
to a few hundred QSOs, yet "keep the rate up" for the serious guys. The 
serious guys, who might really need to know some of the more arcane points, 
usually are already familiar with the rules and don't read them anyway, 
except to find out What's New.

If you absolutely, positively must have the full and complete dry and boring 
rules, they're readily available electronically from the ARRL BBS; from the 
ARRL's ftp site maintained by the Boston ARC (also available through the 
League's Web page); and by e-mail from the League's infoserver.

If you want the full rules by US mail, they'll be included in the new ARRL 
Contest Yearbook, which is a comprehensive booklet with "official rules" and 
summary and log sheets for all League contests; dupe sheets with 
instructions;  the Field Day package; some contest records and other 
pertinent information. This booklet will be available shortly for a nominal 
fee to offset printing and postage. We'll be updating it annually, at the 
start of each contest season. (This same information is (or will be in the 
case of the new pieces) available electronically, for free, at the sites 
mentioned above.)

Although we will no doubt make some refinements as we gain experience, we 
intend to give the new format at least a year's trial.

Please remember that QST is a general-interest membership magazine serving 
more than  180,000 readers--readers with an incredible variety of interests 
and experience levels.  Like it or not, QST cannot possibly carry enough 
information on any one special interest to completely satisfy the wants and 
needs of those seriously interested in that particular area. That's why 
there are so many newsletters and magazines, Internet reflectors, Web pages, 
conferences, clubs and organizations each devoted to serving a few hundred 
or few thousand hams with particular special interests.

As for more e-mail addresses in QST,  we are rearranging the front of the 
magazine to make room. In the meantime, the full list is available from the 
sources noted above, and the Web page has a "mail-to" function if your 
browser supports it. Our system is pretty easy to remember, though: 
callsign at arrl.org or first initial-last name at arrl.org. For example, I'm 
aa2z at arrl.org or mwilson at arrl.org. Billy Lunt is kr1r at arrl.org or 
blunt at arrl.org.

Thanks for your continued interest in the League, QST and our contest 
program.

73,
Mark Wilson, AA2Z
QST Editor


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E-mail: frenaye at pcnet.com  
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box 386, West Suffield CT 06093
Phone: 203-668-5444