New blood vs. Young Blood

Thu Feb 29 16:39:40 EST 1996

Thought I'd jump in here with my two cents on the "new blood" issue.

The main point I would like to make is that while there is (and 
should be) lots of focus on getting YOUNG folks interested in 
contesting, don't forget about the not-so-young types who may be 
prime candidates for a lifetime carreer in contesting.

A case in point: myself.  I am 33 years old, and have been licensed
since 1976 (ex-call: WB3FAX).  I held a General class license from
1977 until 1988 when I got the 'bug' again and started becoming
interested in DXing.  After months of DXing with a wire and 100W,
my CW finally improved enough to upgrade.

Meanwhile, I'd heard the cacaphony of contests and wondered why
anyone would ever want to do that!  My desire for more countries
led me to actually start having exchanges with some of these
'contest maniacs' so I could increase my country totals.

Then, one fateful night, I decided to enter a contest for the purpose
of seeing what kind of score I could make.  This was the 1994 CQ 160
DX CW contest - and I really haven't been the same since.  I finally
figured out for myself that contesting is SERIOUS FUN.  See my article
in NCJ from that year.  "Contesting - what's the fuss all about?"

Meanwhile, there is Billy Cox AA4NU - my contesting Elmer.  Billy
had been working on me for a couple of years to get me interested in 
contesting.  My response was always a lukewarm "sounds interesting but
I just don't think that's for me..."  I thought that after months of
"not interested" he would leave me alone, but no!  He patiently continued 
to present contesting and its assocaited challenges in a light that I
found more & more attractive.  Bill has been the ultimate Elmer.  
He makes me figure out stuff on my own, challenges me to improve my
station and technique, and provides lots of support and encouragement.
Most of all, he reminds me what is most important - HAVING FUN!
I know Billy has also worked with folks a lot younger that I am.
I am very grateful he hung in there and kept wotking on *this* OM!  
Let me assure you, if there were more hams like AA4NU, you'd have more
new contesters like me.  And today, I feel like I am in this game for
the long haul.  I look forward to years of contesting.  You (we) are an
*amazing* group of people!

So, don't forget about the older guys who may just be ripe for a new
challenge.  New blood does not have to be just young blood.

And thanks to AA4NU for getting me into this mess!  

73, Kirk  WR3O

>From Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com  Thu Feb 29 09:15:20 1996
From: Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com (Fred Hopengarten)
Date: Thu, 29 Feb 1996 04:15:20 EST
Subject: Contesters/Stock Market Correlation
Message-ID: <31356eab.k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com>

On Thu, 29 Feb 96 21:31 EST, "Doug Grant"
<0006008716 at mcimail.com> wrote:

> Don't forget the K1AR-stockmarket correlation:
>
> AR works at Nixdorf - they go under.
> AR goes to Honeywell - they sell out to Bull and disappear.
> AR goes to Wang - ahem.
> AR goes to CQ - yikes! better subscribe to 73 now...
>
> K1DG
-- 
                      Fred Hopengarten K1VR
           Six Willarch Road * Lincoln, MA 01773-5105
     home + office telephone:  617/259-0088 (FAX on demand)
                   internet:  k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com
            "Big antennas, high in the sky, are better
                       than small ones, low."

>From ea1au at jet.es (EA1AU)  Sat Feb  3 12:59:54 1996
From: ea1au at jet.es (EA1AU) (EA1AU)
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 1996 12:59:54 +0000
Subject: IOTA TEST: ED1MC Scores
Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19960203125954.006aeb10 at jet.es>

IOTA -  Contest Summary Sheet - Year: 1996  IOTA Ref: EU077

Callsign:  ED1MC                      Total Claimed Score   1918226

       Select 1.    Single         Single Op             Multi  
                       Op: ____     Limited: ____          Op:  X

       Select 1.       CW: ____         SSB: ____       Mixed:  X

Note:  Multi Op entries must be mixed mode.

       Contest DXpedition Station?      Yes:  X            No: ____

Note:  A DXpedition station is one where the antennas and equipment
       were installed specifically for this contest.

     BAND             80m     40m     20m     15m     10m     Total

     Valid QSOs SSB    30      94     737     209       0      1070
     Valid QSOs CW     10     194     385     121       0       710

     QSO Points       477    2181    7258    2302       0     12218

     Multipliers SSB   16      27      39      25       0       107
     Multipliers CW     6      25      12       7       0        50

Island name and/or station location: SALVORA (SISARGAS GROUP)
Give exact coordinates if island is not listed by name in Directory

TX/RX      KENWOOD TS940 S + KENWOOD TS850 S

Power o/p  1 KW

Antennas   YAGIS 10/15/20 + 1/2 Wave 40 Vertical + LW for 80

Operators  EA1AKB, EA1AKB, EA1AU, EA1AWW, EA1BNW, EA1BXF, EA1DD,
           EA1EVN, EA1GT, EA1MC

Comments   Good conditions on all bands. Couldn't operate 10 M

           because the antenna didn't worked.

           EA1MC manager for ED1MC

I declare that this station was operated strictly in accordance with
the rules and spirit of the contest and within the conditions of my
licence.  My report is correct and true to the best of my knowledge.
I agree that the decision of the contest organisers shall be final
in all cases of dispute.  I agree to the data from this entry being
entered into a computer for the sole purpose of the contest adjudication.

Signed    BATEA IOTA TEAM                  Date  Aug 4, 1996

Name      BATEA IOTA TEAM                        Callsign  ED1MC
Address   P.O.BOX 59
          36080 Pontevedra
          SPAIN

Carlos,   ea1au at jet.es