[CQ-Contest] SO2R investment.

[Barry Kutner]

Marty:
You raise an interesting point. When you are old enough and rich 
enough to build a "big contest station," you are then too old and 
too busy to operate 48 hours straight and be competitive. (Except 
for K3WW). Guess that's why there are young hired guns operating 
some of the big stations.
73 Barry

On 2 Jun 00, at 12:48, Marty wrote:

> This raises a very interesting point.  What is the "average" contest
> station, and how much does it cost?  I know of very few people in
> their 30's or younger than can afford to invest US$15,000 in radio
> gear.  Even investing US$1,000 per year after age 21, that kind of
> investment takes 15 years, with no kids and no house!
> 
> Is contesting becoming a rich guy's sport?  While superb contest
> stations can cost well north of the mentioned figure, I'd imagine the
> AVERAGE contester has more like $5,000 US in a station (single radio,
> single tower, triband and wire).  Figure $2,500 for the tower (or much
> less if used!), $1,500 for the tribander, and another $1,500 for the
> radio.  I'd argue a competitive radio can be had for about 60% of that
> on the used market (around a kilobuck).
> 

--
Barry Kutner, W2UP              Internet: w2up at mindspring.com
Newtown, PA         FRC         alternate: barry at w2up.wells.com


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