[CQ-Contest] Where are the JAs in Contesting?

[Jim George]

This is a fascinating discussion area.  I recall as a single operator in PA 
back in the early eighties that I worked more than 1000 JAs on 10 meters 
alone in one contest at the top of the sunspot cycle.  The West Coast at 
one point could challenge the East Coast with huge JA numbers.

The JA participation certainly has dropped off.  Europe has surged at the 
same time.  The "tilt" in the edge to the East Coast is phenomenal.

Having said that, there was at least decent JA participation in this past 
WPX.  My post contest data show the following JA QSOs:

40 meters...110
20 meters...87
15 meters...50 (all in the last 2 or 3 hours)

The JA participation on 40 is outstanding.  Now I know these numbers are 
puny and laughable when compared with the Europeans on 40 for the East 
Coasters, but
there are JAs in there.  I worked 110 JAs on 40 meters and only 44 
Europeans on 40!  Stations in W6 and W7 would have done much better than my 
W5 numbers to             Japan.

My guestimation of the relative JA declines in contest numbers lie in the 
fact that housing density is so close in the large metropolitan areas of 
Japan.  It's simply hard to get on without bothering your neighbors' 
electronic gadgets there.  But it would be fascinating to hear from the JA 
contesting community.  Overall, it's really unfortunate (especially for a 
W5) that the JA participation is a mere shadow of its former self twenty 
years ago.  It is great that contesting participation has blossomed in 
Europe.  These days, we will take the participation where ever we can get it!

Jim George N3BB (NT5C in the WPX CW)


At 04:00 AM 6/4/2004 -0700, sawyered at earthlink.net wrote:
>I heard it mentioned a number of times this contest season and I have 
>observed it myself over the past few years (including a SOSB 20 effort 
>from 9M6A in CQ WW SSB).  The JA activity has really dropped in 
>contesting.  Does anyone (especially from Japan) have any insight?  This 
>is not good for contesting.  The JAs are great competitiors and the 
>possibility of a good JA run is what contesting is all about in my opinion.
>
>Ed  N1UR
>
>I will be 9M6A in IARU this year.