[CQ-Contest] How big is the DX cluster?

[Joe Stepansky]

I'd normally agree but for one thing.  Do IM and/or Facebook have 
contests?  I ask because we had a LOT of high school kids at our last local 
club meeting (long story about why they were there, not important 
here).  Anyway, the one area that most interested them was contesting (or, 
as I put it, competition).  I overheard one student telling his teacher "I 
never knew there were competitions".

The only downside is that our competitions go on for as many as 48 hours, 
while they're used to their sporting competitions being over in 2-3 
hours.  It's something I haven't obviously gotten my mind around yet, but I 
wonder if contesting/competition might attract younger people.  Otherwise, 
Barry, you're right.  There are so many other ways to communicate.

73, Joe KQ3F


At 05:49 PM 10/7/2007 +0000, you wrote:
>It has, Alessio.  Here's why:
>My daughter started college a few months ago.  For several months prior
>to going, she managed to contact a number of other kids going to the
>same school, via IM and Facebook.  When we were driving her there, she
>made the comment "it will be really neat to finally meet the kids I've
>been talking to for the last few months."  That line sounded eerily
>familiar to my early days in amateur radio, prior to attending a local
>hamfest or Dayton.
>73,
>Barry W2UP