[CQ-Contest] Growing New Contesters with LOTW - suddenly it's 1977again

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Pete,

I don't understand what you're driving at.

Any contester who is signed up for Logbook of the World can easily submit
their log to both the contest checkers and to LotW.

In fact, my understanding from certain former ARRL staffers who were heavily
involved in LotW is that one of the intentions behind LotW was to do exactly
what you are asking for... using it as a process to provide DXCC (and WAS
and other awards down the road) credit from the log!

I also don't understand your "revenue" comment.  ARRL derives no revenue
from uploaded logs to LotW.  So increasing the use of it, and the uploaded
logs to it -- both of which I would favor and heavily encourage, I might
add -- does not directly add to the revenue.  Yes, the matches between two
logs could be used for awards credit, and there is a small charge when a
credit is applied for, if and when an award using LotW credits is applied
for... but that's an indirect revenue source, and by no means guaranteed.

So what's your point?  That the ARRL use LotW as designed, to provide a
service built into it but so far underutilized (and how)?  Is the problem
the ARRL, or the other organizations?

73

-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Pete Smith
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 8:05 AM
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Growing New Contesters with LOTW - suddenly it's 1977
again

It's time for ARRL to take the next big step to increase the value of
LOTW.  Done properly, it could increase ARRL's revenue from LOTW
substantially, while encouraging a lot of new hams and DXers to become
contesters.

The idea is simple, and in fact ARRL used to do this, back in the days of
manual log-checking -- I'm talking about giving DXCC and WAS credit for
contest contacts.  The difference is that now, with CQWW making all logs
available on the internet,  LOTW could function as a single source for ARRL
award credit for *both* CQWW and ARRL contests.  As more CQ and other
contests came on board, the idea could be expanded world-wide.

It would be relatively simple to implement - QSOs from the participating
contests (those verified by cross-check of submitted logs) would be fed
into LOTW and made available for award credit.  Organizationally, a sharing
arrangement could be worked out, so that contest organizers could recover
the cost of preparing their data for submission to LOTW, plus a reasonable
profit.  ARRL, meanwhile, would benefit from the increased revenue through
use of LOTW for award credit.

It's not really even necessary to stop here.  LOTW could service other
award sponsors, too - so that you could get credit toward your WPX or DOK
award for those contest QSOs, as well.

Probably more important (at least to me), contesting would benefit from an
infusion of new blood.  More DXers and new hams would be motivated to
operate in contests if they knew that verified contest QSOs would
automatically count toward the next award.  Many of us got our start in
contesting for exactly this reason - why not do it all over again?

73, Pete N4ZR

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