[CQ-Contest] Why Are European Contesters Younger?

[LY8O]

Felipe,

You are right - club stations or "clubhouses" were very important. I have had started in the club station - UK2BBB, hope oldtimers can remember this call. We were perhaps 5 youngsters in the team and we have had a superb chance to grow up and to learn a lot from well none operators. And there were much more well known club stations from Lithuania - UK2BAS, UK2PAF, UK2PRC, UK2PCR, UK2BBE for example. So what do we have today? In real life - only one M/M club station so far in Lithuania LY7A ex UK2PCR (my respect for they live effort) and time to time cooperation of high skilled hams for M/S or M/2 attempts (LY9Y+LY7Z and LY6A+LY9A) and one at the Youngsters Creation Palace (not so sure do I have named it right...) LY3MR, but we need to rebuild it to become it allive. And perhaps one or two more.... That is because of historical changes, because of licensing rules changes, because of country law changes. Simply we have no real places for youngsters to start or for some skilled
 amateurs to cooperate... That could be one of the problems why Amateur Radio Society getting older and older.
We have some contests for youngsters (with skilled persones in other catogories) but we need more places to invite young operators. I think there could be some special categories in bigger or biggest contest to let youngsters to compete inbetween and to grow up. It could be based on age or license "age" or better on both... 
I think I can say YES, I see a relationship between clubhouses and amateur population. And we must to do something, but what???

73, Remi LY8O

----- Pradinis laiškas -----
Nuo: Felipe J Hernandez 
> Remi,
> 
> Thats what I imagined, I remember well those days, got my ham license 
> also  29 yrs ago and now 44 yrs young..I remember well the soviet union's 
> calls and great activity from those days.
> 
> I think we are struggling everywhere with Ham population, but somehow 
> still comes to my mind that "clubhouses" were important to attract people 
> like in the old days.
> I think that possible hams can have a broader idea of the hobby and 
> find common interests with others that can entice them to look deeper 
> into the hobby when they congregate.
> 
> Have the number of club stations on your country diminished?
> Do you see a relationship between that and amateur population?
> I would like to hear from other amateurs if they see a relationship 
> between clubhouses and amateur population.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Felipe
> Np4Z