[CQ-Contest] Why Are European Contesters Younger?

[Roger Cooke]

Hi Mark.

 Well, it's not for lack of trying over here!  Our Club in Norwich is now 120 strong, but I would think that only about
20% are interested in CW or Contesting. I find that we have to keep pushing the CW and try to get them interested
enough to want to do it. That's the trick. However, the incentive for us ( I say us, but not sure how  long you have been
licenced. I got mine in 1956 ) was that in order to get on the HF bands 1 We HAD to take a Morse test as well as the
3 hour written paper and 2  We HAD to make our own transmitter.  
   We have to accept that there is no magic now with PC's and Skype and Echolink, mobile phones, etc., so the thrill
we got is no longer there.  Working DX all round the world with something I had spent ages making and months saving
up for the bits was a WOW factor. I was walking on water in those days but now, with a flash of a credit card the newbies
are talking on the air. Most seem content with 2 meters only. 
   We had the best days in the middle of last century - that does make me old..................  Strange thing is that I still get
a kick out of it!!!

 
Regards from Roger, G3LDI
Swardeston, Norfolk.




----- Original Message ----
From: Mark Beckwith <n5ot at n5ot.com>
To: CQ-Contest at contesting.com
Sent: Tuesday, 25 August, 2009 12:37:40
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Why Are European Contesters Younger?

> Maybe older Amateurs like us decided we where 
> too tired to get envolved more with the 
> aspiring amateur community. Could it be mostly 
> our fault? Not sure, but I remember our 
> amateur mentors being very enthusiastic 
> about teaching us Cw and Dxing. How much of 
> the same have we done?


BINGO.  Game, set, match, Felipe.

73 - Mark, N5OT
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