[CQ-Contest] Kids, contesting, and ham radio

[Rudy Bakalov]

IMHO, selling ham radio and contesting to kids as making contacts with other
hams around the world is impossible and simply disconnected from today's
world; KE3X gives us a good example by sharing his experience talking to his
kids.

An alternative way of looking at contesting is to compare it to car racing
(e.g, F1, NASCAR, etc.) where equipment, stamina/endurance, and strategy come
together to compete against others.  Pushing the "communications" aspect of
contesting, or ham radio for that matter, IMHO, is a dead end as there are
much sexier and kids-relevant communications mediums.  What we need is
excitement, adrenaline, and overall coolness, the one you would expect to see
in Survivor or similar shows; pictures of towers and antennas or older hams
holding plaques/certificates won't cut it.

Rudy N2WQ