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

[Stan Stockton]

I think the best way to get someone interested in this sport is to get 
them to participate as opposed to trying to explain it and compare it to 
some other sport, perhaps with future disappointment when they really 
see it in action..  Obviously the GOTA stations in Field Day are a good 
thing.

Perhaps one of the contest sponsors could have a multi-operator category 
where all the operating is done by non-hams with a control operator. 
All it would take is one "cool guy" at the local junior high to have 
some interest and bring along all his friends to compete against other 
schools around the country.

When I was 12 in 1966 my dad, who was a ham, showed me how to spot his 
Central Electronics 100V on the HQ-170 receiver frequency and turned me 
loose in the ARRL SSB DX Contest.  Almost every time I hit a pileup the 
DX station said "everybody stand by for the YL" and I worked them one 
after the other.  That was what hooked me on contesting before I ever 
had a license.

Stan, K5GO


From: "Pete Smith N4ZR" <n4zr at contesting.com>

> Or how about analogies with other sports.  One I like is sailboat
> racing, where the highest technology is OK so long as the boat is
> propelled only by the wind.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR