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

[Joe]

I got my Novice in september of 75, and a local club at the very same 
time was just forming,  SARC  (Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club) Schaumburg IL.

Anyway, being a novice  code only  xtal only control, 75 watts input  no 
VFO's  the club was looking for those interested in operating in the 
november SS phone.

The chance was awesome I thought and by buddy (WN9SBC) and I were given 
the graveyard shift.

not knowing any better we had a blast all night long and i was hooked on 
cosntesting from that moment on.

Thing is now,  I moved away to a rural community, and the activity level 
of any kind is like zip,,  there is a local wide area coverage repeater  
that in it's footprint is got to be 100,000 hams i swear!  it covers 
close to the whole bottom half of wisconsin,  but yet the only activity 
really on it is during  nets or storms.

getting any of these people to try contesting is even less promising.  
they don't even want to try it,    ya know  try it you may like it,,  
but never ever get them to even try.

Many are deep into ARES/RACES  stuff  like emergency communications and 
all that..  I ask them  how would you like to be able to possibly 
improve your traffic handling capability 100% or more even at absolutely 
no cost?  And they all say  YEAH!@! how can i do that,  i tell them  
come on over this weekend and play in the contest and I'll bet on 
monday  youyr easily twice as capable at passing traffic you were on 
friday,,

do they come  no,   mean hello what is the average contest,  passing 
traffic as efficiently as possible  true?

but oh well, I'm preaching to the choir right?

Joe WB9SBD

Stan Stockton wrote:

>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
>>    
>>
>
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