[CQ-Contest] Why do we like our favorite contesting mode?

[Ken Alexander]

Interesting analysis.  However, I don't see it as an indicator of the future of SSB contesting, as is hinted, because you're not looking at the levels of contest participation over time.  SSB contesting will always be popular, but all the graph says is that it's a younger ham's sport.

Other factors that influence our preferred operating mode?  Maybe the majority of older hams just don't have the pipes to be shouting into a microphone all weekend?  On the CW side, it could be said that older hams spent more time with a key or paddles in their hand and just like CW better.  It played a bigger part in their life as a ham.

I'm in the 30 to 39 years experience category.  It took a few years for the shine to wear off SSB for me.  Now my station doesn't even have a mic.

73,

Ken Alexander
VE3HLS



--- On Sun, 1/3/10, Randy Thompson K5ZD <k5zd at charter.net> wrote:

> From: Randy Thompson K5ZD <k5zd at charter.net>
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Why do we like our favorite contesting mode?
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Date: Sunday, January 3, 2010, 8:45 PM
> I always thought people were either
> Phone ops or CW ops.  I.e., they favored
> one or the other based on their interests or skills and
> that was that.  But,
> is that really true?  Could there be other factors
> that influence our
> preferred operating mode?
> 
> The WPX CW/SSB Contest participant survey conducted in
> Aug-Sep 2009 provided
> over 5000 responses from contesters all over the world. The
> survey asked for
> their years of contesting experience.  It also asked
> them to indicate their
> favorite contesting mode.  
> 
> Doug, KR2Q, did some data mining and the results are
> suprising!  Would you
> believe your preferences might be determined by how many
> years of contesting
> experience you have?  
> 
> See the results at http://www.cqwpx.com/blog/?p=52
> 
> 
> Randy, K5ZD
> 
> 
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