[CQ-Contest] Are contesters born or made?

[John Geiger]

There are other factors involved besides genetics and practice. Don't forget the monetary factor.  Becoming a top level contester costs $$$.  Lots of dollars.  Having an Icom 7800 with a 6 element tribander would still not be the required equipment needed today.  Many other "sports" don't require near as much outlay of cash (but some do).  

Then there is the time factor.  You need a family that will allow you to "disappear" for 48 hours and not interfere while you are disappeared.  Many families wouldn't find that acceptable.  Mine probably wouldn't.  At the very least, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that.  The CQWW contest is not like spending an hour or 2 playing pick up basketball, at least not if you want to win.

And as was mentioned before, there is the motivation factor.  Back in 2002 (before the harmonic arrived) I spend as much time as I could in the CQWPX CW contest-and broke my record score for that contest.  At the same time, something "died" in me that weekend.  I no longer felt like spending the entire weekend contesting.  Don't know why, but that motivation just left me.  I am sure that others have felt the same way.

73s John AA5JG

--- On Tue, 5/11/10, Joe <nss at mwt.net> wrote:

> From: Joe <nss at mwt.net>
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Are contesters born or made?
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 1:50 PM
> I agree  Both.  Born and
> made,
> 
> You need to have a competitive gene in you to put yourself
> through this 
> tourture because it's fun.
> 
> Just like a marathoner.  It hurts so why do we do i?
> because it's fun.
> 
> we all are very very sick people  he he he
> 
> Joe WB9SBD
> Driftless Zone Contesters W9ET
> 
> The Original Rolling Ball Clock
> Idle Tyme
> Idle-Tyme.com
> http://www.idle-tyme.com
> 
> On 5/10/2010 10:26 PM, Ron Notarius W3WN wrote:
> > Like so many things...
> >
> > Most contesters are born that way.
> >
> > To become good or great contesters, they have to
> refine&  hone&  practice
> > what skills they were born with.
> >
> > So the answer to the question "Are contesters born or
> made" is...
> >
> > Yes.
> >
> > 73
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 12:26:36 -0000
> > From: "Randy Thompson K5ZD"<k5zd at charter.net>
> > Subject: [CQ-Contest] Are contesters born or made?
> > To:<cq-contest at contesting.com>
> >
> Message-ID:<991EB50967444308B390D1534396F56D at k5zd1>
> > Content-Type: text/plain;   
> charset="us-ascii"
> >
> > I just finished listening to a fascinating interview
> with Matthew Syed,
> > author of the book Bounce.  The book explores the
> idea that practice is far
> > more important than talent at achieving in the upper
> levels of sport.
> >
> > Link to show: http://www.onlyagame.org/2010/04/bounce/
> > Follow the Download the Podcast link to get the
> interview in various forms.
> >
> > We don't talk about practice much in relation to
> contesting, but I believe
> > it does make a difference.  I owe much of my
> success to having spent hours
> > and hours during my teenage years working traffic
> nets, chasing DX, and
> > competing in contests with a very small station.
> >
> > Very thought provoking interview.  Check it out.
> >
> > Randy, K5ZD
> >
> > W7VJ
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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> >
> >    
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