[CQ-Contest] Increasing contest participation

[Shelby Summerville]

K1TN wrote: "Want to increase contest interest and participation?"

Please understand that this is not an attempt at "stirring the pot", just my 
personal observation!
I have great admiration for the excellent operators, especially those on CW. 
IMHO, increased interest and participation comes from making any contest, 
regardless of mode, attractive to the casual (me) operator? If the 
aforementioned casual operator wants/needs to use some sort of assistance, 
especially in copying high speed CW, so be it? I have no idea of the time 
spent listening to a high speed, 50+ WPW, station, before I was sure of 
their call. If the contest requires more than a simple exchange, that isn't 
automatically completed by the logging program, I move on. Again, IMHO, much 
better for me to move on, that interrupt/interfere with a high speed 
operator, especially if they have lots of callers? I also firmly believe 
that those high speed operators are being inconsiderate when they call a 
casual (me) operator, without changing their speed to equal the calling 
station?Changing things, that are not automatically filled in, such as the 
CK in SS, again IMHO, eliminates many of the casual participants? I know, I 
know..."it's copy what was sent, not what you think should have been sent"!! 
I have little, if any. concern about winning anything more than a local 
certificate, but I still enjoy operating most of them. When the enjoyment is 
no longer there, neither will I.
To one and all...Happy Holiday Season

C'Ya, Shelby - K4WW