[CQ-Contest] Where have all the young ones gone?

[Gerry Hull]

With 3830, we pretty much know the results, as long as people post their
score.

If you explain that knowing how you placed takes a year without telling
them any other aspect of the story, sure, it puts contesting in a another
light, and people can't understand why we do it.

I think radiosoirt is more like running in a major marathon race.  In a
marathon, they are big winners -- the top few percent.  There are 1000s of
others who participate for other reasons besides the competition itself:
health, social interaction, personal challenge.  We contest for many of
these same reasons (maybe not out health).  When I explain contesting to my
non-ham friends, I bring up these same aspects -- and they begin to
understand how it could be a very compelling hobby.

73, Gerry W1VE

On Thu, Apr 23, 2015 at 10:19 PM, AC0W <ac0w at charter.net> wrote:

> Most of my co-workers and friends roughly 40 and under that learn of my
> radiosport activities ask a lot of questions. Many appear very interested.
> However at some point two questions tend to come up especially after having
> operated a full weekend event. One question after the weekend is "Did you
> win?" which then I have to explain I won't know for several months. This
> makes them to start loose interest. The second question is "When you win
> what do you win?" Win I explain a certificate or plaque most respond they
> would never put that much effort into something for just a piece of paper.
>
> I don't have a solution to this. I just agree that we need to find a way
> for prizes of more value than a plaque and instant results to become a
> reality if contesting is to survive for many years.
>
> Bill
> AC0W
>
>
>  Message: 1
>> Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2015 09:35:32 -0500
>> From: Joe <nss at mwt.net>
>> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Where have all the young ones gone? courtesy
>>         of Pete Seeger
>> Message-ID: <55390334.8010202 at mwt.net>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
>>
>> Is it a gray line here?
>>
>> I always wondered about this some.  Is a "Prize" being getting paid to
>> operate the radio?
>>
>> To me is isn't because there is no guarantee you're going to get anything
>> for operating the radio.
>>
>> If you place last you don't get anything, if you place like in the top
>> ten you get a piece of paper, so no problems there.
>>
>> But if you place first, in many contests you get a pretty nice plaque to
>> display. I have one right here on my wall from taking first place in the
>> Wisconsin QSO Party Single Op Fixed station in 1989. Now while that chunk
>> of walnut wood with the brass engraving isn't worth a K3. but it does have
>> value does it not? At least personally to me is does. even tho monetarily
>> it is not a lot.
>>
>> BUT if you really wanted to be picky did I not get paid something by
>> getting that plaque by operating my radio?
>>
>> There must be a positive way to differ between a Paid vs a prize. ya know?
>>
>> But of course wouldn't it be cool that if it was possible in some of the
>> ultra major contests to be able to win something. like a radio or something.
>>
>> Joe WB9SBD
>>
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