[CQ-Contest] CQ WW Survey results - part 1

Thu Dec 17 21:53:17 EST 2015

Very interesting, Hans!

73,
Matt NQ6N

On Thu, Dec 17, 2015 at 8:33 PM, Radio K0HB <kzerohb at gmail.com> wrote:

> "Please Copy", which seems to unduly irritate a few, has honest roots in
> contesting.  ARRL Sweepstakes was first conceived as a test of traffic
> handling skills, and the exchange format was taken from the heading of the
> ARRL message format.  In voice traffic handling the phrase "Please Copy" is
> a placeholder indicating the start of a formal message.  By force of habit
> it is easy to understand why the phrase would migrate into contesting.
>
> __
> 73, de Hans, K0HB
> "Just a Boy and His Radio"™
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 17, 2015 at 6:58 PM, Matt Murphy <matt at nq6n.com> wrote:
>
>> "Please copy" is a non-optimal way to exchange information over a radio
>> channel b/c it takes time to say and doesn't significantly improve the
>> chances that the station at the other end will successfully copy what
>> follows.
>>
>> There are lots of things that new hams do because they have not had
>> enough
>> experience to realize that doing them doesn't help the situation. Another
>> example is saying things extremely slowly (like someone might talk to a
>> young child) rather than at repeated a few times at normal speed. Another
>> is speaking very loudly (with compression it's not necessary at all and
>> can
>> make things worse).
>>
>> Fortunately the day to day experience of operating helps provide evidence
>> that none of these techniques are helpful. It's rare that I have a rate
>> high enough that a caller saying "please copy" slows it down
>> significantly.
>>
>> I am not sure of this but I think "please copy" is also used as a form of
>> etiquette in some net operations.
>>
>> I'd recommend taking a moment to slow down and give out a tip or two
>> during
>> a run. The contest community is full of wisdom and mentorship, and it can
>> even be squeezed in between Q's.
>>
>> 73,
>> Matt NQ6N
>>
>> On Thu, Dec 17, 2015 at 3:27 PM, Michael Schulz <
>> mschulz at creative-chaos.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > I guess the "Please copy ..." comes from maybe their first exposure to
>> > "contesting" during Field Day
>> > which is not a contest (yes it is, and we're going to win it anyway).
>> And
>> > yes, leading by example is the
>> > way to go, but at the same time it needs to be pointed out not
>> necessarily
>> > as wrong, but as not best
>> > practice for numerous reasons.
>> >
>> > 73 Mike K5TRI
>> >
>> > > -----Original Message-----
>> > > From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On
>> Behalf
>> > > Of Tom Haavisto
>> > > Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2015 10:44 AM
>> > > To: Marty s <0246811 at gmail.com>
>> > > Cc: cq-contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>
>> > > Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] CQ WW Survey results - part 1
>> > >
>> > > Hi Marty
>> > >
>> > > Glad to see there are some young contesters here.
>> > >
>> > > Please don't focus on things others are doing wrong like "Please
>> copy..."
>> > > We all learn from our mistakes, and we get better through practice
>> and
>> > > participation.
>> > >
>> > > Having fun is what it is all about, and that would be the message I
>> > suggest
>> > > you pass along to your friends. Contesting IS fun, and things better
>> > better
>> > > the more they participate. As they emulate what they see and hear
>> others
>> > > doing, the "please copy" will gradually disappear without them even
>> being
>> > > aware of it.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Tom - VE3CX
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > On Thu, Dec 17, 2015 at 1:04 PM, Marty s <0246811 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > >
>> > > > I agree, I spend a lot of my time getting more young hams involved.
>> I
>> > > > am 13, and am fairly active in the contests. There are plenty of
>> young
>> > > > kids getting into the hobby, but not anywhere as many into
>> contesting.
>> > > > I know close to 45 kids in the hobby, and maybe 5 are into
>> contesting
>> > > > somewhat, and only 3 of us, care enough to keep the butt in the
>> chair,
>> > > > or have a hint of skill (Don't make me tell you about the kids who
>> > > > start all exchanges with "Please copy":) I think if we target the
>> kids
>> > > > in the hobby who are really seriously interested, and give the
>> > > > resources, there will be more contesting young people. I know I
>> wound
>> > > > not know much about contesting without all of my Elmers in the
>> YCCC,
>> > > > or being invited to a multi-multi during CQ WW this year. Just my 2
>> > cents.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > Marty
>> > > >
>> > > > This email may contain confidential and/or privileged information.
>> If
>> > > >
>> > > > you are not the intended recipient, or if you have received this
>> email
>> > > >
>> > > > in error, then please notify the sender immediately and destroy
>> this
>> > email.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > On Thu, Dec 17, 2015 at 11:37 AM, Michael Schulz <
>> > > > mschulz at creative-chaos.com
>> > > > > wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > > Interesting results which show that if you want to be successful,
>> be
>> > > > closer
>> > > > > to or in Europe :).
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Regarding the age distribution, I see this concern all the time
>> that
>> > > > there
>> > > > > are declining numbers based on age
>> > > > > and that amateur radio will be dead when the last old hams died.
>> > > > > This
>> > > > seems
>> > > > > to be always then be tied to
>> > > > > youth not coming into the hobby at a higher rate. How about a
>> > > > > different lens in which one would look at influx of new hams
>> > > > > regardless of age? Do we need 90% (making an extreme example) of
>> > > new
>> > > > > hams to be <18 years old?
>> > > > > Especially in contesting, the 40+ age group (I find myself in
>> that
>> > > > bracket)
>> > > > > would seem more likely to engage in
>> > > > > contesting as new-comers given that by that time in life, things
>> > > > > have settled more overall, and disposable income is (ideally)
>> > > > > greater as compared to the 16 - 20 or 20 - 30 age brackets.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Thoughts?
>> > > > >
>> > > > > 73 Mike K5TRI
>> > > > >
>> > > > > > -----Original Message-----
>> > > > > > From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On
>> > > > > > Behalf Of David Gilbert
>> > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2015 9:49 PM
>> > > > > > To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>> > > > > > Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] CQ WW Survey results - part 1
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > I don't find the age distribution to be surprising at all. Age
>> > > > > > data
>> > > > from
>> > > > > the All
>> > > > > > Asian contest exchange looks similar. Look at the pictures from
>> > > > > > Dayton
>> > > > > or
>> > > > > > any club meeting and compare them to pictures taken 30 years
>> ago
>> > ...
>> > > > > pretty
>> > > > > > much all you see are people that are 30 years older.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > Somebody I was speaking to once claimed that the average age of
>> > > > > > ham
>> > > > radio
>> > > > > > ops in the U.S. increased at least one year every 1.5 years.
>> Seems
>> > > > about
>> > > > > right
>> > > > > > to me.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > 73,
>> > > > > > Dave AB7E
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > On 12/16/2015 5:41 PM, Randy Thompson K5ZD wrote:
>> > > > > > > There is a new blog post with the first results from the CQ
>> WW
>> > > > Contest
>> > > > > > > survey that was open during September 2015.
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > http://cqww.com/blog/2015-cq-ww-survey-results-part-1/
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > This first post cover demographic information about the
>> > responses.
>> > > > > > > The most striking finding is how old we are!
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > Comments and discussion are welcome.
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > Randy, K5ZD
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
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>> > > > > > > CQ-Contest at contesting.com
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>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > _______________________________________________
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>> > > > >
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>> > > >
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>
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