[CQ-Contest] CQ-Contest Digest, Vol 179, Issue 41
Ken Talbott
ktalbott at gamewood.net
Sun Nov 12 16:25:08 EST 2017
Youth and ham radio? Give them a QRP CW
only rig and introduce them to Morse
code. In my experience, if you're angry
enough to swear your hand is shaking and
you can't send anything.
Ken ke4rg
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Issue 41
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: CQ-Contest Digest, Vol 179,
Issue 36 (Ria Jairam)
2. Re: CQ-Contest Digest, Vol 179,
Issue 36 (Jim George)
3. Re: Sweepstakes: The PBR of
Contesting (Steve Lott)
4. Digest titles, was Re: CQ-Contest
Digest, Vol 179, Issue 36
(Barry)
----------------------------------------
------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2017 12:54:34 +0000
From: Ria Jairam <rjairam at gmail.com>
To: W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu at w0mu.com>
Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] CQ-Contest
Digest, Vol 179, Issue 36
Message-ID:
<CAMCyBs66j6tQ6PSU-OKB5mwwybiGWv5OeqOOGU
4nFfksfO6VrQ at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="UTF-8"
I?ve never heard that complaint from my
3. They help me with projects and they
like making contacts with me.
Of course I keep away from the upper end
of 75m and certain frequencies on
40 and 20.
They love tuning around. They also love
watching the waterfall and panadapters.
They ask some relatively complex
questions too, like why I talk to so
many different countries. They love the
DX and contest plaques I get.
They love electronic kits like snap
circuits which we bought for them. My
daughters and my son equally.
I guess I?m either lucky or expose them
to the things that are fun and focus off
the negatives. The past is the past and
we aren?t returning to those glory days.
However there is a lot to look forward
to in the future, if we do it right.
73
Ria, N2RJ
On Sun, Nov 12, 2017 at 7:40 AM W0MU
Mike Fatchett <w0mu at w0mu.com> wrote:
> I can't get my offspring interested.
>
> My youngest still talks about all the
bad behavior that he has heard
> on the radio. Sadly, the FCC has
really let us down here. Ham Radio
> is an escape, why people should have
to run across the stuff that are
> on our bands is really sickening and
sad.
>
> W0MU
>
> On 11/11/2017 2:09 PM, Jim Stahl via
CQ-Contest wrote:
> > The question of getting youth into
contesting, and ham radio, is a
> difficult nut to crack. Two
observations:
> >
> > 1. One big difference between
contesting and gaming is that there is
> > no
> such thing as defense in contesting.
Yes, occasionally one may need to
> ?defend? a run frequency, but we look
down very strongly at anything
> that prevents a competitor from doing
better than we do. We?re simply
> a game of doing the best we can,
something found in a very few
> games/sports, such as golf or track.
> >
> > 2. Anything to get young people into
contesting (not counting
> > offspring
> of hams) will involve remote stations.
We can?t expect anybody to
> invest several thousand dollars into
an unfamiliar pastime, not to
> include the issue of real estate
limitations, which include the nature
> of one?s home - often a very urban
situation - without even considering
zoning/HOA issues.
> >
> >
> > 73 - Jim K8MR
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >> On Nov 10, 2017, at 10:22 PM, Eric
Gruff <egruff at cox.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> Ward and Group,
> >>
> >> As a casual contester, I haven't
really felt like I had much to
> >> offer regarding spurring
participation and recruiting new
> >> contesters. However, lately, one of
my 16 year-old daughters has
> >> become quite the online
> gamer,
> >> while her twin sister (who has
often made noise, but not effort,
> >> about getting licensed) is your
typical teenage phone text/chat
> >> fiend. I have
> been
> >> informally asking them and their
friends about why ham radio in
> >> general isn't interesting to them.
> >>
> >> A few common themes/ideas I've come
up with based on my casual
> >> survey
> are:
> >> - Young people can do everything
with their phones/tablets/PCs that
> >> the radio can do, and don't need
expensive equipment (other than
> >> buying a
> new
> >> $800 phone every year as new models
come out, but I didn't say that
> >> to
> them)
> >> or giant antennas that their
parents and neighbors won't accept. I
> >> feel there is a degree of laziness
here - hams who design and build
> >> some or
> all
> >> of their own equipment probably
view appliance operators like me in
> >> the
> same
> >> vein.
> >> - The social media aspect of peer
group interactions is appealing,
> while 1:1
> >> interactions with strangers doesn't
seem all that appealing. This
> >> is a
> bit
> >> of a self-fulfilling
prophecy/Catch-22, where until we get
more
> youngsters
> >> involved, youngsters aren't going
to be very interested... It's not
> dislike
> >> of 'old people', but lack of a
common identification with the ham
> >> demographic. I'm 54 and still into
outdoor sports and heavy metal
> music, and
> >> often feel like I'm in a nursing
home at ham events. I don't mean
> >> this
> in a
> >> pejorative sense since I'll be
there soon enough, and am already
> >> ancient compared to the 1977 me,
who as a 13 year-old hung out with
> >> my 13
> year-old
> >> pal Steve (KL7SB, who was then
WB2IDP) and looked at the 50
> >> year-old
> hams to
> >> see if they were going to
spontaneously die of a stroke or
embolism.
> >> - CW and SSB aren't going to
compete with high resolution video and
> surround
> >> sound, so contesting may have to
evolve to visual modes or we will
> >> have
> to
> >> find a way to combine modes like we
do now for hybrid digital modes
> >> like digital SSTV using Internet
hyperlinks to the pictures. Video
> >> games have cool visual and audio
aspects, which is what kids are now used
to.
> Asking
> >> them to switch from Call of Duty or
Madden 2047 to CW is like going
> >> from HDTV with a 4K OLED display to
a 1985 analog television
> >> playing a VCR
> movie.
> >> Maybe a digital SSTV contest or
some otherto-be-invented fast mode
> would be
> >> better. The technology is now
getting where it's feasible, but FCC
> >> regulations on BW on HF may be
problematic.
> >> - If we can start out with some
type of technical or visual
> >> enticement
> (and
> >> I don't mean an unmarked white van
with offers of free candy) to
> >> get youngsters intrigued by the
hobby, we can move them into
> >> contesting and traffic handling and
Em Comm and whatever once
> >> they're hooked. I see a
> lot
> >> of hams get licensed as "preppers",
but then the Baofeng gets
> >> tossed
> into
> >> the glove box or closet, and that's
that. One of the local efforts
> >> that
> I'm
> >> sure is duplicated all over the
world is to help the newly-licensed
> >> move further into the hobby, and
not lose the enthusiasm that
> >> usually comes
> just
> >> before and after the license is
obtained.
> >> - From 1977 to 2017 (have I really
been licensed 40 years?), I went
> from a
> >> general coverage Yaesu FRG-7 and 15
year-old Hallicrafters HT-44
> >> with an end-fed long wire that
filled my shack (bedroom) with RF,
> >> to a Flex
> 6700 SDR
> >> with Maestro (actually two radios
in one, with colorful
> >> hi-definition panadapters),
solid-state 1.5 kW amplifier and a
> >> SteppIR DB36 that can
> tune
> >> almost instantly from 80 to 6
Meters without my intervention. It's
> >> all computer-controlled, as is my
logbook, and I can operate modes
> >> from CW
> to
> >> SSB to FT8 to MSK144 to SSTV to ...
I know many of you on the board
> >> have similar stories - many of us
worked each other as teenage hams
> >> back in
> the
> >> Dark Ages.
> >>
> >> OK, I'll stop now. I just wanted to
share some thoughts for discussion.
> I
> >> know there are going to be a lot of
folks here who say, "If
> >> youngsters
> don't
> >> like the hobby and contesting the
way it is, then too bad for them.
> >> I'm
> not
> >> changing". There are others who are
fatalistic and say, "Ham radio
> >> will
> be
> >> dead soon. We can't compete with
the other distractions." I will
> >> offer
> that,
> >> even though soon after being
licensed, I discovered music, cars,
> >> girls
> and
> >> beer (not necessarily in that
order), I stayed licensed and
> >> somewhat interested/active in the
hobby. I was not very involved in
> >> radio while
> away
> >> at college (RPI, which had a great
station that I never visited,
> >> not
> even
> >> once), in grad school (lived at
home with my radios, but rarely
> >> touched them), and after a
cross-country move, all of which were
> >> extremely time-consuming. The
reason I stayed connected to the
> >> hobby is that
> there was
> >> always something new and different
(I read each new QST
> >> religiously, regardless of whether
I was OTA), and the equipment
> >> was constantly
> evolving
> >> to allow new modes, etc. Well,
that, and because I'm a hopeless nerd.
> >>
> >> Let's brainstorm new ways to evolve
the hobby so that it's "cool"
> >> to the next generations. And don't
get me started about the recent
> >> NCIS "ham
> radio"
> >> episode, which was actually a CB
episode that was mis-titled.
> >>
> >> 73,
> >>
> >> Eric NC6K
> >>
> >>
> >> Message: 1
> >> Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2017 10:43:28
-0600
> >> From: Ward Silver
<hwardsil at gmail.com>
> >> To: Reflector
<cq-contest at contesting.com>
> >> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] SS, SS
and again SS...
> >> Message-ID:
<ddce7d41-0585-ccc9-2d41-55e9d809e220 at gm
ail.com>
> >> Content-Type: text/plain;
charset=utf-8; format=flowed
> >>
> >> Hey Mats, don't go subterranean
just yet!
> >>
> >>> ? Just lately have been a lot of
postings that, at least for me
> >>> and
> >> possibly for some other non-NA,
have been ?less interesting?. That
> >> is MY
> >> (our) problem - not a problem to
the list as such
> >>
> >> Actually, I think we have pretty
much had our say about SS but I
> >> would
> like
> >> to broaden the discussion to your
side of the pond.? A common
> >> perception here in NA, reinforced
by photos and stories, is that EU
> >> is doing better with attracting
new, younger contesters than we
> >> are.? One of the best
> things
> >> to come along in recent years is
the EU-based YOTA (ham-yota.com).?
> Getting
> >> a similar group going "over here"
seems to be a hard sell.? I'd
> >> like to
> hear
> >> more from you and others about EU
attitudes and approaches that
> >> seem to
> be
> >> encouraging younger contesters to
get involved, whether it is CW or
> >> SSB
> or
> >> digital, HF or VHF.
> >>
> >> 73, Ward N0AX
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
________________________________________
_______
> >> CQ-Contest mailing list
> >> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> >>
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
> >
________________________________________
_______
> > CQ-Contest mailing list
> > CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> >
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
>
>
________________________________________
_______
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
>
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2017 07:17:49 -0600
From: Jim George <n3bb at mindspring.com>
To: Tom Haavisto
<kamham69 at gmail.com>,Eric Gruff
<egruff at cox.net>
Cc: Stephen Bloom
<sbloom at acsalaska.net>,Ward Silver
<hwardsil at gmail.com>, CQ
Contest
<cq-contest at contesting.com>,"Gruff,
Eric" <nc6k at arrl.net>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] CQ-Contest
Digest, Vol 179, Issue 36
Message-ID:
<5.2.0.9.2.20171112070117.0d6ffb10 at mail.
mindspring.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
This is a long, but good thread. If I
may, and as someone who (as N2IC has
pointed out to me privately {and
correctly} is a dinosaur), does not even
have Internet in the shack and still
clings to TR-Log in DOS, I would like to
offer the following:
* "The Internet changes everything."
Repeat that one hundred times. Any
future of our hobby must be tied to the
Internet. Therefore the Internet must be
crucial to the survival of contesting
(and ham radio) as a vibrant hobby.
* More mentoring is needed. Provide
support for the "CW Academies" of the
world. Kudos to CW Ops and similar
efforts.
* Provide encouragement and incentives
for people (like me) to offer their
stations, at least once a year, to other
ops, such as M/S or M/M entries in
contests, even if only a part-time "open
house."
* Encourage more and more Interactivity.
This includes real-time scoreboards and
contest chat rooms, etc.
* Offer incentives for game developers
to develop V/R and "normal" video games
based on the essentials of
radiosporting. If we can get teens
hooked on what I will call "Internet
(Radio)sporting," a version akin to
"Internet High Speed CW" that some
hard-core QRQers now use because they
can't fine like souls on the airwaves,
then perhaps they will transition to
real on-air stations.
* Include incentives and recognition in
all contests for "youth entries."
Recognition programs should be
high-profile.
*Having said all this, I do hope that
true Single-Op categories will remain
real and unconnected to the Internet so
unassisted will remain just that for
those of us who want to go that way.
This is not the open-ended future of
radio-sporting, as I say above, but I do
think it's important for those who
prefer it that way.
The people who work on this issue should
be some of our younger and most creative
folks, such as NC6K.
73, Jim N3BB
At 12:54 AM 11/12/2017 -0500, Tom
Haavisto wrote:
>Hi Eric
>
>Thanks for sharing your observations.
>
>I am an OF like you, and have come to a
few conclusions - right or wrong.
>I think the best thing we can do is to
show youngsters how much fun WE
>are having with our gear, and what we
enjoy doing (contesting). In my
>book, people having fun is the best way
to attract new folks to join
>in. Then, allow them opportunities to
participate, and help them catch the
magic.
>They WILL do things differently than we
are doing today - just as we
>are doing differently than our elmers
were doing 40 years ago. We
>won't be providing the solutions. They
need to figure out the
>solutions to the problems they will
face - just as we figured out the
>solutions to the problem we faced over
the years.
>
>If my elmers were to see what I am
doing today - lets just say it is a
>LOT different than what they were doing
40 plus years ago. We need to
>provide youngsters with the same
opportunities to learn and grow.
>Things WILL be a lot different 40 years
from now.
>
>
>
>Tom - VE3CX
>
>
>
>
>On Fri, Nov 10, 2017 at 10:22 PM, Eric
Gruff <egruff at cox.net> wrote:
>
> > Ward and Group,
> >
> > As a casual contester, I haven't
really felt like I had much to
> > offer regarding spurring
participation and recruiting new
> > contesters. However, lately, one of
my 16 year-old daughters has
> > become quite the online gamer, while
her twin sister (who has often
> > made noise, but not effort, about
getting licensed) is your typical
> > teenage phone text/chat fiend. I
have been informally asking them
> > and their friends about why ham
radio in general isn't interesting
> > to them.
> >
> > A few common themes/ideas I've come
up with based on my casual survey are:
> > - Young people can do everything
with their phones/tablets/PCs that
> > the radio can do, and don't need
expensive equipment (other than
> > buying a new
> > $800 phone every year as new models
come out, but I didn't say that
> > to
> > them)
> > or giant antennas that their parents
and neighbors won't accept. I
> > feel there is a degree of laziness
here - hams who design and build
> > some or all of their own equipment
probably view appliance operators
> > like me in the same vein.
> > - The social media aspect of peer
group interactions is appealing,
> > while
> > 1:1
> > interactions with strangers doesn't
seem all that appealing. This is
> > a bit of a self-fulfilling
prophecy/Catch-22, where until we get
> > more youngsters involved, youngsters
aren't going to be very
> > interested... It's not dislike of
'old people', but lack of a common
> > identification with the ham
demographic. I'm 54 and still into
> > outdoor sports and heavy metal
music, and often feel like I'm in a
> > nursing home at ham events. I don't
mean this in a pejorative sense
> > since I'll be there soon enough, and
am already ancient compared to
> > the 1977 me, who as a 13 year-old
hung out with my 13 year-old pal
> > Steve (KL7SB, who was then WB2IDP)
and looked at the 50 year-old
> > hams to see if they were going to
spontaneously die of a stroke or
> > embolism.
> > - CW and SSB aren't going to compete
with high resolution video and
> > surround sound, so contesting may
have to evolve to visual modes or
> > we will have to find a way to
combine modes like we do now for
> > hybrid digital modes like digital
SSTV using Internet hyperlinks to
> > the pictures. Video games have cool
visual and audio aspects, which
> > is what kids are now used to. Asking
them to switch from Call of
> > Duty or Madden 2047 to CW is like
going from HDTV with a 4K OLED
> > display to a 1985 analog television
playing a VCR movie.
> > Maybe a digital SSTV contest or some
otherto-be-invented fast mode
> > would be better. The technology is
now getting where it's feasible,
> > but FCC regulations on BW on HF may
be problematic.
> > - If we can start out with some type
of technical or visual
> > enticement (and I don't mean an
unmarked white van with offers of
> > free candy) to get youngsters
intrigued by the hobby, we can move
> > them into contesting and traffic
handling and Em Comm and whatever
> > once they're hooked. I see a lot of
hams get licensed as "preppers",
> > but then the Baofeng gets tossed
into the glove box or closet, and
> > that's that. One of the local
efforts that I'm sure is duplicated
> > all over the world is to help the
newly-licensed move further into
> > the hobby, and not lose the
enthusiasm that usually comes just
before and after the license is
obtained.
> > - From 1977 to 2017 (have I really
been licensed 40 years?), I went
> > from a general coverage Yaesu FRG-7
and 15 year-old Hallicrafters
> > HT-44 with an end-fed long wire that
filled my shack (bedroom) with
> > RF, to a Flex 6700 SDR with Maestro
(actually two radios in one,
> > with colorful hi-definition
panadapters), solid-state 1.5 kW
> > amplifier and a SteppIR DB36 that
can tune almost instantly from 80
> > to 6 Meters without my intervention.
It's all computer-controlled,
> > as is my logbook, and I can operate
modes from CW to SSB to FT8 to
> > MSK144 to SSTV to ... I know many of
you on the board have similar
> > stories - many of us worked each
other as teenage hams back in the
> > Dark Ages.
> >
> > OK, I'll stop now. I just wanted to
share some thoughts for
> > discussion. I know there are going
to be a lot of folks here who
> > say, "If youngsters don't like the
hobby and contesting the way it
> > is, then too bad for them. I'm not
changing". There are others who
> > are fatalistic and say, "Ham radio
will be dead soon. We can't
> > compete with the other
distractions." I will offer that, even
though
> > soon after being licensed, I
discovered music, cars, girls and beer
> > (not necessarily in that order), I
stayed licensed and somewhat
> > interested/active in the hobby. I
was not very involved in radio
> > while away at college (RPI, which
had a great station that I never
> > visited, not even once), in grad
school (lived at home with my
> > radios, but rarely touched them),
and after a cross-country move,
> > all of which were extremely
time-consuming. The reason I stayed
> > connected to the hobby is that there
was always something new and
> > different (I read each new QST
religiously, regardless of whether I
> > was OTA), and the equipment was
constantly evolving to allow new
> > modes, etc. Well, that, and because
I'm a hopeless nerd.
> >
> > Let's brainstorm new ways to evolve
the hobby so that it's "cool" to
> > the next generations. And don't get
me started about the recent NCIS
> > "ham radio"
> > episode, which was actually a CB
episode that was mis-titled.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Eric NC6K
> >
> >
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2017 10:43:28
-0600
> > From: Ward Silver
<hwardsil at gmail.com>
> > To: Reflector
<cq-contest at contesting.com>
> > Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] SS, SS and
again SS...
> > Message-ID:
<ddce7d41-0585-ccc9-2d41-55e9d809e220 at gm
ail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain;
charset=utf-8; format=flowed
> >
> > Hey Mats, don't go subterranean just
yet!
> >
> > >? Just lately have been a lot of
postings that, at least for me
> > and possibly for some other non-NA,
have been ?less interesting?.
> > That is MY
> > (our) problem - not a problem to the
list as such
> >
> > Actually, I think we have pretty
much had our say about SS but I
> > would like to broaden the discussion
to your side of the pond.? A
> > common perception here in NA,
reinforced by photos and stories, is
> > that EU is doing better with
attracting new, younger contesters than
> > we are.? One of the best things to
come along in recent years is the
> > EU-based YOTA (ham-yota.com).?
> > Getting
> > a similar group going "over here"
seems to be a hard sell.? I'd like
> > to hear more from you and others
about EU attitudes and approaches
> > that seem to be encouraging younger
contesters to get involved,
> > whether it is CW or SSB or digital,
HF or VHF.
> >
> > 73, Ward N0AX
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
________________________________________
_______
> > CQ-Contest mailing list
> > CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> >
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
> >
>_______________________________________
________
>CQ-Contest mailing list
>CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/lis
tinfo/cq-contest
>
>---
>This email has been checked for viruses
by AVG.
>http://www.avg.com
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2017 07:34:47 -0600
From: Steve Lott <lottsphoto at gmail.com>
To: Charlie Ocker <N9CO at aol.com>
Cc: cq-contesting
<cq-contest at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Sweepstakes:
The PBR of Contesting
Message-ID:
<CAH1YVzgC2onmjgwMX5ijDWqC5FVE0uQa8D8ao-
F7GPTKFTtmJQ at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="UTF-8"
Matt,
"Hey I know you, I'm drinking this
crap and I see you are too, cheers!"
Di Dit !!!
http://www.KG5VK.com
My Ham Radio Friends
On Fri, Nov 10, 2017 at 9:14 PM, Charlie
Ocker via CQ-Contest <
cq-contest at contesting.com> wrote:
> I like CW Sweepstakes. I like PBR,
especially after a long hot day of
> yard work. I don't see a reason to
change either. But I do like
> where you are going with the thinking
on this... "SS ain't easy - A
> serious contest for serious
contesters. Suck it up.". Or something
like that.
>
> 73,
> Charlie N9CO
>
>
> On 11/10/2017 2:17 PM, Matt Wilhelm
(W1PY) wrote:
>
>> You know I love my OF friends, but I
always find it entertaining to
>> sit back and watch them act the same
way they love to claim
>> millennials behave. Sweepstakes is
too hard, no instant gratification on
Sunday, etc.
>> Cracks me up.
>>
>> Why does there have to be a change in
the rules to make Sweepstakes
>> more fun and popular? During my short
tenure at HQ, one of my ideas
>> that didn't pick up traction was a
significant rebranding of the
>> contest. Same rules, but different
marketing. A lot of young adults
>> (20-40 years old we'll say in this
context) seem to find "coolness"
>> in things that are ironic and in
someways not as good or easy as
>> other options. Here are a few
examples that I've seen popping up over
>> the last decade or so...
>>
>> Growing long beards
>> High and tight haircuts
>> Designing and building things that
are difficult to make, but not
>> very useful just because they can.
>> Shaving with safety razors and
straight razors "Mom jeans"
>> Badmitton
>> Cat sweaters
>> Glasses from the 80's that were a
prime target for bullying Fixed
>> gear bicycles bicycle rodeos/rallies
Holga cameras Jeans so tight you
>> have to wear your keys on a carabiner
attached to your belt loop
>> Trained mustaches Pabst Blue Ribbon
And on and on.
>>
>> Sweepstakes is ripe to be the Pabst
Blue Ribbon of contesting. It's
>> been around forever, it's hard to
drink, and you can always depend on
>> it being there. Let's ditch the clean
sweep mugs and participation
>> pins, slap on some bay rum and
rebrand. Let's get some wearables that
>> aren't polo shirts or embroidered
deniem colored button ups. Instead
>> of trying to increase participation
by making it easier, let's
>> embrace that it's old and musty and
really damn hard for a newcomer
>> and let's make that cool."I operate
in Sweepstakes because it's hard
>> as hell!" Let's focus on how when you
make friends in this hobby,
>> that during Sweepstakes, you might
get an extra dit-dit at the end of
>> the exchange, the equivalent of a nod
or raised glass from the other
>> end of the bar to say, "Hey I know
you, I'm drinking this crap and I
>> see you are too, cheers!"
>>
>> It's all about attitude and
marketing. Spend a week talking about
how
>> bad it sucks and you're going to get
a crappy turnout. And to be
>> honest, if I were new to this list
and between the ages of 20-40
>> (missed it by THAT
>> much) I would run as fast as I could
in the other direction! Pull up
>> your britches OFs, work on that
positive attitude and push your
>> Division Director to make Sweepstakes
cool and therefore fun again!
>>
>>
http://www.obsev.com/food/why-did-hipste
r-start-drinking-pbr.html
>>
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/2
9/pbr-coolness-study
>> _n_5399109.html
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Matt W1PY
>> ex W1MSW
>>
________________________________________
_______
>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
>>
>>
________________________________________
_______
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
>
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2017 12:09:58 -0700
From: Barry <w2up at comcast.net>
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Digest titles, was
Re: CQ-Contest Digest, Vol
179, Issue 36
Message-ID:
<0cf6e0d1-7da5-c371-57fd-be71277a003d at co
mcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8;
format=flowed
For those of you replying to posts
within a Daily Digest, when you respond,
please change the title to something
useful and related to the topic.
Tnx,
Barry W2UP
On 11/12/2017 5:54 AM, Ria Jairam wrote:
> I?ve never heard that complaint from
my 3. They help me with projects
> and they like making contacts with me.
>
> Of course I keep away from the upper
end of 75m and certain
> frequencies on
> 40 and 20.
>
> They love tuning around. They also
love watching the waterfall and
> panadapters. They ask some relatively
complex questions too, like why
> I talk to so many different countries.
They love the DX and contest
> plaques I get.
>
> They love electronic kits like snap
circuits which we bought for them.
> My daughters and my son equally.
>
> I guess I?m either lucky or expose
them to the things that are fun and
> focus off the negatives. The past is
the past and we aren?t returning
> to those glory days. However there is
a lot to look forward to in the
> future, if we do it right.
>
> 73
> Ria, N2RJ
>
> On Sun, Nov 12, 2017 at 7:40 AM W0MU
Mike Fatchett <w0mu at w0mu.com> wrote:
>
>> I can't get my offspring interested.
>>
>> My youngest still talks about all the
bad behavior that he has heard
>> on the radio. Sadly, the FCC has
really let us down here. Ham Radio
>> is an escape, why people should have
to run across the stuff that are
>> on our bands is really sickening and
sad.
>>
>> W0MU
>>
>> On 11/11/2017 2:09 PM, Jim Stahl via
CQ-Contest wrote:
>>> The question of getting youth into
contesting, and ham radio, is a
>> difficult nut to crack. Two
observations:
>>> 1. One big difference between
contesting and gaming is that there is
>>> no
>> such thing as defense in contesting.
Yes, occasionally one may need
>> to ?defend? a run frequency, but we
look down very strongly at
>> anything that prevents a competitor
from doing better than we do.
>> We?re simply a game of doing the best
we can, something found in a
>> very few games/sports, such as golf
or track.
>>> 2. Anything to get young people into
contesting (not counting
>>> offspring
>> of hams) will involve remote
stations. We can?t expect anybody to
>> invest several thousand dollars into
an unfamiliar pastime, not to
>> include the issue of real estate
limitations, which include the
>> nature of one?s home - often a very
urban situation - without even
considering zoning/HOA issues.
>>>
>>> 73 - Jim K8MR
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Nov 10, 2017, at 10:22 PM, Eric
Gruff <egruff at cox.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Ward and Group,
>>>>
>>>> As a casual contester, I haven't
really felt like I had much to
>>>> offer regarding spurring
participation and recruiting new
>>>> contesters. However, lately, one of
my 16 year-old daughters has
>>>> become quite the online
>> gamer,
>>>> while her twin sister (who has
often made noise, but not effort,
>>>> about getting licensed) is your
typical teenage phone text/chat
>>>> fiend. I have
>> been
>>>> informally asking them and their
friends about why ham radio in
>>>> general isn't interesting to them.
>>>>
>>>> A few common themes/ideas I've come
up with based on my casual
>>>> survey
>> are:
>>>> - Young people can do everything
with their phones/tablets/PCs that
>>>> the radio can do, and don't need
expensive equipment (other than
>>>> buying a
>> new
>>>> $800 phone every year as new models
come out, but I didn't say that
>>>> to
>> them)
>>>> or giant antennas that their
parents and neighbors won't accept. I
>>>> feel there is a degree of laziness
here - hams who design and build
>>>> some or
>> all
>>>> of their own equipment probably
view appliance operators like me in
>>>> the
>> same
>>>> vein.
>>>> - The social media aspect of peer
group interactions is appealing,
>> while 1:1
>>>> interactions with strangers doesn't
seem all that appealing. This
>>>> is a
>> bit
>>>> of a self-fulfilling
prophecy/Catch-22, where until we get
more
>> youngsters
>>>> involved, youngsters aren't going
to be very interested... It's not
>> dislike
>>>> of 'old people', but lack of a
common identification with the ham
>>>> demographic. I'm 54 and still into
outdoor sports and heavy metal
>> music, and
>>>> often feel like I'm in a nursing
home at ham events. I don't mean
>>>> this
>> in a
>>>> pejorative sense since I'll be
there soon enough, and am already
>>>> ancient compared to the 1977 me,
who as a 13 year-old hung out with
>>>> my 13
>> year-old
>>>> pal Steve (KL7SB, who was then
WB2IDP) and looked at the 50
>>>> year-old
>> hams to
>>>> see if they were going to
spontaneously die of a stroke or
embolism.
>>>> - CW and SSB aren't going to
compete with high resolution video and
>> surround
>>>> sound, so contesting may have to
evolve to visual modes or we will
>>>> have
>> to
>>>> find a way to combine modes like we
do now for hybrid digital modes
>>>> like digital SSTV using Internet
hyperlinks to the pictures. Video
>>>> games have cool visual and audio
aspects, which is what kids are now used
to.
>> Asking
>>>> them to switch from Call of Duty or
Madden 2047 to CW is like going
>>>> from HDTV with a 4K OLED display to
a 1985 analog television
>>>> playing a VCR
>> movie.
>>>> Maybe a digital SSTV contest or
some otherto-be-invented fast mode
>> would be
>>>> better. The technology is now
getting where it's feasible, but FCC
>>>> regulations on BW on HF may be
problematic.
>>>> - If we can start out with some
type of technical or visual
>>>> enticement
>> (and
>>>> I don't mean an unmarked white van
with offers of free candy) to
>>>> get youngsters intrigued by the
hobby, we can move them into
>>>> contesting and traffic handling and
Em Comm and whatever once
>>>> they're hooked. I see a
>> lot
>>>> of hams get licensed as "preppers",
but then the Baofeng gets
>>>> tossed
>> into
>>>> the glove box or closet, and that's
that. One of the local efforts
>>>> that
>> I'm
>>>> sure is duplicated all over the
world is to help the newly-licensed
>>>> move further into the hobby, and
not lose the enthusiasm that
>>>> usually comes
>> just
>>>> before and after the license is
obtained.
>>>> - From 1977 to 2017 (have I really
been licensed 40 years?), I went
>> from a
>>>> general coverage Yaesu FRG-7 and 15
year-old Hallicrafters HT-44
>>>> with an end-fed long wire that
filled my shack (bedroom) with RF,
>>>> to a Flex
>> 6700 SDR
>>>> with Maestro (actually two radios
in one, with colorful
>>>> hi-definition panadapters),
solid-state 1.5 kW amplifier and a
>>>> SteppIR DB36 that can
>> tune
>>>> almost instantly from 80 to 6
Meters without my intervention. It's
>>>> all computer-controlled, as is my
logbook, and I can operate modes
>>>> from CW
>> to
>>>> SSB to FT8 to MSK144 to SSTV to ...
I know many of you on the board
>>>> have similar stories - many of us
worked each other as teenage hams
>>>> back in
>> the
>>>> Dark Ages.
>>>>
>>>> OK, I'll stop now. I just wanted to
share some thoughts for discussion.
>> I
>>>> know there are going to be a lot of
folks here who say, "If
>>>> youngsters
>> don't
>>>> like the hobby and contesting the
way it is, then too bad for them.
>>>> I'm
>> not
>>>> changing". There are others who are
fatalistic and say, "Ham radio
>>>> will
>> be
>>>> dead soon. We can't compete with
the other distractions." I will
>>>> offer
>> that,
>>>> even though soon after being
licensed, I discovered music, cars,
>>>> girls
>> and
>>>> beer (not necessarily in that
order), I stayed licensed and
>>>> somewhat interested/active in the
hobby. I was not very involved in
>>>> radio while
>> away
>>>> at college (RPI, which had a great
station that I never visited,
>>>> not
>> even
>>>> once), in grad school (lived at
home with my radios, but rarely
>>>> touched them), and after a
cross-country move, all of which were
>>>> extremely time-consuming. The
reason I stayed connected to the
>>>> hobby is that
>> there was
>>>> always something new and different
(I read each new QST
>>>> religiously, regardless of whether
I was OTA), and the equipment
>>>> was constantly
>> evolving
>>>> to allow new modes, etc. Well,
that, and because I'm a hopeless nerd.
>>>>
>>>> Let's brainstorm new ways to evolve
the hobby so that it's "cool"
>>>> to the next generations. And don't
get me started about the recent
>>>> NCIS "ham
>> radio"
>>>> episode, which was actually a CB
episode that was mis-titled.
>>>>
>>>> 73,
>>>>
>>>> Eric NC6K
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Message: 1
>>>> Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2017 10:43:28
-0600
>>>> From: Ward Silver
<hwardsil at gmail.com>
>>>> To: Reflector
<cq-contest at contesting.com>
>>>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] SS, SS
and again SS...
>>>> Message-ID:
<ddce7d41-0585-ccc9-2d41-55e9d809e220 at gm
ail.com>
>>>> Content-Type: text/plain;
charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>>>>
>>>> Hey Mats, don't go subterranean
just yet!
>>>>
>>>>> ? Just lately have been a lot of
postings that, at least for me
>>>>> and
>>>> possibly for some other non-NA,
have been ?less interesting?. That
>>>> is MY
>>>> (our) problem - not a problem to
the list as such
>>>>
>>>> Actually, I think we have pretty
much had our say about SS but I
>>>> would
>> like
>>>> to broaden the discussion to your
side of the pond.? A common
>>>> perception here in NA, reinforced
by photos and stories, is that EU
>>>> is doing better with attracting
new, younger contesters than we
>>>> are.? One of the best
>> things
>>>> to come along in recent years is
the EU-based YOTA (ham-yota.com).?
>> Getting
>>>> a similar group going "over here"
seems to be a hard sell.? I'd
>>>> like to
>> hear
>>>> more from you and others about EU
attitudes and approaches that
>>>> seem to
>> be
>>>> encouraging younger contesters to
get involved, whether it is CW or
>>>> SSB
>> or
>>>> digital, HF or VHF.
>>>>
>>>> 73, Ward N0AX
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
________________________________________
_______
>>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>>>
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
>>>
________________________________________
_______
>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>>
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
>>
________________________________________
_______
>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
>>
>
________________________________________
_______
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/list
info/cq-contest
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
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End of CQ-Contest Digest, Vol 179, Issue
41
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