[CQ-Contest] Past Prediction of the Future of Contesting.

[ktfrog007 at aol.com]

One big difference between now and the SSB paradigm shift (late 1950s well into the 1960s) is that SSB gear was expensive and not everyone could afford it.  In my 1958 cohort, new hams 15-21 years old, only one could afford SSB gear along with his father was also a ham.  I don't remember being resentful about it.  I just hunkered down and dug in with CW and had a great time.  In the process I missed the SSB wars.  Probably for the best and as I don't recall much rancor about anything from those days.  I remember my friends and me as excited and happy.

Fast forward to today.  It's different now with the digital wars.  Everyone has a computer for some purpose, with a good enough sound card for digital modes and almost any contemporary transceiver can be used. Software is mostly free.  Everyone's a combatant.  It's very democratizing.  And we know how well democracy has been working lately.

73,
Ken, AB1J


-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Smith N4ZR <pete.n4zr at gmail.com>
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
Sent: Mon, Aug 23, 2021 12:35 pm
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Past Prediction of the Future of Contesting.

As someone who was around for the general introduction of SSB in ham 
radio (can I really be THAT old?) this is nothing but more of the same.  
I also remember when #1 on the DXCC Honor Roll had a single 3-element 
20-meter yagi at about 30 feet, on the side of his house.  Should we 
dismiss everyone who came after because they had taller towers, more 
elements, or (horrors!) used cluster spots?

73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the new Reverse Beacon Network
web server at <http://beta.reversebeacon.net>.
For spots, please use your favorite
"retail" DX cluster.