Topband: LBOW & WAS

[Ford Peterson]

Rick wrote:

...snip...

> Advice to stations in places like ND, WY, etc:  LOTW is easier to use
> than the ARRL web site implies.  The instructions go into way too much
> detail that you don't need to get started.  Ignore horror stories you
> have read about people who can't get it to work.  I simply didn't have
> any trouble with it at all.  Yes, the multiple passwords and the post
> card thing are annoying, but no where near as difficult as working
> DX on topband.  In any event, you do that only once, and then uploading
> ADIF's is a piece of cake.  Only 1 extra step; you "sign" them.
> Takes less than a minute to sign a log.
> Other than that, same work as submitting your contest log.
> 
> If you still think LOTW is too hard, I will send you the Cliff's notes
> version of the instructions which will fit on one page, if that will
> help.
> 
> 73
> 
> Rick N6RK

Rick, and others...

To me, working a contest on Topband is more challenging than many others, in many ways.  There are wild cards and loose canons galore.  Clicks, limited bandwidth, extreme demands on equipment, difficult propagation, weather, you name it.  Some factors can be controlled and some are the luck of the draw.  One thing is certain.  The same 1100 people are showing up to work the contest weekend year-after-year.  You want to land 2000 Qs in a Topband contest?  Then we have to attract new blood.

I am looking to Logbook of the World to be a great attraction for Topband.  There is no other band where a station can work a sweep (ala K5NA in 2004) on a single weekend on a single band.  (see "Anatomy of a Sweep" in last year's contest results)  The new WAS setup on LOTW gives the OP the ability to select a new criteria for WAS.  How about a new WAS on a single weekend award!  The ARRL doesn't offer it.  But it does look like you can "roll your own" using the new web interface.  Working all 50 ain't easy to do.  The best part is that we may be able to keep people coming back to try again next year.

There is no other band where a station can land a WAS on a single weekend.  Topband is different.  Believe it or not, there are a great number of operators that challenge themselves to achieve this-or-that accomplishment.  Some chase counties, some chase DX, others just chase for the sake of the battle.  Whatever the reason they are there, we need to find more of them if anybody is ever going to clear the 2K mark.  These 'non-contesters' don't show up to contest, they show up to beat their own personal challenge, whatever that may be.

There is a core group of about 500 stations that will be there for the heat of battle--guaranteed.  These are "contesters."  Some are hard-core, foaming at the mouth, dedicated to winning, contesters.  Many of you could rattle off the callsigns, or at least a good share of them.  The difference between #1 and #10 is only a few Qs.  The dynamic range is very tight.  And developing more "contesters" is unlikely.

I seriously think we can look to the 'paper chasers' to be our new supply of good red blood on the band.  In the MNQP a couple of years ago, I had 29% of the callsigns in my log request a QSL card.  I was shocked!  29% of the unique callsigns wrote me a letter to request my QSL card.  Over 900 Qs that day, and TONS of QSL requests resulted.  And they were not contesters.  Let's attract that bunch to come to 160M to play!  It starts by providing some 'chatter' about success.  Some time ago, 5BDXCC was finally achieved by quite a few using LOTW.  It happened because people uploaded their logs.  It isn't hard.  It is essentially free.  And if uploading all the logs provides an attraction for people to come and play, then we all win.  A win-win-win situation...  And I would love to see an additional 200 or more newcomers come out to play next year.

Ford-N0FP
ford at cmgate.com