[UK-CONTEST] Contesting Activity

[Dennis Andrews]

Like Dave - G4BUO, I am an ex-Chair(man) of the HFCC - also an ex-member of
(the now defunct) RSGB Council. Having had my opportunity to make a mark on
the world, I have deliberately refrained from voicing public criticism of
those who followed after me. However, I obviously follow with great
interest the various reflector discussions. 

It does seem to me that much of the recent discussion is missing a major
point. It seems to revolve around the assumption that tinkering with the
rules of various contests will produce more entries. I'm not sure that
assumption is correct. 

In recent years, the 'politically correct' brigade in UK have achieved a
weight out of all proportion to their numbers - and the effects have been
apparent in our hobby just as in many other areas of life. So the HFCC have
found themselves pushed into a position of accepting that contests are
generally anti-social (i.e. they conflict with the views of vebose
minorities) and so should be limited as much as possible. Although we have
an HF Convention in UK which has received an enthusiastic write-up in the
current RadCom, the support pales into insignificance when compared with
the HF enthusiasm seen at other gatherings such as Dayton or Fredricshafen.
HF and contests in the UK just don't get the support and encouragement that
is found elsewhere.

I am on the point of retiring to France - watch out for major contest
activity from F5VHY! As part of this move I recently joined REF. Their
support of operating in general and HF/Contesting in particular is an
eye-opener.

Just look at the contents of the November issue of their magazine.

* Report on an HF/VHF operating event featuring French chateaux - 1 page
* Report on IARU Regional conference - 3 pages
* New plans to provide CW education - 2 pages
* Summer expedition to put the mountain tops on the air - 3 pages
* HF Contests section includes full rules for all upcoming international
contests, full results of recent local contests - 13 pages (!)
* VHF Contests - 11 pages
* VHF Operating - 3 pages
* UHF Operating - 5 pages
* Operating on CW (regular feature) - 1 page
* QSL information - 2 pages

+ ongoing super series on historic operations in overseas French
territories - FB8WW, FB8XX, FB8ZZ etc etc - 5 pages

 - a total of 51 pages of operating interest out of a total of 98 pages
(including covers) with just 5 1/4 pages of advertising.

Contrast that with the latest issue of RadCom; 14 1/2 pages of operating
interest in 100 pages (including covers) and 40 1/4 pages of advertising!

There's a message here somewhere!


73 de Dennis - G3MXJ.