[UK-CONTEST] Continuing the debate

[Jonathan G0DVJ]

Having read both Les and Ivan's inputs about the UK Contest Calendar, I 
agree with much of what they each said, for what its worth.

The key ideas (which I did submerge within an earlier email amongst 
other topics) I would offer are:

1) A set (e.g. 6 - one every other month) of short duration (e.g. 2 or 3 
hour) evening HF/LF contests (cumulative or not), maybe 3 could be LF, 
and 3 HF band based, - publish individual session results plus an end of 
year league table combining all entries per person/group for those that 
have time to do them all (or best 4/6 etc.),
2) Mixed mode to encourage both SSB & CW (but don't penalise single mode 
entry),
3) Single or multi-op (club team) options,
4) No speed restriction on the CW element but provision of QRS Corrals 
per band as in AFS
5) Partner with DARC, PACC, REF, UBA and others in europe to get buy-in 
and encourage activity from outside UK (i.e. at least try and make it a 
pan-euro set of contests - maybe sharing the adjudication per country 
etc.)  Or model this aspect on IARU Region FDs where there are national 
entries but the exchanges are harmonised.
6) Have sections for 10w and 100w power levels - i.e. encourage barefoot 
from average domestic situations,
7) Partner with WAB group to utilise WAB squares for UK station mults 
(raising WAB profile internationally and at home).  Other Euro countries 
could use their national mults too (as per their bigger national annual 
contests, PACC, WAG, SPDX etc.)  Alternatively, adopt the WPX mults 
system - either way make sure there are plenty!
8) Market them as "fun" events like Club Calls and AFS - those who will 
compete for the very top places will still do so anyway,
9) Don't limit (multi-op sections at least) operators to being RSGB 
members - rather model it on AFS or Club Calls, or just ask that one in 
a multi-op responsible for the entry be a member or that the club is 
affiliated etc.
10) Make sure the dates don't coincide with existing VHF activity period 
contests.

These ideas would IMHO, build on successes of other existing events, 
provide suitable events for people to do from home on a free evening, 
encourage newcomers to contesting and CW contesting, and utilise the 
collective strengths of partnering with others.  The latter probably 
sounds like a political nightmare to some, but some of our "big guns" 
must know people on the other countries' committees etc who could help 
start a dialogue.

Just 2p worth from here again!
73,
Jonathan G0DVJ
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