[UK-CONTEST] Fw: RSGB contest programme.

[G3SJJ]

It depends what you mean when you say FDs aren't broke. The statistics say otherwise :



FD  96   97  98  99  00 02   (Number of entrants)

CW 80  70  62  60  54  42

SB  44  38  38  39  40  32



For CW FD, you can say that over the last 5 years the entry has halved so in another 5
years it will be around 21, or the rate of decline is averaging 6 per year, therefore it
will be around 7.



For SB FD, again halved would be 16 or 20 at an average rate of decline of 2.5 per year.



Which ever way you look at, in 5 years time, the entry level will have converged. Also,
if you take an average of 14 entries for the CW event, this would probably be split 7
Restricted, 5 Open and 2 Low Power. Is this really viable? Is an Open section group
really going to take all that gear : radios, computers, amps, antennas, rotators, masts,
guys, generator, tent/caravan etc, just to compete against 4 other groups?  Again, for
SSB FD with an average of 18 entries, this might split 10 Open and 8 Restricted.



The other very valid reason for combining the two events is so that we INCLUDE M3s etc,
not EXCLUDE them.



Of course it is broke, so let's have some sensible discussion.



Chris G3SJJ



----- Original Message -----
From: "Ivan Davies" <g3izd at davies.net1.co.uk>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2002 10:41 PM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Fw: RSGB contest programme.

Subject: RSGB contest programme.

All this talk of just 2 or 3 RSGB HF contests makes for a very lean year. I
used to keep a 1 year wall planning chart on which to enter those contests
which interest me. My main gripe is , as ever , the demise of the LF
cumulatives, 9 of them, dumped without any prior warning and little or no
comment. Those regular contesters who support so many of the CW contests
didn't have a plethora of QRS contests to ease their way gently in, they
just went in at the deep end. I certainly remember how nervous I felt at my
first attempts which were in NFD in the 10 watt days.
            Field days, in their separate modes arent broke, and please no
more Mixed mode contests, IOTA is sufficient.The demise of CW contests can
only be hastened by the inclusion of other modes within what originated as a
purely CW one.
            We need more short, say two hours - no more, evening contests on
weekdays.
I have no sympathy with those who, "can't get up in time " for the ROPOCOs,
OK I no longer work but I used to , and entered them.
    Cheers all ,Ivan G3IZD




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