[UK-CONTEST] Fw: RSGB contest programme.

[Dave Sergeant]

On 28 Oct 2002 at 21:21, G3SJJ wrote:

> 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.

I find Chris's observations disturbing, and if they turn out to be 
true a very sad state of affairs.  But perhaps a comparison of QSOs 
worked, ie activity levels, may be more instructive.  I sense that 
even though the number of entries is declining the actual activity is 
actually still increasing.

I am strongly against having mixed mode CW/SSB contests, a practice 
that the RSGB has largely not followed apart from IOTA.  Apart from 
upsetting those not interested in contests, as a CW operator I would 
not be interested in participating unless there was a seperate CW 
only section and it was not just an excuse to get rid of the CW.  I 
used to operate in our club's VHF NFD when they had a seperate CW 
session on 4m. Now that they have made it all mode it has effectively 
killed off CW in VHF NFD and I have no incentive.  I can see that 
happening with the Field Days. Whether our club (Bracknell) would 
participate in such a mixed mode field day is uncertain - attempts to 
get any interest in SSB FD have failed in the past, but that is 
partly because it clashes with the 2m contest on the same day. And CW 
FD clashes with a 6m contest which our club operates in.

What might be a suggestion is to liaise with other national societies 
and try to combine some of the events.  Each society seems to want to 
run its own contest calendar with the result that most weekends there 
are several conflicting contests running competing for attention (eg 
21/28 and WAG).  If some of these contests were amalgamated surely it 
would go some way to increasing participation in general?

On a related issue, I notice last weekend in CQWW that the incursion 
of SSB stations into the CW parts of the bands was worse this year 
than I ever remember, with contest stations right down to 7010 at 
times.  The usual excuses (one weekend a year, if you are looking for 
DX you will be in the contest anyway, etc) are pretty weak. Band 
plans are gentlemen's agreements, let us be gentlemen and not upset 
those who may be potential recruits to contesting.  Of course those 
on this reflector will not be among the offenders.

73s Dave G3YMC

dsergeant at iee.org
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