[UK-CONTEST] Planning for 2004 ?

[Bob Henderson]

Chris Tran wrote:

> My own feeling is that the one-off Jubilee event seemed to attract quite
> a good  number of entries, and that an 'RSGB' HF contest (similar to last
> weekend's PACC etc..) would be viable. Whether the Commonwealth
> should be involved is open to debate.

I think you're on the right track Chris and from the other end of a typical
UK contest QSO, I would make the following observation:

The success of the Jubilee contest was substantially due to non UK stations
having more than just UK stations to work.  Only having UK stations to work
makes for a deadly boring event for those of us in foreign parts and that
results in contests that simply don't reach critical mass in terms of
activity levels.  You know the problem....many DX stations don't bother
because not enough G stations are active to keep them from falling asleep.
Many G stations don't bother because DX stations don't seem interested in
the contest, hence they risk falling asleep.  The RSGB 21/28 test and the
RSGB 7 MHz test fall slap bang into the middle of this category.

In my view this is the problem and the answer is really quite straight
forward:-

It is easy to create a well supported RSGB contest.  Just ensure that
overseas stations can work both UK counties and other DXCC entities for
points and mults.   There are plenty of precedents for this approach
including the ARRL 10m test and the SP DX test.  The format would be good
for G stations as UK counties would have the same mult value to overseas
stations as DXCC entities.  UK stations would only work non UK stations.
Maybe you could call it something original like "The RSGB DX Test."

As a paid up member of the RSGB, that's my two penneth into the debate!

73

Bob 5B4AGN, P3F, ZC4ZM, G3ZEM