[UK-CONTEST] Planning for 2004 ?

[Andy Cook, G4PIQ]

An interesting debate as usual, and I think Lee has captured many of the
really important issues well. I've tried to capture some of my thoughts
about how I think things could move forward. Note - these are just personal
thoughts, I don't sit on HFCC, and maybe that gives me some better
opportunity to speak as I see it. I think the folks on that committee do a
good job in what are often not easy circumstances. It's really important to
recognise that you can't please all the people all the time, and folks
shouldn't take it personally if their particular idea doesn't get taken
forward. I'm sure all get considered, and sometimes hard decisions have to
be taken that will be unpopular with some. What should come out of difficult
decisions is overall increased activity - and this needs to be the key test
of success.

Anyhow - my personal suggestions......

1a. Dilution of activity across too many contests is a real problem. I
believe that we'd be better off focussing on a smaller number of contests -
by dropping some poorly supported domestic contests in favour of the
'domestic contest and awards within an international contest' format. I
think there are one or two clear candidates for this treatment (e.g, 21/28).


1b. The one exception to this rule maybe for short (often weekday evening)
events like the LF Cumulatives. I was originally for killing off poorly
supported events, but I've since been persuaded that these sorts of short
sharp events can attract a different bunch of entrants - people with the
ability to spend a couple of hours on a odd weekday evening, but not a
longer stint over a weekend. They can also provide a good means of
introducing people to contests.

2. Results certainly do not appear by magic from a suite of software. I'm
sure that (given the availability of people with the right skills / time to
develop the code) the checking process could be speeded up - and this would
be a good thing - but we're never going to lose the need for a substantial
human involvement in checking / interpreting the results of the machines.

3. I think we are short of SSB events (and maybe some could form a part of a
new set of LF Cumulatives......). We're doing very little to encourage the
Foundation & Intermediate licencees. I also believe that SSB events will be
attractive in trying to encourage new folks in (unless they get as congested
and tough as SSB AFS where if you're running less than 400W and a decent
antenna you'll often find your head having an intimate discussion with a
brick wall).

4. There is a real need to actively encourage new entrants on. I think we
need to try more than just a passive approach, and a lot more activity from
all keen contestants in expounding the fun of contesting (and not focussing
on the need for towers and big PAs to be ultra competitive) could go a long
way. Again - short easily accessible events can form a focus for these
potential new folks, and hopefully a ramp up to bigger things later. These
new entrants need to have some encouragement to keep on entering - perhaps
clubs could form a focus of this.

Again - just my own ideas, although I hope you'll see some related actions -
particularly around encouraging more people to enter - happening in the VHF
world over the next year or so.

73,

Andy, G4PIQ