[UK-CONTEST] CW AFS Results in Radcom

[Clive Whelan]

Hi people

May I suggest that this thread is rather missing the point? I tend to the
minority view that individual scores are of minimal importance. After all,
the ultimate team contest is NFD and individual operators are rarely
mentioned. Sad that such a fundamental building block of Amateur Radio
contesting is now in decline, but that's another QSO!

Three more important-i.m.o.- issues come to mind.

 Firstly, the question of location. As is surely well known, unless one is
effectively towards the centre of activity, one simply cannot be
competitive. It matters not how good an operator you are, nor how effective
an antenna you have, you are simply  outgunned. The area concerned is of
course-broadly speaking- the English Midlands. There is a number of ways
that this issue could be addressed, but discussion thereof is beyond the
scope of this thread.

Secondly, what is the AFS bit really all about? Is it widely held that AFS
entrants are, in general, bona fide members of a given Society? That is to
say, are some not simply members of convenience, for the purpose of the
contest itself. I strongly suspect that the last sentence reflects the real
situation. Furthermore what really is the point of the 50 mile circle rule.
I suggest that both are anachronistic and should be scrapped. A person more
cynical than myself might conclude that the contest is a money making
venture for RSGB.


Thirdly does AFS, popular as it is, really lead anywhere?; I suggest not.
The sharp contrast between the popularity of AFS and the participation of Gx
stations in international contesting tends to suggest otherwise. To this end
, does the "wham bang" character of AFS help hone our contest skills?; I
seriously doubt it. Although our transatlantic cousins are sometimes as
insular is are we, with their NAQPs and their Sweepstakes, nevertheless we
can surely recognise that they are, corporately, the best operators bar
none. I believe this is because, despite their insularity, that they have
always- as they would term it- "pushed the envelope". I am a great fan of
e.g. the European Sprint contests, but if one listen to the various U.S.
equivalents, one can quickly see how much slicker they are than most
Europeans. Should we not be pushing some envelopes of our own?

All that said, I am nothing if not a realist, and recognise that none of the
above is likely to happen in the next few sunspot cycles. Still one can
dream, cannot one?



73



Clive
GW3NJW