[UK-CONTEST] 21/28Mhz, the future?

Tue Oct 19 18:47:29 EDT 2004

I vote for option 2 - both modes, both bands, first weekend - could even
live with dropping 10m - Whilst I like 10, the arrl 10m contest is well
supported enough even in the low sunspot years to enable me to get a fix
if I need one ;-)

I was one of the ones that stayed away this year - too busy building new
contest shack, and last years events were bad enough to convince me to
give it a rest this year. Sounds like it was a wise decision from the
reports to date!

73  

Steve GW0GEI

-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Chris Burbanks
Sent: 19 October 2004 21:45
To: uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: RE: [UK-CONTEST] 21/28Mhz, the future?

Clive, like me you suffer from verbal dia.. etc, so using few words -
Two
choices :
1 - Scrap both. Not enough UK support to attract Overseas entry as in
40m
Contest.
2 - Merge both, to be held on 1st w/e Oct. Format to be decided by HFCC
NO 3rd option. Take it or leave it. Choose - 1 or 2.  Chris G3SJJ

-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Clive Whelan
Sent: 19 October 2004 18:47
To: uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] 21/28Mhz, the future?

Now that the dust has settled a little on both events, perhaps we should
reflect on the future of this event, so that HFCC may have some
guidance.
After all if we do not tell them what we think, then we can have no
complaint at any action that they take, so c'mon blokes, let's do it!

I suspect that there is nobody- even perhaps the big sticks- who can say
that this year's events were anything but dire. For the little pistols
amongst us, the events were probably a serious waste of time. Frankly I
have
thought this about the CW event for some years now, and really don't
want to
waste any more time, which is very sad, as in the dim distant I did win
the
restricted section ( CW), which at least states my credentials.

So what is wrong? I would propose two main factors.

1. Declining sunspot activity-which really came home to roost this
year-,
which makes 21Mhz difficult, and 28Mhz virtually useless.

2. Very poor support from the U.K. for contests in general, and HF
contests
in particular, which is perennial and definitely not ameliorating. What
then
happens is that our traditional support from the likes of Eastern Eu,
and
the U.S. which has sustained us thus far, begins to drift away. When a
well
supported competing event such as WAG on the CW w/e, is superimposed, we
simply become subsumed, and an inexorable downward spiral is underway.
   The reasons for the poor support from the U.K. fraternity for
contests,
is  beyond the scope of the immediate discussion, but clearly must also
be
addressed, otherwise we are definitely wasting our time. Thus I would
propose that this, rather than declining solar activity is the main
problem;
anyone who was QRV in the CW event, could not help but be impressed by
the
activity from DL, and people wanting to work them. However, it is surely
clear that our own events are not now sustainable as they stand, and we
need
to change ( as Chris has said this seems to be a naughty word for some
reason) so that our limited support is maintained, and hopefully
improved
upon. HFCC have a thankless task- which we must all acknowledge-, since
they
are damned if they act, and damned if they don't, but hey HFCC this is
not
for the fainthearted!

So what do we do? Well just a couple of ideas to start the ball rolling.
Multimode contests have traditionally been frowned upon on our shores,
and
indeed, many years ago RSGB was signatory to a gentleman's agreement
between
Eu national societies not to organise such events. Such an agreement did
not
last long, and  everyman and his dog now organise multimode events. I
therefore propose that it would be foolish for us to do otherwise, which
would continue to fragment support. Clearly single mode entries must be
permitted, but that is hardly an administrative problem is it?

I am ancient enough to remember when the 21/28 events, were simply the
21Mhz
CW contest; perhaps this was about twenty years ago, anyone remember?
Perhaps therefore we should concentrate on 21Mhz until the sunspot
minimum
has come and been and gone ( sorry lapsed into Wenglish there!)? For
aficionados of 28Mhz, there is the ARRL 10m contest in December, so
withdrawal symptoms should be minimal. In detail, how about an RSGB
21Mhz
contest? This in my view should be multimode ( even digi modes
perhaps?),
with mode specific sections included. Further, I think that our levels
of
activity are simply insufficient for a UK works the world kind of
contest,
and that this event should simply be everyone works everyone, with the
usual
intercontinental points bias, and country multipliers. i.o.w. Not unlike
the
ARRL ten metre congest, but on 21Mhz! Who knows we might even capture
support from those who think that 28Mhz will effectively be unusable for
a
few years yet. After all 21Mhz is a remarkable band, which never really
dies, even in poor sunspot conditions, well not in the autumn at least.

So how about it, is this just codswallop, or is there some mileage in
it?

73

Clive
GW3NJW

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