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

[Robert Henderson]

Peter

I share your view and have expressed it here before.  Whilst I try to make
appearances for the 21/28 events, I find it impossible to justify
dedicating a weekend or two to what is a strong contender for the prize for
terminal boredom.  There are too many interesting contest events in the
annual calendar to spend time on something so narrowly focused.

Bob, 5B4AGN, P3F

>Actually, the 21MHz CW contest was widely supported a few years ago, as
>Clive says, when it was a counterpoint to  the 21/28MHz phone contest.  I
>think it was set up when 21MHz was a comparatively new allocation to show
>what it could do.  I have to say I lost interest when 28MHz was added to
the
>CW event.  The problem is that both concepts are now dated in relation to
>current expectations; after all, who wants to just work the UK, unless in
a
>comprehensive environment, as in the case of WAG?  Unlike most of the
other
>countries, we've never had a major all band "work the UK" contest.  A lot
of
>organisation would have to go into such an event if it were to be seen in
>the same league as WAG or the Russian contest, but I can't really see that
>anything less is likely to be supportable.  Perhaps we can have a go on
the
>whole subject at the HFC this weekend . . .
>
>Peter G3LET
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Clive Whelan" <clive.whelan at btinternet.com>
>To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 6:46 PM
>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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