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

[Donald Field]

I'm glad Dave BUO mentioned that these actually started as 28MHz contests, 
as that seemed to have been forgotten by those engaging the discussions (it 
had slipped my mind, too, I must admit). I do recall when it was possible to 
work 700 or more stations in one of these, at least around the peak of the 
cycle.

However, I think the world has changed dramatically since the RSGB contest 
program was formulated many years ago. The Commonwealth (BERU) Contest is 
perhaps a clue. Back then many of the countries which are now very QRV on 
the bands were relatively inactive (Eastern bloc especially - just a few 
club stations). However, the Empire was teeming with ex-pats who loved 
nothing more than a chance to work a string of stations back in good ol' 
blighty. This simply isn't the case any more. Apart from a few stalwarts 
(9J2BO, some VK/ZL boys when propagation is there, and our new retirees in 
5B4) those folk simply no longer exist. And anyone else outside the UK would 
certainly have found more meat in the WAG contest last weekend. And, of 
course, there are very many more contests nowadays, with all those countries 
which previously didn't have much activity now having introduced contests of 
their own (WAG is but one example of many of a "nouveau" event). So what 
interest there is will, of necessity be more thinly spread (I have noticed 
that even the Scandinavian contests seem well down on their peak in terms of 
activity).

Probably another factor is that, despite our ageing contester population, 
those who work for a living find they need to focus on just a few key 
weekends for contests, otherwise their families would never see them. If you 
enjoy more than one mode, by the time you have factored in ARRL (2 
weekends), CQWW (2 weekends), WPX (2 weekends), IOTA and/or IARU, maybe a 
couple that are of specific interest (In my case CQ 160 CW, for example, and 
maybe an RTTY event. For some it might be the EU Sprints or even, dare I 
say, Field Day), then add in the RSGB Convention, and something else (FOC 
weekend, Dayton, Friedrichshafen), that's easily a dozen or more weekends 
taken care of. Take out a few weekends away from home for holidays, family 
events, etc. and you're left with barely more than half the weekends in the 
year to play husband/father/grandfather, etc. So why on earth play in yet 
more contests, other than maybe some short, sharp ones (especially mid-week) 
which is perhaps why the RSGB 80m events have been so popular this year. 
(And I haven't even mentioned those who might want to play on VHF from time 
to time ..)

These are surely the realities for most of us, and it's time to face up to 
reality when reviewing the contest calendar. The 21st century has been with 
us for 4 years already!

CU at HFC!

Don G3XTT