[UK-CONTEST] NFD

[Tom Wylie]

Well I'm glad that a few stations have bothered to get involved in the 
discussion.

I dont intend to get involved in the "nuts and bolts" of the Contest or 
Contests, but rather the concept of a Europe Wide Contest.

I dont think I am surprised that almost all of the commentators at the 
moment are current stations who do well within the existing rules of 
NFD, and for fairly obvious reasons dont want anything to change.

However, NFD's days are doomed.    I dont have statistics to hand, 
perhaps somebody on the reflector has.   I would ask:

How many stations who have not taken part in NFD BEFORE, took part this 
year.   Same question for last year and the year before.

How many stations took part this year and back for say - 5 years.

Is the Contest growing, reducing or standing still.   If its reducing or 
standing still, then its days are numbered.   I'm sad to say that two of 
the previous members of my Group GM5VG are now deceased and several are 
well over 70 years of age and whose fingers are no longer dexterous to 
manipulate a key, never mind a keyboard and computer.

I know we all have our individual preferences but like 40m CW and 
21/28Mhz, something has to be done BEFORE that matter becomes terminal 
and NFD no longer takes place.

I'm not suggesting we simply hand over the reins to the Germans or the 
Swiss, but I do suggest we elect a spokesperson or persons to, at the 
very least,  get involved in discussions with other National Societies 
to see if we can agree
on a set of common rules for a portable CW Contest and a time scale for 
putting them into practise.   I dont think
there is any need to start a new Contest by next year or even the year 
after, but it is something I feel we have
to look seriously at.

I think it was Dave BUO who said that NFD is a rate Contest so IMHO 
there is no need for the packet cluster in any section
as the benefits of using it to find German portables is very dubious, 
providing the scoring stays the same, but then again I dont think it 
useful to get involved in the nuts and bolts here.

We cant afford to stand still, or like in many other fronts we are going 
to be left behind.   If we do not get involved at an early stage of the 
discussions, we may find ourselves excluded and a European Contest 
taking place without us.   By the
time we need to get involved, the rules will be set in stone and we will 
be left with a "like it ur lump it" scenario.

I fear that too many of us are set in our ways and are traditionalists - 
blinkered by personal likes and dislikes for us to be able to SEE THE 
BIGGER PICTURE..........

Flame proof suit still holding

Tom
GM4FDM