[UK-CONTEST] AFS

[Ed - G3SQX]

Yes, Dave is right in his recollections about the introduction of SSB AFS.
And I can admit that I am responsible for this section of the contest.  At
the risk of boring the pants of everybody, below are some excerpts from the
HFCC minutes, in the days when I was a member and minutes secretary.

My own view is that 3 entrants per team would now be right for both
sections.  It would recognise the reality that rustling up 5 decent CW
operators is impossible in most clubs.  And I would add that awards for
combined efforts (CW + SSB) would be a good idea, perhaps the top ten in
normalised lists (Club and individual), to encourage CW as well as SSB
entrants from clubs

By the way, I seem to remember that the CCC was introduced by the HFCC as a
replacement for MCC, when SWM stopped sponsoring this contest.  My own view
is that this is a good format, but far too close to the November 160m CW
contest.  A move to a better time of year might form the basis for an even
greater AFS -- Sunday evening before AFS CW, anybody, with formats 
standardised for the 3 events, and grand combined results table?

73,

Ed, G3SQX

=======================


12th May 1990 ... need to do something more to bring newcomers into
contesting [what's new?].  G3SQX thought that a newcomer was unlikely to
enter a CW event, but an SSB contest (along the lines of AFS) would appeal
to clubs, who could enter beginners in the team.  He would write up some
notes on this subject.

[later the same year, report from G3SQX] ... the effect of adding new CW
contests to the RSGB calendar is to create an event which is
patronised mainly (admittedly, not exclusively) by the same group of people
who enter the old CW contests.  On the other hand, new SSB
contests attract quite a few new entrants ...

 ... AFS, and first it might be interesting to try to work out why it is so
popular.  Here are some reasons that I can think of, in no particular order:

(1)  Most stations can get on 80m somehow.
(2)  Enormous preparation of equipment is not required.
(3)  Four hours is not particularly anti-social.
(4)  People like to identify with a club, and see it mentioned.
(5)  Everyone can hear everyone (more or less).
(6)  No problem finding stations to work.
(7)  Inexperienced operators are welcomed.
(8)  Everyone on the band is in the contest.
(9)  You get two listings - club and individual.
(10) Finding a team member replacement is usually possible if necessary.

 ... whether the same attractions could be repeated on SSB, and if so, how?
My answer would be yes, with a similar format, and not
too many changes.  Here is the way that we might set up this new event.  I
envisage an SSB AFS with its own table of results, and also a
combined table of aggregate CW and SSB results.  There would be certificates
for the clubs with the best combined totals

... time of day and duration should probably be the same as CW AFS, given
that it successfully maximises inter-G propagation, minimising QRM to and
from elsewhere.  Next the question of which day and date to adopt.  Saturday
could be a better choice than Sunday, since there seems to be less net and
GB operation

... Anyway, the new contest could be launched with just 3 stations per team
... in order to gauge support without causing too much mayhem.  My proposal
is that an SSB AFS be organised in 1992 along the lines suggested above

[ the proposal was adopted, and the rules have hardly been changed since]