[UK-CONTEST] RDXC Russian Contest 18/19th March

[m0blf@domsmith.co.uk]

Hi all,

> Interesting. Two things stand out John :
> - Majority of the ops are young, well, under 40 then

I too have wondered why young ops tend to like RDXC so much, and so I sent out an email on the WWYC reflector last night to find out why.  Only two WWYCers replied, but the reasons they gave were roughly what I guessed they might be.  In no particular order:

- Young ops like the social (read 'pizza and beer') aspects of contesting and also don't have competitive stations as a general rule.  So, they tend to take part in contests from larger multi-op stations which don't operate in smaller contests.
- If you are working/studying on a Monday, a 24-hour contest is a lot more manageable than a 48-hour contest.  If one is travelling to a multi-op station for it, it's also sufficently long to make it worthwhile.
- It can be mixed or single mode so anyone can take part (remember that a lot of young contesters are keen CW operators).
- Published results are split by power category, which encourages lower-powered stations.
- Everyone can work everyone which results in high rates, even from a poor station.
- The booklet is a nice momento and a good advertisement for the next year's contest (indeed they seem to have been sent out with the aim of arriving at this time of year, despite the fact that the results have been on the website for some time).
- and perhaps most importantly the good 'customer care': log analysis, integrated RDA tracking, speedy and accurate checking etc.

So, at the risk of putting cats among pidgeons, and with flame-proof jacket secured, if the RSGB wants to improve the profile of their contests, maybe a 24-hour, mixed-mode, everyone-works-everyone contest with WAB squares as the exchange for UK stations*, well resourced and supported by RSGB HQ, is needed?
 Maybe combined with NFD to encourage local clubs to provide multi-op stations?

* Yes, I do realise that WAB are seperate from RSGB but it should be possible for the RSGB HFCC to credit the squares automatically on behalf of the participant if required.

I am sure this email will cause a few responses to which I will try and reply when I'm back from ARRL SSB on Monday.

73,

Dominic M0BLF.

PS: Be kind to me, please - Today is the tenth anniversary of my first ever QSO on Amateur Radio, back in the days when I was 14-year old G7WJF :)

www.m0blf.org.uk