[UK-CONTEST] To Contest - or Not?

[Ray Hills]

Hi Guys,

Been a bit out of touch with the reflector so only now picking up on this 
topic.   BTW it helped to remind me that I hadn't actually read April RadCom 
!!

Yes, I like a bit of contesting now and then.  I usually make 80MCC and 
144AC although I am never going to be on the leader board for all sorts of 
reasons, two of which are age and inertia!  But I find no problem when there 
are other contests running.  We have many bands and there are always some 
which are "contest free".  How about some more activity on VHF/UHF for 
example?  Plenty of room for rag chews there, even using the repeaters.

What we need is some reasonable give and take so that we can all live 
harmoniously together.  Pity that some of our brethren don't see it that 
way.  Having been at the game since 1950 (yes, I really am that old) I can 
still live with the present situation without moaning (except about the odd 
DLs ragchewing in the middle of 80MCC.....).

While on my soapbox there is just one thing I would like to see improved and 
that is to have a bit more unique data in the exchange.  At the moment one 
can miss a serial and correct it by listening to the next serial given out 
which doesn't seem quite right to me, although I confess to doing it now and 
then.  I think that RoPoCo is a good idea because it requires just that one 
more piece of info unique to that particular QSO and which can't be guessed 
by listening to the next one.  I don't have any particular ideas but leave 
the thought with those who organise our contests - to whom many thanks for 
the hours of unrewarded hard work from an occasional contester.

Ray G3HRH