[UK-CONTEST] VHF Contesting Activity

[Ray James]

--- On Tue, 9/12/08, David, G3YYD <g3yyd at btinternet.com> wrote:

> I have been reading the bleats about lack of VHF contest
> activity under 
> the subject heading ARS 144MHz. Let us be honest, tinkering
> with small 
> rules changes is not going to do much. 

On the contrary Dave, giving every Affiliated Society member participating a status of multiplier value and encouraging activity from ALL 13 RSGB regional zones with a top place or places a certificate of achievement is certainly not tinkering with a small rule change...it's a vast change.

The discussion is about far more than the AFS contest alone but about our UK VHF and above contests in general, the decline in UK participation, decline in actual UK entries in contests and discussing suggestions of ways to turn all these declines around. Aligned with this but pertinently attached is the decline in general weak signal operation (SSB/CW) in the UK that has been taking place for too many years without obvious positive signs to correct the demise. 

Contests have an important part to play in any plan to stem the decline and start a gradual improvement, perhaps even to levels we experienced 20 or 30 years ago.

There are now more than 51,000 license holders in the UK. In the past there was never as many and despite not all licensees being active, the activity and interest levels were far greater than today. The bands are still the same, equipment has improved, the same propagation anomalies occur like tropo, aurora and E's. K1JT's software has revolutionised meteor scatter and moonbounce operation enabling even low powered stations with small antennas to work incredible distances so the challenges to work contests and DX on VHF and above remain very strong.
What's missing is UK participation and it can be turned around.

I would suggest that active VHF+ contesters and DX'ers are certainly best placed to provide idea's. 
Saying that, it would be a pleasure one day to see renowned operator's like Roger, Nigel, Steve, Don, Rob, Chris, Stewart, Keith etc from the HF contest fraternity pop into the debate and say that some idea sounds positive for the hobby.      

Rather than "bleating", I thought the input by those who experienced AFS welcome confirmation all is not well on a national platform.

How do we stem the decline and re-vitalise UK VHF+ contesting?

Well for starters I think we need to be selfish and put Heinz, Joop, Marcel and Sven aside for a bit. The problem is UK activity and not EU.
There are plenty pan-European events....the VHF equivalents of CQWW, IOTA and ARRL that experienced operators and newcomers can participate in. The area where a real start can be made is on more localised events like UKAC and AFS. Here we can afford to be selfish and look at the self-interest of UK radio amateurs and clubs. My suggestions on the multipliers should be well known....by now! Nothing earth shattering but a start.

>HF is more challenging with much higher levels of skill required 

I've got a mental picture of Pete G4CLA choking on his croissant now! 


73 Ray GM4CXM GS WoSARS