[UK-CONTEST] How many people go contesting?

[G3SJJ]

An interesting discussion. As part of something else I am closely 
involved in I recently looked at 80m CCs, AFS, BERU, IOTA etc results 
and identified at least 50 regular UK operators who are not members of 
CW Clubs but who have good CW skills, capable of spending several hours 
at a time receiving and sending CW using a keyer, not just button 
pressing. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Add the casual entrant 
who joins in just for a bit of fun or to support his mates, then add the 
other modes as well.

I would have though it fairly easy to input the tabulations for all our 
domestic HF/VHF contests into Excel and extract a list of unique 
callsigns, as well as CQWW, WPX, ARRL etc.

A friend of mine occasionally refers to contesters in negative terms but 
when I question him there doesn't appear to be any tangible argument he 
can put forward as to his views other than maybe they have beams and 
amplifiers, but then I say many people who join in contests don't have 
those things, so he says they don't spend enough time in on-air 
discussions. Maybe he has a point but I don't think it is as bad as he 
and others try and make out.

It seems to me there is a negative perception of contesting and anything 
that can be done to reverse this must be good for the hobby. We need to 
try and create a positive ethos.

Phew, that's all a bit deep at this time of the morning and "avant du vin."

Chris G3SJJ



Nigel G3TXF wrote:
> It's similar for the G3Ts. There are 281 G3Ts in the 2008 CallBook. 
>
> Cards received at the G3T Sub-Buro indicate that about 76 (27%) of these are
> regularly active on the air to a greater or lesser degree.
>
> [The RSGB "member/non-member" bit is a red-herring. Non-members can still
> receive cards. There is no pre-sorting of incoming cards along these lines
> before cards get to the Sub-Buro.]
>
> 73 - Nigel G3TXF
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Peter Hobbs
> Sent: 01 July 2008 00:07
> To: G3RAU at aol.com; uk-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] How many people go contesting?
>
> Thanks Derek, very enlightening!  I'd hazard a guess that these guys,  many 
> in their early retirement years, are one of the more active subsets of 
> calls.  Assuming also that not all of those in the callbook are actually 
> RSGB members (and therefore eligible to use the bureau), the postulated 10% 
> of contesters (if correct) is starting to look nearer 50% of 
> active-on-the-air RSGB members.
> 73
> Peter G3LET
>
>   
>> Bob, The situation for G3Rxx stations, (who are all at least 61 years 
>> old),
>> is about 24% of those in the current callbook receive cards via the  sub 
>> buro.
>> Hope that helps,
>> 73
>> Derek G3RAU