[UK-CONTEST] Contesting + support

[Roger Cooke]

Hi.

  We have a large club membership in Norwich, over 120. Trying to get 
members to take part in contests is worse than banging your head against
a wall! Unfortunately it does not help when new licencees have been brain
washed by their trainers, who are anti-contest. SO, it's an up-hill 
struggle. I have been pushing CW for years and have converted quite a 
number, ecncouraging them to attend NFD, training evenings with N1MM and
general operating techniques and so on. 
  Two or three years ago, we had a regular 2 people send logs in for the
RSGB CC contest, myself and G3PDH. Now, we have about 8 to 10 logs and are
pushing more into training on CW, with the GB2CW broadcasts, two courses,
one for raw beginners and another taking them up to 25-30 wpm. 
   However, even SSB logs amount to about 10, and out of 120, not a tremendous result!  ( Mind you, I'm not keen on SSB contests either! )
  Most died-in-the-wool contesters have years of experience and we need to pass that on to the newbies, if they want to learn. But, so much adverse
publicity regarding bad operating, poor signal quality and 48 hour band occupancy - plus disregard for band plans have all taken their toll.
  Not only that, but most newbies come into the hobby and live in a typical modern plot, or postage stamp garden and cannot compete. So, they become disillusioned with trying. The only way they can gain experience is by joining a contest group, or operating from an already established amateur who has moved into a garden capable of housing a good antenna array.

   Now, we must have lots of good CW ops in this group, so how about joining the GB2CW schedule and offering your services for an hour or so per week to train the newbies? Come on, be an Elmer, I bet one helped you!!

Regards from Roger, G3LDI
Swardeston, Norfolk.



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