[UK-CONTEST] Contesting + support

[Dave H]

Hi
How about looking at this from the point of view of the target audience?
(I'm imagining this, I maybe wrong..)

Your freshly licenced - you are scared to talk on air - in case someone
engages you in technical talk or you make yourself look a fool (BTDTGTS!
#1). Your not sure of the controls of a radio (it was a lot of info to take
in in training now your away - your lost) or whether your antenna is perfect
because the people who trained you scared the bejasus out of you over
that.  So you listen locally - hear some anti-M3/M6/G7/G0, etc. sentiment,
then gradually you realise that Echolink is safe and cuddly and why not, you
can chat and not risk some 'god' come along and berate your knowledge.
We lost another RF source...

So how about thinking simple - (trying to force them on air is going to
drive them away) how about taking part in computer based contests like RTTY
PSK31 and so on digimodes, there's plenty of them through the year. (see
SM3CER's site).

It's simple steps - help get their setup working and read the rules. Once a
first few QSOs have past  they're seasoned. Nobody is going to shout at them
- they may get a taste for it, and come next contest they might 'fly solo'.
Operating becomes something they do - and that is the 'key' thing. (it
doesn't matter what operating they do - as long as its ham radio and RF #2).

Suggest they try an SSB contest.. speaking, still its repetiive/no chat, but
keying that mike becomes normal. Hopefully they'll have become braver -
perhaps joining in a post-contest QSO or call them to ask how they got on.
The same for CW, although contest speed can / is scary - if they've got the
contest 'hook' then perhaps that will make them want to get that skill. (#3)

Get them on eQSL - see some results back in the form of eQSLs - get them to
enter their logs into the contest - point out that they can send in as
check-logs if they're really unsure. A minor success with their call in the
bottom half of the results (this time). This helps build up a from weak
start - a year down the line, they might be enthusing crazily to others
about the cats-whine psk drone contest working!

Then perhaps get them to come along and do logging at club contest time -
when it's quiet get them to do a few qsos. I was an SWL in the 70's and
helping at the NFD writing(!) the club logs and checking was great training
for contests/operating eventually. But please, no pressure and no scary
tactics.

I think bringing people into 'operating' will get them to realise there is a
lot more to the hobby than the training  - Contests provide great incentive
to experiment and learn.

Dave
G0CER

#1 BTDTGTTS - 'Been There Done That Got The Tee Shirt'
#2 I've nothing against none-RF modes (echolink, etc)  but after a
frightening experience on RF they could become 'comfort blankets' and
operators never bother to return to RF.
#3 Providing the best quality 'bait' to get people to want to operate is the
only way.


-- 
Dave
G0CER
http://www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?G0CER