[UK-CONTEST] Contesting + Support 2

[Roger Cooke]

Hi.

   Good to see the comments, and there are two I would like to enlarge upon.

1  Look at it from the "target" point of view.  

   Inded we have done locally, with - as I have mentioned - the training and Morse classes, not to mention the encouragement to take part in NFD, Special Events, and so on. To an extent, this is working, but only with a few. I have noticed that most of the new guys sit on two meters and talk to themselves, using it as a glorified CB freq. I do understand that some might be nervous, or do not like to show their lack of experience and knowledge, but with the present licensing system, there is no alternative.
   Well, there is really, but not many will take it!  When I was licenced, in 1956, I have already served my "apprenticeship", helping as an SWL with NFD, logging, general dogsbody, listening and learning and not saying much, unless it was to ask for advice. In those pre-licence years, it is amazing how much one learns, without realising it, and then having to make the gear to get on the air, the learning curve was even steeper! 
   Those days are gone, but they new guys should ask questions and try to get involved. Two meter FM won't produce much information, unlike listening on the HF bands for example. Throwing them into the deep end is an invitation to those that WILL berate a newcomer, and there ARE those that will do just that unfortunately. We recently held an "Ask the Panel" question time especially for those guys at the Club and we got nothing. Now this either means they know it all ( doubtful cos I don't yet! ) or it means that even there they won't try to get answers. 
   Listening to some of the Q's on two meters it is obvious that they NEED answers too.  I recently heard one say to another " I am going to buy a PROPER G5RV, because they cost £80 so they must be better than this one". 
It was a G5RV someone had made for him.  
  The only answer is to serve that two to three years BEFORE getting on the air! Of course some will make it through sheer doggedness and determination, and hey, good luck to them, prove those beraters wrong!

2  The brain washing over contests.

   Now I am not detracting from the excellent job that is being done in this respect, both from the teaching and the donation of personal time, but I am afraid it was true locally. Slides shown at the classes had captions that read " Contests breed bad operators"  and "Don't be a contest operator"   on them.  It was noticed by a fellow instructor and we did manage to nip that in the bud, but only after it had been going for some time. 
   Even now at our club there are a number of very verbose anti-contest people. However, the nucleus of  - dare I say it - G3's have managed to train enough now to have a Contest Group within the club!  It is an on-going promotion too, so hopefully it will infect some of the new guys that have been persuaded in other directions. 
   By the way, as an example, one M3 last year at this time joined my Morse class, continued training, and persevered. He is now an M0, can read 30 wpm and takes part in all the RSGB CC tests, all modes, and has worked 85 countries on HF. 

  So, how about this volunteering to do some GB2CW training then????
 

Have I gone deaf?     Hello.....  Hello Radio.......   CQ CQ CQ 


Regards from Roger, G3LDI
Swardeston, Norfolk.



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