[UK-CONTEST] Contesting + support

[m0blf at domsmith.co.uk]

Hi all,

Interesting thread, and as Don has mentioned WWYC, I thought now 
would be a good opportunity to add my 2p, as one of the younger 
generation...

Although I don't have any statistics to back this up, I think 
contesting is a growth area among young amateurs, who are 
attracted by the competitive nature of the events and the fact 
that it is less time-consuming than other branches of the hobby. 
(One can choose to give up a handful of weekends a year, and make 
many hundreds or thousands of QSOs in that time, rather than 
spending whole evenings on ragchewing or trying to break a DX 
pile-up).  The efficient operating style involved is also 
something where 'self-training' is still key in these days of 
black box radios, and which can also be a useful skill in the 
wider world (everything from accurate message handling to the 
ability to type one thing while listening to another!).

I think, however, that this thread has raised a couple of issues 
which it is worth dwelling on:

Firstly, that the current licensing system (which I generally see 
as positive) probably requires us to be mentors as much as 
instructors. I know that in the courses I have been involved in 
running, we have in the past been content to get the candidates 
their licences and then leave them to it. I have recently become 
more concerned that we need to be following the tuition up and 
developing a system more akin to the US 'elmers'.  Through this, 
we can start looking at encouraging newly-licensed M6s and 2Es 
into contesting.

Linked to this, we need to be able to provide the opportunities 
for new licensees in general, and youngsters in particular, to 
start contesting. G6PZ deserves a mention for the excellent work 
he has done in opening up his shack to many young contesters in 
the UK (am I the only one who hasn't operated from there at some 
point?!)  I have also said on this list before that at G6UW/M4A, 
we take the view that our score even in the biggest contests (CQ 
WW etc.) is often a secondary concern to getting newly-licensed 
students into the shack for the contest.  This is partly why the 
UBN I received today reveals a large penalty for violations of 
the M/S band-change rule!

In summary, I am sure that the enthusiasm is there. Yes, a 
thorough 'how-to' article in RadCom could certainly help (My 
first ever contest was the 1999 REF Union contest, which I was 
inspired to do following an article in the now-defunct DIY Radio 
magazine, the RSGB's magazine specifically designed for the 
Novice licence. I needed that encouragement because when I started 
the hobby, I too was influenced by local anti-contest opinions 
which others have mentioned.) Beyond that, however, we need 
contest stations to actively encourage new blood and regularly 
advertise for new operators. In the last month alone, two young 
amateurs have asked me if I knew of a place where they could 
contest from, and I was sorry not to be able to give them 
appropriate pointers.   

Sorry for the long message, 73,

Dominic M0BLF