[UK-CONTEST] 144AC contesting

[Steve Bunting]

Folks,

I will loose heavily from a move to pts per km, but even so I support a 
move to what I perceive to be more inclusive rules, whatever they may 
be. I certainly enjoy the contests that have more challenging exchanges 
such as post codes, but can we use existing contests as evidence that 
rule changes will increase UK activity? The May 144 MHz contest has no 
concurrent EU contest and does have UK postcode multipliers. I (and 
probably others in the south east) know there are many more post codes 
in range of any UK station than locator squares and am therefore 
encouraged to look North. Even so, I have always found activity north of 
IO82/92 to be disappointing in this contest and the entry list is still 
primarily from the south east. Being a mult in this contest doesn’t seem 
to enhance northern activity. My experience and the results from the 
70MHz contests, which have similar rules and no EU countries within 
tropo range, also suggest the same pattern. Therefore I can’t agree that 
introducing a PC mult will increase “indigenous” :-) northern activity, 
however much I would like the challenge of having a PC exchange.

I also can’t agree that the survey results should be ignored.  The CC 
has to represent the membership – we see loads of comments on here 
saying that the CC doesn’t listen! Designing surveys is very difficult, 
but based on professional experience (CV available on request - grin) my 
opinion is that the VHFCC version was good enough, especially 
considering the limitations that the volunteer committee works within. 
Implementing change based on survey results is also problematic. What 
some may see as a bold, visionary leadership would probably invoke the 
wrath of others who perceive that the views of the majority have been 
ignored. As usual, the committee is between a rock and hard place, but I 
feel the move to pts per km is a good half way house.

As an operator from suburban IO91 I would also like to dispel a few 
myths that seem to be building. For Joe (or Steve) average in IO91/JO01, 
working ON/PA/DL in the UKAC is not too common (none of these countries 
have a contest running and therefore lack big guns). I was delighted to 
work GPZ this month but didn’t work anyone outside the UK, despite 
looking and calling that way on several occasions. Several clubs have 
mobilised the membership to come on and make a few contacts for the 
cause and these also provide cannon fodder for DEZ/KPW et al who build a 
big score. In the current incarnation of the UKAC, rate still is king 
and I don't think that any rule change will alter the top 3 in each 
section significantly. Us cannon fodder do beam north as we need every 
contact we can get, but GM is simply too far for modest stations. I 
would argue that the best way to make a good score is to build local 
activity through your club and then the bigger stations will realise 
that there is more cannon fodder in your area and allocate increasing 
amounts of time to finding it. Hopefully a move to points per km will 
encourage more small and medium sized stations to come on from the North 
of England that will benefit us all - I miss IO93 on a regular basis!

73
Steve
M0BPQ