[UK-CONTEST] Increasing VHF contest participation by newbies

[Ray James]

Hi all,
Thanks to those who felt this important subject worthy of debate and constructive suggestion.

I think the Austrian's have got the right idea myself with a power level of 100w on 144MHz for their beginners. Far from being a "disaster in the waiting", it represents a low enough level of power that would be adequate to produce satisfactory contest results and thereafter provide the potential for greater non-contest activity so a win, win situation.
100w on 144MHz is a fair power level for consistent tropo contacts, reasonable aurora and meteor scatter contacts and working some of the big guns via EME. It represents the first rung on a long ladder of learning and capture of a lasting interest within our hobby.   

Whether we took the written exam, the tick box exam or the latest exam structure, all of us have learnt substantially more by being active and participating in our hobby. The same opportunity and encouragement should be equally accessible to those who are newbies who'll be the old hands when the majority of us are kicking up the daisies.
 
Adrian's suggestion regarding encouragement by attractive contest rules certainly is true. Other than some certificate's for "first time entrants", little to encourage newbies since the licence structure change has been evident. With the current UK power level limitations of 10w, 50w, 400w, it is certainly not a level playing field by any stretch of the imagination. 

73 Ray GM4CXM
IO75TW GS