[UK-CONTEST] FW: Comments to RSGB HFCC / Decline in 2m contest activity

[Adrian Rees]

Forward of email I sent to Don.

________________________________

From: Adrian Rees
Sent: Thu 11/09/2008 09:48
To: don.field at gmail.com
Subject: Comments to RSGB HFCC / Decline in 2m contest activity 


Hi Don
I read your email regarding "single-op pure" and "single-op, anything goes" last night and thought about it on the way in to the office this morning. Unfortunately I won't be at the HF Convention this year, because of other commitments. With this in mind, I thought I would throw in my views on the matter to the HFCC via email.
 
I think a little background information maybe useful at this point.
 
I work full time, and have an active, if not busy, family life, with a teenage daughter and a three year old toddler. I am busy most weekends either with the family, renovating the house (serious DIY) or looking after my elderly mother. 
 
My interest in Radio, goes back to my childhood, and I first joined the RSGB in 1979, when I was 14. (At the time you could only the join the RSGB once the age of 14 had been reached, and with references etc.. remember those days ?).I was an active member of Liverpool & D ARS, and took part in a number of contest with them (SSB FD, Low Power FD, VHF FD as well as with Al G4CVZ during many contests in the 1980's).
As a result of all this Radio and Telecoms activity, I joined the Army (R.Signals...no surprise) and ended up in the FCO. Since then I have worked in the IT industry as an Architect and am currently Lead Architect for closure & relocation of 2 data centres. A project that will last seven years. 
 
It was only relatively recently that I obtained an amateur radio licence, not through lack of interest or ability to pass the C&G, but more a case of time and availability. Its only  recent years that I have had the time, and the availability to follow my hobby interests. Even so, I am still very busy, and getting on the air is not an easy thing. I have to plan my time carefully, and almost "concentrate" operating effort into a contest. 
 
I thoroughly enjoy the field day style of operating, as it makes for an interesting challenge, not just another contest. Whilst I understand that the Field day contests (NFD, SSB and VHF) are supposed to be a team event, (after all getting that much kit up and running requires a team...or does it ?) I enjoy the challenge of building a competitive station, operating and tearing it down, field day style. For this reason I have entered SSB Field day as a one man event for the last three years.
 
What I would like to see is some contests, SSB FD, VHF FD and NFD, made "more accessible" to those, like myself, who want to operate and enter the contest competitively, but are not in a team. I know a simple glib answer would be "join a team" but that isn't the only answer, nor would it be appropriate.
 
What do I mean by "more accessible" well if you take the DARC categories for SSB Field Day, for example, you  see that they have various sections, ranging from a QRP un assisted section, with max of 18 hours operation, and totally unassisted to a fully blown, high power all bells and whistles category. Going to the extent of different categories that DARC has, would be a waste of time in the UK, as we don't have the level of activity that DARC seem to have. 
 
What would be good in the UK, is a "single-op pure" category", with no assistance from a packet connection, none of this "big knob little knob" technique (which by itself means a significant spend on hardware and time to learn), in short a category that is back on track with the original concept of an amateur radio contest. 
So an additional "single op, un assisted, 18 hour max" category, I think, would be a welcome addition. With "Un assisted" meaning just that. No Cluster, No Skimmer, No second RX.
 
The point is, in my opinion, contesting has changed over the years, and the rules and format of contests need to be considered in a light of today's contester. There is a place for the team entry, likewise a place for the single op un assisted 12 or 18 hour entry, that would encourage single or small team (two man) entries into the bigger contests. A step up from the backpackers, yet not that big that it requires a crew of lumberjacks to get the mast up!
 
Regards
 
Adrian Rees MW1LCR