[UK-CONTEST] Contest idea "Last 2"

[Ray James]

--- On Wed, 9/12/09, Paul_group <paul_group at greenrover.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> *IF* the CC wish to promote inter G contest participation
> and as a spin off this increased general VHF activity some kind of
> contest award system might be of benefit.

I think your highlighted *IF* says it all Paul.
CC have stubbornly refused to show any gumption to put UK interests first.
We can't upset our EU neighbours or those in the (mainly) more populated south east of the UK by amending rules that give them slightly less advantage rather than inspiring greater participation in the rest of the UK. With the execption of the Low Power contests, which have a Postal Code multiplier, the rest of the calander is a recipe for generating no great UK wide participation or interest. Boringly predictable.   
The 2m UKAC has turned into a flurry of activity between short and medium distance stations across JO01, JO02, JO03, IO91, IO92, IO81, IO82 area of the UK, with diminishing returns further out.
RSGB VHF+ contests, including UKAC's are not capturing the imagination or interest of greater numbers elsewhere in the UK with rules/multipliers that put the majority of UK radio amateurs at a disadvantage.  


> RSGB VHF awards are fine but for someone new on the bands
> or to the hobby, the old paper QSL confirmation is probably a bit of
> a turn off.
> 
> I'm not going to trivialise the admin effort needed here
> but as the adjudication process (hopefully) verifies that QSO's have
> taken place maybe an emailed certificate confirming 25/50/100 initial
> qso's + 5  DXCC's would give people something to aim for and promote
> advancement of the station.

I would suggest that current awards in place could be used and updated. The Squares/Countries Award is in place to inspire greater DX interest whilst the Senior/Standard Award is UK based including Countries and Postal Disricts, or counties prior to 2002.
But for the UKAC's this would entail including the postal code or county as a multiplier..... but asking for that is like asking "How do you want your cyanide Peter, tablet or liquid?"

73 Ray GM4CXM