[UK-CONTEST] What is contest competiton for?

[Tony Roskilly]

Hi All,
have been sitting here reading the last few days of submissions.

I want to ask a simple question:

1) What is that basis for competition in contests in the UK?   

(please note I say in the UK because I hope that RSGB and the amateur community in these islands can and should demonstrate a high standard to the rest of the world).

a) Is it meant to encourage operators to improve their skill levels and demonstrate this by the excellent ops getting top billings in the results tables thereby allowing a pool of real talent to show itself for both national and international contests.

b) Is it a chance for the "mines' bigger than yours" brigade to show off how much much more potent their signal is?

These two categories are not necessarily mutually exclusive however,  the b) group seem to be becoming more and more to the fore in this country.   

I fully concur with the proposition that contesting is a real incentive for operators to hone their skills on the air and to make their stations as effective as possible,  many lessons have been learned in the technical field over the years because of folks wanting to squeeze the last drop of RF performance on TX and RX out from what is allowed.    Once the "gloves come off" and anything goes, the two main reasons for contesting go out of the window (sorry for the mixed metaphores there).     

Buying huge towers and using commerically made beams, rigs linear amps etc is one easy route to contest success, but where really is the increase in genuine technical knowledge here?   I know and respect one leading UK contester who is well able to make up his own gear and sort out most tech problems while still sticking by the rules in RSGB contests however, I think operators like him are becoming the exception.    

As regards honing skills,  what skill is there really in "winning" an RSGB contest just because you have aerials and power way beyond those of the average chap?   It is sickening for many "normal" stations to realise that no matter how hard they try and improve their stations and hone their operating skills they will be left in the exhaust fumes of the 4 X 4 driving brigade every time they hit the contest road.   Being "cannon fodder" for the big stations is not encouraging, life ain't fair, but UK contesting should offer as even a playing field as possible so that folks can see their scores rising with their skill levels with some hope of winning, not just being sidelined.

Perhaps, just perhaps, the economic black hole caused by the Me Me Me brigade might reflect on the attitudes in Amateur Radio, its all the same basic ethos,  I want and to hell with you.

Having had 20 kW TXs and rhombic farms at my disposal in my commerical radio days means I know just how easy it is to work around the world with high power and big antennas and had I been able to use these on the Amateur bands I would have taken no pleasure in having "beaten" others because the victory would have been totally hollow.     Let the Eastern Europeans etc boast of "winning" with 10 - 20 kW etc etc, hopefully we can retain some degree of civilisation and regard for the common good in the UK.

73
 Tony G3ZRJ