[UK-CONTEST] Domineering VHF Contest Stations

[Jonathan G0DVJ]

Hi all,
Yes an interesting thread ...

I think there are two different parts to the how/why low UK VHF+  
contest activity ...

1) Sure there are a few unmotivated but capable and potentially  
'already sold on contesting' types who feel the rules/sections/ 
geography gives them such a problem that it's not worth participating/ 
entering ...

and then

2) there are the masses, many fairly new operators, on the bands who  
could but don't take part...

The two groups would both swell numbers to VHF+ contesting but the  
motivation and needs of each are very different IMHO.  And the higher  
potential numbers in future come from the second group.

Group (1) already have the kit and some skills and just need to feel  
they have an incentive.   You can tinker with rules but as Andy and  
others have said, location is so significant.  I'm not in favour of  
the slim jim categories approach ... it won't help group 1 and as I  
say below neither group 2 really!

Group (2) are typically more complex.   Many of the long-time amateurs  
have found their niche in the hobby by now and it doesn't include VHF  
contesting or contesting at all probably (given some of the anti- 
contest abuse I have heard/suffered on HF recently). So not much  
potential there.  Having seen what happens if one tries the education/ 
publicity approach to these folk at local clubs etc, we find that a  
few of the locals will come on to give the other locals a few points,  
work them and then go back to chatting life away about the price of  
bread on FM.  This doesn't help activity and certainly not entries.   
They aren't interested except to feel they are helping the locals.

The newer licensees suffer a different issue.  Many (not all) of these  
are not sure why radio interests them let alone finding a niche.  This  
was not the case when the exam entry to the hobby was more technical.   
A very large percentage of newcomers that I see passing thru  
foundation courses now still see radio as a way of talking to people  
and a social thing, not a technical or competitive exercise.  This  
doesn't fit well with contesting.  Then there are the licence  
conditions now which give no incentive for a newcomer to explore the  
finer points of VHF and above. Jiri in the last post said when he  
began he had a 5w SSB rig!   Back in 82, I had a 2m only 10w  
multimode.   Nowadays, the newcomer is likely to have, in this order ...
- an FM only handheld
- an FM 50w mobile (maybe with D-star God forbid)
- a compromise HF/V/UHF do-it-all mobile (a la FT817/857 etc)
This is an issue with today's rig availability/technology and economics.

Even those with the last type of rig are not likely to explore VHF dx/ 
contesting.  The lure of HF is there for them immediately.  If you  
come into the hobby with a simplistic idea of talking to people far  
away, why would you spend time trying to find activity on VHF/UHF and  
then when you do its either local folk chatting on FM or strange  
numbers and codes being exchanged between those that know?  What is  
easier ... sticking up a bit of wire like a G5RV and/or a plastic co- 
linear, or choosing from a range of complex and larger metal beams  
which then require one of those funny rotator things ... ? I'm just  
seeing it from the newbie's point of view.
And the likelihood of hearing many newcomers on CW (also mentioned by  
Jiri) is quite small as we go into the future.

The only way to explain contests to these newcomers is to show  
them ... and the initial reaction is often one of puzzlement rather  
than enthusiasm.  It doesn't come across as the sociable chat hobby  
that many envisaged.  For sure, some do see the point and become  
active in contests, but not that many, and I notice that it is very  
different now compared to a decade or more ago when I saw new people  
coming into the hobby.  I have invested plenty of time showing new  
people around different contest groups in this area, but if when they  
go home to their shack they can't copy and do more of the same then  
most get involved with something else which they can do easily ... HF,  
2M FM, Echolink or whatever.

Sorry to sound pessimistic, (actually IMHO it's just realistic) but  
the numbers are just not there like they used to be, and there are  
reasons much deeper than any contest rule changes will correct.  It  
reflects on our licensing system, technology advances, and the way we  
promote the hobby.

73
Jonathan G0DVJ
--




On 8 May 2009, at 10:57, Jiri Culak wrote:

> Hi all
>
>
> All interesting reading.
> Mixed feelings but. Ray is right that UK VHF activity is dreadfull  
> at best.
>
> I think the problem is elsewhere. When I started contesting on VHF I  
> had
> nothing apart from 5W SSB Radio, 2m 4el OK1KRC design yagi.
>
> So the question is, what is wrong with overall UK VHF Activity?
> If the contest is being run only to be won, then it's down to  
> mentality.
>
> Is it down to UKAC rules ? Will change of scoring increase?
> It can probably create more chances and change UKAC perspective.  
> Certainly
> if something doesn't satisfy many and there is no enjoyment then  
> change
> could be way forward. (UKAC)
>
> When I was attending local radio club night's there were quite a few  
> new
> M3's and 2E's around. Initially they were interested, but after a  
> month or
> so they came with idea...why to bother with VHF when it's so much  
> pain when
> we can go on 80m or 20m and work world from home regardless location  
> etc.
> I think one word coming to my mind is laziness. (hope spelling is ok)
>