[UK-CONTEST] Short contest call changes

[Jonathan G0DVJ]

So far I have refrained from making an input to this thread on the basis that the first information we got about the changes OfCom want to make were so ridiculous that I just assumed sensible folk involved from the radio side of the fence would intervene and get things sorted.  However, being involved with a number of different clubs that hold the short contest calls, I want to make a fairly simple point ...

Aren't too many issues being mixed up here, when separate issues require different solutions ?  

I mean we had a system which previously allowed clubs only to apply for SCCs.  If there was an issue with some of these being issued but not used then that should rightly be addressed.   But not using is not the same as not attaining a certain score.

Then there was the recent addition of allowing individuals who are top contesters to also apply for SCCs.  This seemed the raise the rather different issue of whether there will be enough SCCs to go around.   So why not solve that one with sensible criteria for individuals to need to achieve a certain level of attainment in results while leaving the club conditions as they were (but addressing the case when calls were never used and should therefore go back into the pot)?


Mixing these two issues and applying the same criteria for top contesters to clubs under the current criteria will likely mean that all the clubs I am involved with will lose their SCCs.  This seems very unfair on the basis that the clubs do use the calls and make a good effort with the limited resources they have available.  Taking Harwich (HARIG) for example ... who have regularly used their call in CQWPX, CWWW, WAEDX and occasionally others, over the years having had M7U in 97, M8U in 98 and M4U since then (11 years) and not had a single year without several entries.   But a small club like this are never going to feature in the top places in these events.  To suggest that is laughable ... but they gain great value by using the SCC on the basis that newer contesters have a chance to get very busy runs to deal with in the major events along with many other benefits.  

And then there is the investment of time and money that has gone into support of the use of SCCs within clubs ... a tiny one like HARIG will have invested in QSL materials, software licences, etc in respect of M4U which would then be wasted.   And the idea of handing the failed SCCs to other groups or individuals within any short-medium space of time is just asking for chaos in terms of tracing which groups were using which callsigns at which times.  And the thought of trying to untangle/transfer/replace LoTW certificates and eQSL databases associated with SCCs after they are re-assigned is not extra work I look forward to.

Without going on further, there are many clubs, some much bigger than HARIG who will struggle to reach the criteria.   

Surely common-sense can prevail here ... and rules which address the separate issues agreed with OfCom ?  


Lastly, many thanks on behalf of a number of clubs to those individuals like Ed GW3SQX, Colin G3PSM and others who work tirelessly to try and negotiate better and sensible arrangements with OfCom on behalf of the rest of us, and for keeping us informed as far as possible about developments.  

73
Jonathan G0DVJ 
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