[UK-CONTEST] RSGB 21 / 28MHz Contest 2010

[Don Field]

Brian, of course, is well placed to work UK stations on 15 and 20. But let
me add an alternative view. I’m putting my head over the parapet as I
started this discussion when I was Contest Committee Chairman. I’m no longer
in that role, so this is very much a personal view nowadays.



In the posts I have seen on here so far, there seems little understanding of
why the 21/28 should be dropped which is NOT to do with lack of sunspots
but, rather, lack of UK stations to be worked over an extended period - even
with, say, 100 UK stations on, that's not many UK QSOs per hour. I have
worked this event from ZS6 (indeed, from probably one of the best stations
in the southern hemisphere) and it was dire - after working the 20 loud Gs,
everyone else (with their half-size G5RV's in the loft) was a struggle (and
that was when we had propagation). We really do need to see this from the DX
perspective, if we are to justify using two of the main HF bands (which they
will be when propagation returns) for several hours of a weekend in the main
autumn DX season. Yes, a 5B4 may do better because he will actually hear
those weak Gs, but for most potential DX entrants it is an exercise in
futility.



Just to go back, there was a time when I thought not just this event but the
Commonwealth Contest had run their course. But having operated the
Commonwealth Contest from overseas, it’s actually quite a lively event.
Plenty of UK participation, multiplied up by being able to work people on
several bands (and not just UK, but VK/ZL and VE too). But, as I said above,
the same is far from true for the 21/28. Gone are the days when lots of US
stations would come on and work the UK, and gone are the days when they
would have found plenty of UK stations to work.



Talking to various active contesters in recent years, there seems to be a
theme, which is that smaller events (yes, even the excellent SAC events) are
losing participation and contesters are reserving their domestic “brownie
points” for the biggies. Yes, GM3POI (sorry to use you as an example Clive!)
and his ilk will be on for a contest almost every weekend, but most are not
in that enviable position. So CQWW, ARRL and, dare I say it, IOTA, have
steadily increasing participation but, it seems, at the expense of smaller
contests. I see no point in trying to reverse this flow – let’s go with it
and maybe, for example, promote UK standings within CQWW. But gone are the
days when every country needs its “Utopia works the World” event, just as
not every country can justify its own national airline any more.Even worse,
to open these events up to "everyone works everyone" - that really would
fuel the ire of the anti-contest brigade (and, indeed, make every contest
pretty much the same, which would be boring).



Don G3XTT


On 5 October 2010 13:11, brian coyne <g4odv at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> The majority of views expressed in this thread are for this contest to be
> retained.
> Ed (GW3SQX) wrote here a couple of months ago that the HFCC are always
> prepared to listen to the membership. In practise that doesn't seem to have
> been the case with this contest as there was active discussion this time
> last year following the 2009 event because we have been informed that  this
> years event was to be the last.
>
> Now that several big guns have entered the debate expressing their dissent
> ion Ed tells us that the future of the event is to be discussed once more
> and this is an action to be welcomed.In past years we have been subject to
> committee decisions where there is no consultation with membership so bang
> went the 7mhz contact into oblivion to the condemnation of much of the
> membership.
>
> May I point to the admirable leadership by Randy, K5ZD, whose proactive
> approach to managing the WPX contests, he seeks the views from participants
> on every aspect of rules,scoring etc. Ok his job is full time and I know
> that committee members are volunteers with limited time but that should not
> preclude every effort being made to ascertain ways of saving the fixture
> rather than aborting it. Perhaps a strong, interested longstanding
> participant could be co-opted to do a detailed study and examine new
> options. An example to follow here would be Bob G3PJT who resurrected BERU
> when it was on a downward spiral
>
> Reasons for retaining the contest have been detailed here by others but it
> has to be admitted that the problem will be difficult to solve should it
> remain in it's present format,
>
>  a) low sunspot years,
>
>  b) poor support from the host country,
>
> c) limited interest from overseas contesters.
>
> My comments, for what they are worth.
>
> Re - a) Not a lot we can do about low or absent sunspot propagation,
> exacerbated by being a  high band event but the combining of the two modes
> must have increased activity somewhat if only by lifting the boredom
> threshold extending the periods guys spend on air.
>
> Re - b) We have seen reports of low numbers of logs submitted, have we seen
> numbers of UK stns appearing in overseas logs? That would be a better test?
> Discover the reasons for the low levels of support and address them. The
> success of the 80mtr clubs contest ough't to be a guide here so add a new
> category for the uk clubs. Peer pressure is a great motivator and I feel
> many clubs would enjoy the kudos of entering and winning a worldwide HF
> event.
>
> Re - c) This problem of course is a product of  b), improve uk numbers and
> there will be more overseas response. Throwing it open for non uk stns to
> work each other and altering the scoring may be an option but needs detailed
> study on likely effects. After all on these bands there is a continental
> shift of propagation throughout the event for  each area, apart from Eastern
> and central eu, so it rather defeats the object of the contest if  75% or
> more of the time there is no prospect of a uk contact. What would improve
> activity would be to award a winners certificate to the leading stn in each
> dxcc country or US state in addition to continental winners to 3 places. In
> these days of downloadable certificates that would be absolute minimum in
> terms of time, effort or cost. Awareness is vital, RSGB have a huge database
> of past participants, think of IOTA, attracting just 10% of those numbers,
> and they are active contesters not casuals, would give a
>  great leap to the support. Do not just send a mail a couple of days before
> the contest but a couple of weeks prior followed up by a reminder a couple
> of days previous to the event.
>
> Let us do our best to prolong this event rather than debating upon the
> inquest.
>
> 73  Brian 5B4AIZ.
>
>
>
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