[UK-CONTEST] ARRL DX CW G6PZ (GI0RTN) SOAB HP

[Tammie Evans]

Just been reading the messages on this in my Inbox this morning. Oh. My. God.

Seriously?

I "compete" because I love contesting.  I really don't care if I come last, which, usually I do.  So what?  I enjoy chasing the DX and non-DX, contacting countries around the world from my "suburban location".

I'm sorry if my station isn't as grand as yours.  Even if it was, I wouldn't boast about it.  I'm quite happy with my long wire and FT-950 thank you very much.

I personally am not trying to "squash people" and then "boast about it afterwards".

I have never been to my "local pub" so I have no idea what goes on there.  I have no reason to, I do not drink and am quite happy to spend my evenings on the radio, reading or some other hobby.  Even if I did, I wouldn't feel the need to boast about radio to people who probably have no idea what it is.  Even when I was at my local club I hardly mentioned contesting as 90% of them had no idea what a contest was or what you do for one.  My efforts to encourage it fell on deaf ears.

Gordon, you should be encouraging the newcomers not making silly posts like below.  I've only been in the hobby since 2003, took 2 years before I had enough confidence to actually talk on the air and have loved it since.

Good luck to the contest stations, I have much respect for them.  I look up to them and hope one day to be privileged enough to operate from one!  Until then, I'll use my 10 watts (with the hope of Intermediate and Full in years to come), my long wire and my FT-950 and be happy to work any corner of the globe.

Tammie
M3ENF

(Sorry, I'm having a very bad few weeks and posts like below peeve me off sometimes)



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Why on earth does any private individual operating from a suburban  location  enter contests and compete against SO entries from commercially supported  club  stations??

I do it because I have made my station as efficient and effective as I canand every QSO is hard fought for and gives me great satisfaction.?

Why does he do it?? Just so he can squash people like me and boast aboutit afterwards.

I discover that a SOAB entry gets ten times more QSO'S than me on 40M whenI am SOSB 40M.? A three element beam on 40M does help a little.

The point is that newcomers to the world of contesting realize the oddsare stacked against them and decide to try lawn bowls instead.

I say to the newcomer you will get more pleasure and satisfaction fromyourmodest setup than the guy with an ACOM2000 running god knows what power toathree element beam than he ever will and you will improve your operatingskills far more than he will.

At the end of the day he will get a piece of paper to say he beat you andbeable to boast about it in the club but you will get satisfaction in theknowledge that you are the better operator.? He goes down to his local and says I won the ARRL DX Contest and watch his locals yawn.? You will go down toyourlocal pub and say nothing because you are modest but have a smile on yourface saying I am well satisfied.

You can also take umbrage and decide not to buy any gear from the sponsorsof his station.? By buying your gear from his sponsors you are helping him.

A club station should be a club station even if operated by an individual!
73 Gordon.