[UK-CONTEST] Guest Operating

[Dave Lawley]

Chris, I really don't think Gerry's comments were aimed at you but at 
G3MZV. But let's move on. Uk-contest is supposed to be here to give 
advice and encouragement, and I was very saddened to read G3MZV's attack 
on the G6PZ station.

I suppose it may be because "the Englishman's home is his castle" that 
in the UK we seem to see very little in the way of guest operating. It 
is common in the States and, I suspect, elsewhere. There are many 
aspiring, keen contesters who as we have seen would like to compete at a 
higher level. We must find a way of matching them with better stations. 
Either a contester who doesn't plan to use his station in a particular 
contest, or perhaps a non-contesting club member who has a station that 
we could ask to borrow.

Both Mark and Gerry have done precisely that. But they have both built 
their skills over the years by operating from home, and that's how 
almost all of us did it. I don't know of any successful contester who 
had it all handed on a plate, they all had to graft for it.

The RSGB 80m CC events have been used by some clubs to give less 
experienced contesters a chance to operate from a better station, with 
tuition from a more experienced competitor. I think it's up to all of us 
to see how we can extend this to the bigger events so that the undoubted 
success of the CC (and UKAC events on VHF) can be built upon, and we see 
an increased representation of UK stations in all levels of the results 
listings.

73, Dave G4BUO