[UK-CONTEST] Guest Operating

Thu Feb 24 06:50:21 PST 2011

I've also encountered the same reluctance - I thought it was just me!

Some useful thoughts there on how to encourage potential contesters.  
Personally I find it difficult to put myself in the potential 
contester's place and see it from their point of view.  If I am honest I 
have to say I always end up not really understanding what they actually 
want or expect.

On 24/02/2011 11:24, Robert Chipperfield wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> A couple of suggestions for what I think might've helped us recruit new
> volunteers - and I say that as a group (Camb-Hams / G3PYE/P) who didn't
> do any contesting more than a year or so ago. This wasn't so much
> planned as just kind of happened, so I'm to some extent drawing
> conclusions in hindsight.
>
> Firstly: get together at the pub! Chat about radio. Drink beer. Be
> enthusiastic. Talk about the contests you're going to take part in on
> the local repeaters on your way to work. Yes, you are allowed on the
> local repeaters. They don't bite, just like you need to let others know
> that contesters don't (generally!) bite :-).
>
> Secondly: contest logging software nowadays is amazingly powerful, and
> lets us do some awesome things, and puts a wealth of information at our
> fingertips. To someone who has never used it before, it's going to be
> intimidating, though. Offer to sit with them, and you do the logging
> while they operate. That also gives a side-benefit that they don't need
> to panic if they don't copy the callsign first time, because you've got
> it! Along similar lines, invest in some headphone splitters and external
> speakers, so that as well as the operator who's almost certainly wearing
> headphones, others watching can hear what's happening as well.
>
> Thirdly: encourage people to come on and see if they can make the really
> easy QSOs to those local to them. This particularly applies to VHF
> contests. This statement is probably making some of you think "ooh...
> cheerleading...", and that's actually how you want to sell it to your
> local amateurs. They feel good about helping out their mates at the
> club. BUT (and this is why I say it's a good thing): more often than
> not, they then carry on and work some more! And next contest, they work
> some more again, and soon they're enjoying themselves! We've had several
> people fall into this category. In SSB AFS, one guy who thought he'd
> just work a couple of us ended up making 50 Q's. They're then going to
> be much happier joining you at a "real" (to their mind) contest station
> in future.
>
> Fourthly: portable operations. As well as being a great way to build
> that super station you thought was beyond what you'd ever manage at home
> (my back garden wouldn't fit a 3-ele on 15m, let alone 40m), I think
> it's more comfortable for people to come along and join you in a field
> rather than feel like they're imposing on you at home (however much you
> try and convince them they're welcome). It's also a great way to get
> those involved who don't (yet) much like contest operating, but who are
> more than happy to put their technical skills to work helping build the
> station.
>
> Just some thoughts...
>
> 73,
> Rob, M0VFC
>
> On 24/02/2011 11:07, John Lemay wrote:
>> We have difficulty too in getting new blood to join us /P for VHF contests.
>>
>> I expect that there is a cautious attitude to:-
>>
>> Using unfamiliar equipment, using unfamiliar software, operating alongside
>> experienced ops and being seen as incompetent or inadequate.
>>
>> But I also think there is some apathy and a feeling that contesting is just
>> "hard work". Well, getting top results in any walk of life requires effort
>> and dedication - what's new ?
>>
>> CU
>>
>> John G4ZTR (G0VHF/P)
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
>> [mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Andy P Hewitt
>> Sent: 24 February 2011 10:42
>> To: 'David G3YYD'; UK-Contest at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Guest Operating
>>
>> David,
>>
>> Are all clubs the same? I can only say SNAP!
>>
>> I have also been offering access to my station to other members of my club.
>> I had all of two takers in a couple of years. Last year I became more
>> explicit, they could operate using their own call signs, the club call or
>> mine - so long as their class of licence permits it. Result zero.
>>
>> What can you do?
>> Horses and troughs come to mind.
>> 73
>> Andy G3SVD
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
>> [mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of David G3YYD
>> Sent: 24 February 2011 10:13
>> To: UK-Contest at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Guest Operating
>>
>> Returning to the original subject as per subject line.
>>
>> I often invite local club members to operate my station.  Not
>> necessarily for a specific contest even casual DXing. I have had 1 taker
>> in the last two years.  I would like others in the local club to
>> understand what a reasonable station well operated can achieve. My hope
>> being that this would increase their aspirations for their own station
>> and improve in the long term the local contester ability and capability.
>>
>> I suspect but do not know that there is a degree of fear of being unable
>> to cope with my kit or being seen to be an inadequate operator. Ideas on
>> how to over come this obvious reluctance would be most welcome.
>>
>> David G3YYD
>>
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> _______________________________________________
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> UK-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest
>

-- 

73 Alex, GM3ZBE ~~~ Kingdom of Fife ~~~ IO86lf ~
Member of:
De Montfort University ARS,
Kingdom Amateur Radio Society (KARS)
GMDX Group, CDXC, Aberdeen ARS
Previous callsigns GM8BYG, G3ZBE
Holder of GM4BRN club call http://www.kars.org.uk/

Remember..............It's only a hobby!
When the going get's tough..........take a nap!!
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