[UK-CONTEST] the whole purpose of the RSGB (contest) programme ??

[John Warburton G4IRN]

Picking up on a comment made by Clive/GM3POI: "the whole purpose of the 
RSGB programme should be to improve standards".........

Having checked the CC web-site, I see NO documented purpose, objectives or strategy of the Contest Committee whatsoever. So, how exactly do decisions about contests and rules get made,
without anyone knowing what is trying to be achieved?

There will always be arguments (sorry, discussion!) over potential 
contest rule changes whilst personal opinion and consensus of a vocal 
minority might be driving the agenda. One of the problems here is that 
there is no documented 'guiding light' or strategic roadmap for UK 
Contesting - a set of aspirations and policy that the CC can use as a 
framework for defining contest types and contest rules. This was 
highlighted perfectly with the fiasco over the NFD rules earlier this 
year -- I don't mean the timeliness issue, I mean the fabric of the 
proposed rule changes that caused so much debate. Until a base-line for 
decision making is in place, every potential rule-change will provoke 
differences in opinion.

It's simple: policy, the contest portfolio and rules should be based on 
the strategic values of the society with some specific additions for UK 
contesting. The Society has recently published a 'shared vision for the 
future of the Society' 
(http://rsgbdata.net/documents/pdf/governance-and-strategy.pdf) - this 
vision should be used to drive policy and strategy at sub-committee 
level and hence, the portfolio of contests and their associated rules. 
Although some of the values therein may well remain aspirational at a UK 
contest level, I do think the recognition of volunteers by the society 
(and hence its membership) is important in this context -- the CC 
members are volunteers and should be respected for their efforts. Any 
tools given by the society to make their work easier, with transparency, 
should be encouraged; a top-down strategic vision from the Board Room 
should be viewed as such a tool.


So how will those strategic views be translated into contests and 
contest rules? I hope the CC is discussing that!Alongside (and aligned 
with) the RSGB's strategic vision, my opinion is that UK contesting 
should develop a framework where:

a)UK contesting is accessible and encouraged for all-comers (including 
overseas participants);

b)New entrants are particularly encouraged to participate;

c)Advances in technology /operating types are encouraged;

d)Contesting is fun;

e)Contesting is challenging for every participant, if that's what's wanted;

f)A set of UK contests are developed that can provide a feed of quality 
participants to higher levels of European and world contesting (possibly 
promoting membership of RSGB contest team, GR2HQ, as a goal for aspiring 
participants).


This should translate (depending on your view!) into the development of 
rules that:

·Are simple;

·Are easy for the 'average station' to pitch an entry and differentiate 
them from the top-guns;

·Promote self-improvement, contest by contest;

·Give opportunityto operate and compete at the bleeding edge of 
technology/technique;

·Promote a high quality of operating standard.

I'm sure there will be other opinions on the detail of this, however my 
gist here is that the CC should decide what it wants to achieve with UK 
contesting -- a set of base principals -- that contests and contest 
rules are then based on.... It might then be easier to decide if busted 
QSOs should lead to a penalty, or even if the RSGB 10/15 contest should 
be replaced by something more appropriate to drive forward the 
development of the hobby and contest operating in the UK.

At the moment I see no clear vision.

John G4IRN.