[VHFcontesting] More insights - Log Submittals

[Ev Tupis (W2EV)]

I suggest that people submit logs because:
o It is easy to do
o There is a reward for doing so

If someone doesn't submit a log, it's because one (or both) of those is not true
in their case.  I've been receiving a LOT of private email on this topic.  Much
of it is summarized by this snippett below (part of one that I just received):

"I am probably stepping into a trap ;-) but if you tell me why I should send in
my logs for a casual effort, maybe I will, right now I just dont see any reason
too, particularly for ARRL contests."

This is t-y-p-i-c-a-l of what I'm getting (in private emails) from folks that
don't submit logs regularly.

**Don't** confuse this issue with the belief that there is declining
participation, as that is not addressed here.

If nothing else, this further goes to show that the ARRL doesn't yet have the
data
on which to properly analyze the situation.

Ev Tupis, W2EV

PS-- Here's an interesting twist of things... several commenters are citing the
lack of QST publishing as an aside, and NOT a primary reason for not
submitting!  It is almost always something like, "The contest robot puked on my
log, so I gave up and -- by the way, I hate not seeing my call in QST".  Had the
robot not puked, the log would have still gone in even without QST
publication.   Hmmmmmmm.... :)

PPS-- If I haven't made the point that the wrong audience is being targeted for
their opinions on the topics of "incresing participation" and "increased log
submittal" (and the fact that the two are not related, btw) then I never will. 
I'm now QRT on the topic.       [I heard that sigh of relief, Gene! :)]