[VHFcontesting] VHF+ Rate Sheet Subscribers

Tue Jul 20 15:30:16 EDT 2004

On Tue, Jul 20, 2004 at 01:09:49PM -0400, R Johnson wrote:
> 
> >The League is trying to support VHF+ contesting (and has put a really
> >disproportionate amount of resources into it from a membership standpoint),
> >so I'd hope you reconsider at some point.  There is a general understanding,
> >I think, that the VHF+ community didn't get some of the resources it
> >deserved, even though the numbers of members so engaged is quite small.
> 
> I can't help remembering the old line:
> "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you" !!!
> I don't know "How much more help we can stand" !!!
> We lost the VUAC
> We lost the Sprints
> We lost the Line Scores in QST
> We may loose the AUG VHF contest (I'm waiting to see the outcome of the meeting)

The outcome of the meeting was posted on this very reflector, yesterday, 
by K1KI: http://lists.contesting.com/_vhfcontesting/2004-07/msg00080.html
Perhaps you missed it?

The ARRL Spring Sprints were cancelled due to extremely low participation.
I operated some of those last few years, and I can tell you that scheduling
a four hour contest for a week night was a disaster.  Aside from the 50 MHz 
Sprint (which was held on a weekend) there's no fun in listening to static 
for four hours on a weeknight to work three QSOs.  I've listened to people
complain for four years about the death of the sprints, but the only person
I've seen suggest a reasonable replacement that might be popular on the air
was K5TR, and his suggestion (a four hour weekend all-band VHF+ sprint) was
just howled and hooted at by the members of this reflector.

Line scores were lost by all contests, VHF and HF alike.

At the same time, even though "The World Above 50 MHz" column in QST is at 
least 50% longer than any other special interest column in QST, the ARRL
added another bimonthly column, "Microwavelengths," devoted just to (the,
what, 350 or so) microwavers.  The League publishes and imports an 
enormous variety of books and publications on VHF weak signal operation,
DXing, construction, etc., and even publishes VHF conference proceedings.
There is a lot that the ARRL does for VHF/UHF weak signal operators that 
it never does for HF contesters, for boat anchor afficianados, or even
for the ARES groups.

And had you read the subcommittee results, you would know that the ARRL
is now not planning to eliminate the August UHF Contest, even though it has 
low participation that is getting lower every year and nobody has made a 
reasonable suggestion for a replacement format that would actually be 
popular.

> While not just a VHF+ item, on Feb 12, 2004 Wayne Mills arbitrarily eliminated:
> The Rag Chewer's Club, the Old Timer's Club and the Friendship Awards.
> (2 of the 3 Awards a "NEW" ARRL member could easily earn)

Both were extremely unpopular (in the sense that almost nobody was applying 
for them any more.)  There's no point in retaining awards nobody wants to 
earn.

> If the MSC keeps dropping contest and awards for lack of participation, there
> won't be much left of the League.
> 
> I feel that the Mills and MSC should be trying to PROMOTE instead of CANCELLING !!!

You should read the subcommittee report.

> 73
> Bob, K1VU
> 
> 
> 
> 
> >73, Ward N0AX
> >
> >----- Original Message ----- 
> >From: "R Johnson" <k1vu at tmlp.com>
> >To: "Ward Silver" <hwardsil at centurytel.net>; <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
> >Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 4:28 PM
> >Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] VHF+ Rate Sheet Subscribers
> >
> >
> > > Hi Ward:
> > > The reason there aren't VHF+ subscribers to the "Rate Sheet" is because
> >you
> > > must be an ARRL member to get it !!!
> > >
> > > A lot of VHF+ operators have quit the League because of lack of support.
> > >
> > > I used to get it, but I never did find much of interest in the VHF+ area,
> >SRI !!!
> > >
> > > 73
> > > Bob, K1VU
> > >
> > >
> > > At 19:12 7/19/2004 , Ward Silver wrote:
> > > >Mentioning the Rate Sheet reminded me that VHF+ contesters don't seem to
> >be
> > > >subscribed to Rate Sheet in the same proportions as HF contesters.  Of
> > > >course, there aren't as many VHF+ contests, etc., but there is certainly
> > > >material of VHF+ interest there..  I think part of it is that they might
> >not
> > > >know about it and how to subscribe to it.  For those of you in VHF+
> >Contest
> > > >Clubs, please publicize the Rate Sheet
> > > >(http://www.arrl.org/contests/rate-sheet/) and encourage them to
> >subscribe.
> > > >I would LOVE to have more material of interest to VHF+ers and if I get
> >more
> > > >of them as subscribers, it will happen.  It's an excellent way for VHF+
> > > >contesters to reach a big audience of HF contesters - hint, hint.
> > > >
> > > >73, Ward N0AX
> > > >Editor, "Contester's Rate Sheet"
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >_______________________________________________
> > > >VHFcontesting mailing list
> > > >VHFcontesting at contesting.com
> > > >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> 
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-- 
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker at kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/