[VHFcontesting] Contest Measure of Success

[Ron Hooper]

>> My observation is that hams have simply lost the motivation to send in
the
>> logs.
>
>This was a predictable result of removing line scores from QST.  Did your
>Division Director vote in favor of that decision?  If so, have you voted
>him/her out of their office yet?

Hi Ken,

Our director for the SE Division is Frank Butler, W4RH. He voted against the
removal of the line scores. Frank has been the director since 1980 and been
basically unopposed in the elections. Yes, I did contact Frank prior to the
vote and voice my concerns. The following is the results from the vote:

Voting for the change were Directors Dick Isely, W9GIG (Central); Jay
Bellows, K0QB (Dakota); Frank Fallon, N2FF (Hudson); Wade Walstrom, W0EJ
(Midwest); Tom Frenaye, K1KI (New England); Dennis Bodson, W4PWF (Roanoke);
Walt Stinson, W0CP (Rocky Mountain), Art Goddard, W6XD (Southwestern); and
Coy Day, N5OK (West Gulf).

Directors Bernie Fuller, N3EFN (Atlantic); Rick Roderick, K5UR (Delta);
George Race, WB8BGY (Great Lakes); Greg Milnes, W7OZ (Northwestern); Jim
Maxwell, W6CF (Pacific); and Frank Butler, W4RH (Southeastern), voted
against the change.

Source: The ARRL Letter Vol. 21, No. 29 July 26, 2002

I agree, this change probably reduced log submissions. How can we accurately
measure the reduction (if any) this change made?  Without supporting data,
we will not know for sure.

Thanks for pointing out that the actual number of stations operating in a
contest could be accounted for by using the submitted logs. Using this
information would allow activity trends to be measured and compared to the
log submissions. Do you know if anyone has used this data to analyze actual
contest participation with log submissions? At this point, I can only rely
on my empirical data.

Ron W4WA