[VHFcontesting] VHF&up_Activity

[Buck Calabro]

Bill said: 

> I think we're getting carried away with the contest
> rule discussion.  No changes to any contest rules
> will have much impact on VHF & up activity...EVER.

As a new guy I feel funny responding to this, but I think rules changes can impact VHF+ activity negatively (because so much activity happens during contests.)  I agree that rules changes won't do much in a positive way though, because we probably have as many contesters as are interested...  If the HF folks wanted to try their hand at it, they already would have.

>Get on the bands and listen/speak!!

I attended the NEWS group meeting this weekend and this is their general view as well.  If we get on the air every day, we're more likely to add contesters to our population.

> If you have some old rigs, consider giving a
> deserving newbie a break on it, and encourage 
> him/her to get on and operate.

This is exactly the way I got on the air: with loaner gear.  Between that and some extremely good mentoring (we have a construction group meeting every week) I am definitely hooked.  I think it would be pretty easy to convert some of the mobile IC-706/FT-100 crowd into VHF contesters (rovers?!) if we were to use the repeaters/clubs to promote activity every day on sideband.  I personally would love to have a Yagi construction project so I can have some horizontal gain.  (No rig at home, only the car.)  A simple drive-on plate and some RadioShack TV mast would complete the informal setup.  I can imagine the fun of making a long distance sideband contact with simple home made gear like that.  A daily schedule and some simple gear would go a long way in making more noise.

73 de Buck KC2HIZ/r