[VHFcontesting] 2 meter contest participation

[John Geiger]

Hi Frank,

Thanks for the insights.  I think that Down East Microwave does donate a
couple of gift certificates to be raffled off to anyone sending in a log for
the 222mhz sprint and the 902 and up sprint.  At least a step in the right
direction.  And there was a raffle a couple of years ago when the WRTC was
held in Finland where anyone who sent their IARU contest log in within 12
hours of contest end was entered.

73s John NE0P
----- Original Message -----
From: "frank bechdoldt" <k3uhf at earthlink.net>
To: "John Geiger" <ne0p at lcisp.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 5:29 AM
Subject: RE: [VHFcontesting] 2 meter contest participation


> I would say they were up from last year for the 2 meter spring sprint.
> However the 4 hour contest doesn't do the bands justice of a real contest.
> If a newbie were to tune into a sprint they might see a hand full of
> contacts here in the northwest and then give it up as not worth the
effort.
>
>
> Though I participate in sprints I may never turn a log in. I used tonights
> sprint to check out a perspective operating site for arrl contests.  I
> think the sprints are a step in the right direction in offering some
> different flavors of contests.
>
> The next step would be to have sponsorship by a radio manufacture to give
> out a prize for a contest. The contest winner would not be the winner of
> the prize, but the name would be drawn from all the entrants that made a
> minimum of "x" amount of contacts.  I truly believe this is where the
> manufactures are missing the boat and perhaps the ARRl as well by not
> pitching this to the manufactures themselves.  How many other sports have
> their manufactures sponcer gifts to spur interest?  If they want to sell
> new VHF gear then they may need to spur interest in it.
>
> I have seen Icom give away prizes at ham fairs half full of CB gear and I
> think to myself they missed the boat. Maybe I am wrong but I don't go to
> the ham fair hoping I might win a radio as the number one motivator, or
the
> number 2 or 3 motivator either.  They took a step in the right direction
> here and sponsored a VHF event with a IC 910.  Now that had a target
> audience and if I didn't love my yaesus so much I might of bought a 910.
> Now I don't know if the give away of that radio helped them sell 5 more
> down the road but I suspect it might have. The guy from elkcraft came too,
> and I think he made out pretty well.
>
> So maybe by teasing us with a 910 Icom may get us on the air with our
706's.
>
> Also a sponsored event would be a first and would get our niche attention
> from the hf crowd.
>
> That being said it is noted that most of the radio manufactures sponsor
> things like the ham fairs and dxpeditions and that is appreciated. But I
am
> not sure it promotes growth on underutilized, under advertised and mildly
> supported bands, especially 222 and 900.
>
>
>
>
> frank bechdoldt
>
>
> > [Original Message]
> > From: John Geiger <ne0p at lcisp.com>
> > To: <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>; <vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu>;
> <sidewindersontwo at yahoogroups.com>; <6meter at yahoogroups.com>
> > Date: 4/4/2006 9:42:14 PM
> > Subject: [VHFcontesting] 2 meter contest participation
> >
> > I received the April CQ magazine in the mail today, and in the write up
> for the 2005 CQVHF contest, the writer made the following statement:
> "....underscoring the continued decline in 2-meter North American contest
> activity."  Assuming that this is true (after all, it is the April issue),
> why do others think this is occurring?  I have some ideas I will share
with
> the lists tomorrow after I think them through a little more, but
interested
> in what others think might be causing this decline.  And the ARRL VHF
> contest committee has been studying ways to increase VHF contest activity.
> Why do they think that 2 meter activity is down.
> >
> > 73s John NE0P
> > EM04to-Lawton, OK
> > _______________________________________________
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>
>
>
>