[VHFcontesting] Bringing newbies to VHF-UHF

[Sean Kutzko]

32 may not sound like a lot of folks to us seasoned
contest ops, but the point of this "contest"  is to
get new ops active in something unamiliar to them. 1
hour is a good time limit; enough to generate godo
activity levels, but doesn't limit entries based on a
time commitment. Most folks can find an hour to do
radio.

For those interested, the rules can be found here:

http://www.qsl.net/k9cu/fmrules.html

Winners in each category get a certificate. This is
often the first "award" in ham radio newer hams get.
Everybody likes to be recognized for doing well in a
competition, no matter how small that competition may
be. The "newbies" and old-timers alike really enjoy
this on-air activity.

Perhaps this is a good tool you can use in your area
to give newer/inexperienced ops exposure to VHF/UHF
activity.

73,

Sean


--- Zack Widup <w9sz at prairienet.org> wrote:

> 
> The contest is still thriving! I took over for Sean
> when he left this 
> area.  We had one back at the end of January.
> According to the logs sent 
> in, there were 32 different callsigns in the logs. I
> posted the results 
> here:
> 
> http://www.qsl.net/k9cu/012807FM.html
> 
> I received many comments from people asking if we
> could have more of them 
> in a year.  We're looking at four a year right now.
> 
> So this is a start!  I'm thinking we can have a
> get-together of the 
> participants and then I can invite them to see what
> a weak-signal 
> VHF contest looks like.
> 
> 73, Zack W9SZ
> 
> 
> On Thu, 1 Mar 2007, Sean Kutzko wrote:
> 
> > For me, I was interested in showing the local
> Techs
> > ("shack-on-a-belt") around Champaign, IL that
> there
> > was more to 2m than just repeaters. I started
> > sponsoring a 1-hour 2m FM simplex contest for hams
> in
> > the area, using cities as multipliers. Rovers were
> > accepted. This introduced a bunch of locals not
> only
> > to the potentials of VHF, but contesting as well.
> The
> > results were very strong; many of the new
> participants
> > from the university ham club had never operated
> > anything other than 2m or 440 through a repeater.
> The
> > concept of simplex was new to them.
> > 
> > This local contest, coupled with Field Day, did
> > wonders to open the eyes of the newer folks to VHF
> > weak-signal work. 
> > 
> > Open up your shack to anybody who's interested.
> Answer
> > questions. Be an Elmer. Offer to teach classes
> through
> > your local club. Enthusiasm is contagious.
> > 
> > 73,
> > 
> > Sean
> > 
> > Sean Kutzko, Amateur Radio KX9X
> > Gillespie, IL       Grid EM59cd
> >    http://www.seankutzko.com
> > 
> 
> 


Sean Kutzko, Amateur Radio KX9X
Gillespie, IL       Grid EM59cd
   http://www.seankutzko.com


 
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