[VHFcontesting] was More Roving - now Stop the Complaining!

[wemccourt at comcast.net]

There are people who would say that your comments on Marshall's posting are pretty naive and altruistic but, I do contesting for precisely the same reasons.  Because I like to do it!

With my modest station and crummy stealth antennas I know I don't have a prayer of winning anything but a Booby Prize but I do it for the enjoyment of the sport.  How many duffers do you see on the golf courses every weekend?  They know that they're not Tiger Woods but they're out there every weekend for the enjoyment of playing.

As to roving, I do it because I can't set up permanent antennas outside my house so it gives me another outlet to enjoy my ham radio hobby.  I do it for FUN not to try and win cheap prizes or verbal praise from peers.  I really don't care too much about what others think of my efforts.  I'm in it for what I personally get out of it and if someone gives me an "attaboy" along the way so much the better.

There are always going to be people who are going to twist a situation to their particular needs in order to fulfill some personal need for quick gratification without having to slog thru the "growth" process gaining experience and skills along the way.  You'll never prevent this no matter how you rewrite the rules.

Complaining and whining about it never accomplishes anything so give it up!

Bill-WF1L  


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: John Geiger <aa5jg at yahoo.com>
> 
> 
> 
> --- On Thu, 11/20/08, Marshall Williams <k5qe at sabinenet.com> wrote:
> 
>  We will never get new hams / new rovers to
> > participate if 
> > they know that the system is rigged against them.  If grid
> > circling 
> > becomes pervasive, the normal rovers will disappear,
> > because they will 
> > know that they have no chance.  
> 
> 
> In terms of single op low power operating, the system is already rigged against 
> me:
> 
> 1. I live in an area with much less VHF activity than the Northeast or West 
> Coast.  It even has less activity than I experienced when I lived in Iowa and 
> Illinois, so there is no chance I will ever win my category.
> 
> 2. I live in an area with less tropo and enhancement than other areas typically 
> get, so my chances of getting propagation help is less than other areas are 
> getting.
> 
> 3. I have very limited funds and space to put up antennas and buy radios.  Right 
> now I am only QRV on 6m and 2m with 100 watts or less on both bands and low, 
> fairly small yagis (3 ele and 11 ele respectively).
>  
> I go into a contest with these things against me, knowing I don't have a chance 
> in the world of winning my category, yet I participate anyways.  WHY??? Possibly 
> because it is fun???
> 
> 73s John AA5JG
> Lawton, OK-EM04to
> 
> 
>       
> 
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