[VHFcontesting] Contest promotion

[Jeffrey Guenther]

Hello,

I am new to the reflector.  I have participated in some of the VHF contests, 
usually twice a year.   Activity, it appears, here in Harford MD is quite 
sparse, but I get on and have fun away.  I really do not enter the contests, 
but have fun giving someone else a point.

We have the same concern(s)  about getting Hams active.  We are struggling 
to keep a simplex net running.  Weekly reminders, a personal direct email 
targeting certain Hams who have not been active lately, volunteering to help 
anyone who needs assistance to get on the air.

The contests are a lot of fun especially when 6 opens, but when the bands 
are dead, I can usually only work the big guns.  And all you big guns out 
there I want to say thank you for taking the time for being there.  I have 
worked as far North as CT and South as NC on 2 meters SSB/CW.  That doesn't 
sound like much, but if you saw my meager station, you would understand. 
And if I have worked you on any of these bands thank you also.

Looking forward to the reflector teaching more about frequencies above 50 
Mhz.

Thanks,

Jeffrey - KA2BKG
Bel Air, MD
FM19tm


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "George Fremin III" <geoiii at kkn.net>
To: <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 1:26 PM
Subject: [VHFcontesting] Contest promotion


>
>
> A few weeks ago when some of the first posts went out
> about the vhf contest I mentioned that Eric NM5M had
> built up activity in the ARRL UHF contest in the Dallas Texas
> area.  Eric wrote to me then and also sent me an email - he said
> I could share some of that email with the list.
>
> Maybe this will give ideas for people in other parts
> of the country.
>
> Here is what he did in the DFW area:
>
>
> -------------- Eric NM5M ---------------------
>
> .....getting VHF and above folks on the air is not
> trivial.  I worked on increasing VHF activity in the Dallas area for
> about 5 years.  Initially my goal was to increase activity in what was
> my favorite annual VHF event, the ARRL UHF and Above contest.
>
> This is what I did:
>
> About a month before the contest I sent an email to both the NTMS and
> RMG reflectors promoting the contest and asking who would be on.  I
> probably received two replies from that 1st mail.
>
> I sent emails to all the North Texas hams that participated in any
> ARRL or CQ magazine contests in the past two years.  (I used replies
> to build a mailing list)
>
> I sent weekly emails to both the reflectors and the email lists
> previously mentioned reminding them of the contest and soliciting a
> response if they would be participating.
>
> A list was created of all those who planned on participating and that
> list was forwarded to the group. (This had a tremendous impact as
> activity promotes activity)
>
> I spoke to area clubs explaining the success I was having with indoor
> antennas and how easy it was to get on VHF/UHF with a simple
> setup. (This was not very successful.)
>
> Participation increased significantly (my qso total went from 16 the
> first year to over 100 in the second and third years).
>
> VHF and above guys ARE NOT OPERATORS, they are not motivated by
> contests.  They have to be invited to operate and will only sit in
> front of a radio for an hour or two if you are lucky.
>
> While I did this in Dallas for several years, I got tired of begging
> folks to get on the air and to be honest some folks got tired of being
> asked to get on the air.  In Dallas on 2 meters and above, you will
> work the same stations over and over, rarely is there new blood.
>
> Once I stopped the promotion folks stopped getting on the air.
>
> .......What does work is for someone to take ownership of promoting
> the event and to provide a compelling reason to a ham interested in
> VHF+ why he needs to turn his old dust covered radio on...
>
> It is a shame that the VHF community largely consists of guys that
> would rather tinker on the work bench than communicate.  That's how it
> is though, like it or not.
>
> --------------- end --------------------
>
>
>
> -- 
> George Fremin III - K5TR
> geoiii at kkn.net
> http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr
>
>
>
>
>
>
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