[VHFcontesting] Trends in VHF/UHF Weak Signal Operating

[Les Rayburn]

I've worked in advertising and marketing most of my adult life, so I 
often tend to view things as marketing problems. In the case of VHF/UHF 
weak signal operation, I certainly think that is a portion of the 
problem. When the VUCC Award was created, it resulted in a flurry of 
activity on the bands, expeditions to rare grids, and other activity. 
While it wasn't very successful in attracting newcomers to the band, it 
did give those already active incentive to increase their operations.

Fast forward almost thirty years, and the situation is reversed. Nearly 
everyone who wants to earn VUCC has already done so.

The league has failed to ever make VUCC anything more than the kid 
sister of DXCC. They've failed to add "variations" of the award such as 
5 Band VUCC, or "Rover VUCC" that might encourage more activity. They've 
failed to offer merchandise in their store to build the VUCC "brand" 
among hams. Very few articles have been written in QST about the 
exploits of people trying to earn the award. (Not true in the early 
days, but certainly now)

In short, the ARRL has missed the opportunity to make VUCC a desirable 
accomplishment for most amateurs. And provide no incentive to earn the 
award on multiple bands, which is key to providing an incentive for 
operation on 902 and up. I've been trying to find time to author a paper 
for the VHF Conferences that would formally propose the creation of two 
new awards:

Five Band VUCC
--------------------------------------------

A special award recognizing any amateur who earned VUCC on five bands or 
more including satellites. No rules changes, and only minor programming 
required to have LoTW track the award.

VUCC Rover
-----------------------------------------
An award for any rover who worked the required number of grids for each 
band, while operating outside their "home" station grid. For example, 
you'd need to work 100 grids on 6 & 2 while operating outside your home 
grid. But only five to earn it on 10 GHz.

The key to making these awards successful would be to really market and 
promote them, especially in the pages of QST. While I'm not in favor of 
resetting everyone to zero, the league could offer a special incentive 
to anyone who works the necessary grids in the coming calendar year. 
Maybe plaques would be in order. I'm willing to sponsor ten of them, 
personally.

This would have the same effect of "resetting to zero" for anyone who 
wanted the plaques, while still allowing for those who have already 
earned 5 Band VUCC or Rover VUCC to receive the award.

While I applaud the efforts that many of us have made as individuals to 
increase activity, it's hard to imagine real change unless the ARRL gets 
behind the effort.



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73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114
EM63nf

6M VUCC #1712
AMSAT #38965
Grid Bandits #222
Southeastern VHF Society
Central States VHF Society Life Member
Six Club #2484

Active on 6 Meters thru 1296, 10GHz & Light