[VHFcontesting] Question to the group

[Dave Olean]

Hi Duffy
I would have to agree. We need people on the bands. The problem is not the 
League rules. The problem is activity. There is no reason to get on the VHF 
bands at this time, so no one gets on the VHF bands. (I am a recent HF 
convert as a result)
    I took a look at the ham population and was surprised to find that the 
sheer number of hams is rather large in states that have almost no VHF or 
microwave activity. So why is there more activity on VHF in the 
Philadelphia, NJ, and NY area?  I think it was the formation of a few VHF 
clubs way back in the prehistoric era that pushed that form of activity. 
They provided  a reason to get on those bands, and it has had a long term 
effect.  My observation today is that  the levels of activity there are 
dying off. That is not good. I would suggest that tweaking a few rules in 
four ARRL contests will not change things for the better.
Rules changes have not helped in the recent past. That is just my humble 
opinion from what my lyin' eyes have shown me.
ACTIVITY= MORE FUN.
A hint... The Microwave Sprint last Spring was won by home station K0VXM in 
Florida. Why was the winner not from NYC or Philadelphia? You guys figure it 
out. A few points in a contest for a microwave QSO amounts to nothing as far 
as the big picture goes. Look elsewhere.
Another hint.... I was in Philly for the January Contest and N3NGE has a few 
Packrat plaques on his wall for winning the yearly "Home Brew" competition. 
Gee, the Packrats had a home brew competition? What is that all about? 
Could they be encouraging people to home brew stuff to get on the higher 
bands?
    For my part, I am working on something to help build activity in my neck 
of the woods. To be successful we all need to be a part of the solution.

Dave K1WHS
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Duffey" <jamesduffey at comcast.net>
To: <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
Cc: "James Duffey" <jamesduffey at comcast.net>
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 3:16 AM
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Question to the group


The ARRL VHF contests have a schizophrenic approach towards microwave 
activity. With the one hand, they seem to want to encourage microwave 
activity by awarding higher QSO points for the higher bands. With the other 
hand, they discourage microwave activity by promoting the limited classes, 
creating new three band classes and FM only classes. One would think that 
you can’t have it both ways, but apparently you can.

Due to the higher points given to microwave QSOes, our current ARRL VHF 
contests are de facto microwave contests unless you enter the limited 
classes, at least when there is no sporadic E.

But it is more than just the points question. It does little good to have 
more points for QSOes if there is no one to work on those bands. And when 
the limited classes are an option at little additional expense, that 
discourages microwave activity even further. And when the big multi stations 
drop microwaves that reduces incentive even further.

The real question to ask is what is the goal to be accomplished with the 
additional points for microwave QSOes? If it is to encourage microwave 
activity, then the limited classes undermine this. If it is to reward the 
difficulty in making microwave QSOes, then that undermines activity on the 
lower bands by removing activity from them for the duration of the microwave 
QSO.

Other questions worth asking are: Does it make sense to include microwave 
QSOes at all in a VHF contest like the June contest when there is a lot of 
sporadic E and activity on 6M? Does it make sense to simultaneously 
encourage microwave activity by awarding additional points for it and 
discourage it by implementing the various limited classes?

I find it interesting how these discussions always end up about geography 
and level playing fields, even though those topics are not in the original 
question at all. - Duffey KK6MC

--
KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM





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