[VHFcontesting] Where Have All the Multi's Gone?

[Ed Kucharski]

Jack: All the reasons you listed are viable. It is hard work to set-up a multi station, even harder if it is portable. I'm sure that has something to do with it. Our silent keys and aging may be factors too but the differences in #'s is striking.

I apologize that all my attempts to show the chart I put together got messed up by the reflector - it was a much better visual than just reading my words.

In 2000 (September contests data) there were 76 multi's submitting a log with a combined cumulative average score of the top 10 of 714K (in 2005 that went up to 991K) and there has been a steady decline since. In 2014 a record # of Multi logs were submitted (81) with a combined cumulative average score of the top 10 of only 249K but in 2015 that # dropped to 31 with that avg top 10 score of 172K. The # of Multi log submissions have been hanging out in the 30's since then. The combined cumulative average score of the top 10 has now dropped to the low 100K area (2019 = 114K, 2020 =105K [Covid]) so different from the 991K in 2005.

73,
Ed K3DNE


>     On 01/29/2021 9:16 AM JACK NYIRI < nyirijp at comcast.net mailto:nyirijp at comcast.net > wrote:
>      
>      
>     Ed - perhaps it is due to the increasing number of silent keys in the VHF+ community.... Also, there are more and more communities with restrictive conveniences that prohibit outdoor antennas.(I think this one discourages the young guys from getting in the hobby.)
>      
>     I look at the drop off of operators/stations in the mid-west, south and for that matter even in the east. Guys are getting older and retiring to places that do not allow outdoor antennas.
>      
>     COVID has not help in the past year.
>      
>     I hope I am wrong... - 73 - Jack AB4CR
>      
>      
>      
> 
>         > >         On 01/29/2021 8:59 AM Ed Kucharski < k3dne at comcast.net mailto:k3dne at comcast.net > wrote:
> >          
> >          
> >         I couldn't embed the chart in the email so it is now attached.
> >          
> >         I'm doing some research and digging for data about the recent thread associated with the effect FTx has had on traditional weak signal modes (ssb/cw).
> >          
> >         In the process I noticed a dramatic decrease in both Limited Multi and Unlimited Multi activity and scores (September VHF Contests) in the mid-late 2000's and again in 2015. The authors of the results write-ups noted this as well but didn't offer an explanation (unless I missed it).
> >          
> >         Why??? FT8 didn't begin till 2017 (according to that write-up). Remember, I only looked at the September results! 2015 was the first year allowing use of spotting in all categories (spots, chat rooms, email, text, phone, etc.).
> >          
> >         See attached chart (Word File). I had a little difficulty getting all the #'s if it wasn't mentioned in the write-up - scanning and counting results - I may have missed a few either way, scores were rounded.
> >          
> >         Thoughts?
> >          
> >         73,
> >         Ed K3DNE
> >          
> >         LM = Limited Multi
> >         UM = Unlimited Multi
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> >     >