How do we get more activity in VHF UHF Contests ?

[VK4TS]

How do we get more activity in VHF UHF Contests ?

Last weekend I joined the team at VK4WIS and it is a good station with 6 2 70 and 23cm capability. 
Currently the rules state

Multi-operator stations:
Portable stations with more than two operators must enter Section B under one callsign. Operators of stations in Section B may not make contest exchanges using callsigns other than the club or group callsign.
Home stations may enter as a multi-operator station, but only one callsign can be used.
What this does is limit activity to the one callsign - What if we took an idea from the RD contest where the contesters enter as teams ?
So in the case of VK4WIS we would enter as SCARC Team and each individual would sign under their callsign.The RD allows a multi op as well.So some could be designated as VK4WIS ops. With the rework times and the ability to move bands, the callsigns moving systematically would be fresh blood and increase the calls available and hopefully the interest of the punters. 

The only proviso would be you can't work members of your team.. Thoughts?

[VK4TS]

A rethink of VHF UHF Contests

**What do we want to achieve?** There you go Doug :-)

An active weekend of Radio highlighting the bands above 30MHz below 3GHz. (VHF UHF)

All modes including FM and newer low noise digital modes eg FT8? FM to encourage new operators?

**What are the constraints?**

Times - is 24 hour appropriate? Would two banks of 8 hours be better?
24 hours with a maximum of 16 hours activity?
Does the late night need a night owl category?

Setup times - is it practical to setup competive stations for all bands without group support?

**Locations?**

Many regions have limited "good sites" - how do you encourage Expeditions?

Trophy for rare grids worked? This could only be after the logs are in
-the station with the highest number of grids only worked by 1 other station?

**How do we encourage new operators?**

Rookie Award - highest score by someone who has never entered the contest

New Ops Award - awarded to the Club that encourages the most new ops in the contest?

Need to enhance FM to allow the Baofeng crew? :-)

Encourage newbies to attend group activities?

**What would be the best scoring system?**

Operating from a low home station one would hope for a 6M opening to score reasonably.

Mountain toppers positioned above a large population centre can shoot ducks in a barrel
all day under current rules -feedback from VK3 - it has become very boring

How do you change them and find a level interest that encourages activity?

Bands 6 2 70 23 13 ?

[VK2CSW]

Some illogical and poorly-thought through comments

First up let me say that contests are not my cup of tea, however if I was going to get into VHF UHF contesting the biggest issue is resources.

I don't have the time, money, expertise or will to get into microwave so 23 and up is off limits. It also tends to be where the scores are due to the multipliers.

Thus, if you don't have the µwave gear you ain't in the running, if you ain't in the running there is little to attract one to spend the time and money.

[VK4TS]

Some illogical and poorly-thought through comments

First up let me say that contests are not my cup of tea, however if I was going to get into VHF UHF contesting the biggest issue is resources.

I don't have the time, money, expertise or will to get into microwave so 23 and up is off limits.  It also tends to be where the scores are due to the multipliers.

Thus, if you don't have the µwave gear you ain't in the running, if you ain't in the running there is little to attract one to spend the time and money.

You would/may be interested if Microwave was not involved? so rather than below 3GHz you would prefer below 1 GHz? Thanks for that - I actually think that is where most people are at...

[VK4ADC]

1. **What do we want to acheive?**

2. All modes including FM and newer low noise digital modes eg FT8? FM to encourage new operators?

3. Setup times - is it practical to setup competive stations for all bands without group support?

4. **Locations?**

Many regions have limited "good sites" - how do you encourage Expeditions?

Trent

I will deal with each of the above extracts in turn.

1. I before E except after C

2. Digital modes and FM are both available under the VHF/UHF FD Rules - it is just that almost everyone ignores them until there is no one else to work in each new time block. SSB is usually quicker and there are more stations using that mode. I usually keep 146.500 and 439.000 FM simplex running while these events are in progress and seldom hear any others - and don't get replies when I call CQ FD. 

3. I have set up portable for all bands 50MHz to 10.368GHz many times just by myself. 
It was typically about a 1 to 1.5 hour setup time because I had done my prep work at home. I only had to take masting and some 23CM, 2M & 70CM yagi antennas off the top of the trailer, attach masts to pre-mounted rotators, assemble the 6M yagi, unfurl coaxes and attach, mount the pre-assembled microwave antennas plus transverters. The radios were all pre-assembled and prewired in a wooden transport case and only really required coaxes plus a heavy DC power lead to be attached once placed in the operating position in the trailer.
As an example, my 2015 Summer FD : http://www.vk4adc.com/web/field-day-acti...46-2015sfd but pick from many others over the previous few years.

4. Many of the previously "possible" FD sites are now inaccessible. There are padlocked gates and fences, all accompanied by warning signs. Please remember that trees/foliage affect attenuation even at 70CM and 23CM so what you want is a site which provides clear sight lines in the appropriate directions to other stations. Those sites are hard to find, let alone access.  Getting people to Expedition to these non-existent places on an individual basis isn't going to work and since at least some clubs participate from the actually available places, that doesn't leave much scope for the new single ops.


I don't mean that the FD rules shouldn't be rewritten but, somewhere along the line, reality must kick in. It would be great to know that participation in this style of contest was on the rise.

Finally, I didn't operate in the recent Summer FD. I was otherwise involved that weekend but even if I hadn't, the weather was unbearably hot (36-37C) followed by a storm late in the afternoon on Saturday (my normal activity times). Having been through too many wet and stormy FDs in recent years, I have chosen not to go portable when such weather conditions are forecast. Whimp ?  You bet.

As VK2ZRH once put : my 2.2 cents (GST included).


Doug

[VK2KRR]

I think you need to encourage people to have and use home stations to then have more success on contest weekends with extra activity. In my view the issue of lack of activity extends beyond the scope of just contests, and even amateur radio as a whole, its also due to political climate, housing availability and affordability, employment, council regulations, climate change, cost of equipment, better things to do, unregulated and unresolved interferrence, lack of prize money or reward for effort unlike some other sports and hobbies with competitions.
With a lack of stations operating through normal week days and weekends this translates to lack of numbers for contests. Majority of people aren't going to spend thousands of $$$ just to use a radio a few times a year for a contest, its never going to work, unless perhaps there is some monetary reward for entering and doing well. Money talks, but people have told me before that prize money cant be done.
Nothing can change this except peoples inbuilt enthusiasm for operating radio which gathers momentum over time if the right influences are in place.

Having said this, its very interesting to see how many stations suddenly are on the air when there is a good 2m sporadic E opening like we had earlier in the week.

I had brought up an idea for getting more people operating from home and portable on a whole year basis, the Annual VHF UHF Grid Square challenge. This runs from July to June over 12 months and then starts over. I had spoken to a number of WIA board members including ex members who said they would look into this and get something happening, including contest managers etc, there was talk of adding a page on the WIA WEB SITE similar to where people can update their DXCC and other listings on the HF bands, but nothing ever came of it despite all the talk. I was also told that it would be VERY EASY to add this onto the WIA web site.

I think this would be a good idea to gain activity and get people more enthused. People gather grids the whole year and can update their score as they go and work the good openings, not just contest weekends when there is no propagation, but the usual contest weekends would help to add to the whole year grid tally when people go out portable, so there could then be more people looking for these squares.

[VK3ALB]

There is a great article in AR this month regarding contesting for non contesters. Sure it's about the CQ WW but I think Mike's ideas hold for all contest and in a greater sense for all activities in which you might consider participating. It might give some an idea on how to approach and participate a contest even if they can't win.

One thing I know for sure, one size does not fit all.