[EIDXA] EIDXA Contesting Proposal

[reheinri@rockwellcollins.com]

Well I guess I didn't expect the response the Contest Committee received in
presenting a draft proposal to the membership last Friday evening.  There
were many interesting issues raised and I am encouraged by the response.

I think I need to enter the fray, not as a member of the Contest Committee,
but as a club member.  First, I joined EIDXA back in 1978.  The club was
smaller and really focused on the elements of chasing DX and contesting.  I
was enthusiastic because it was club that had some passion about
operational issues.  IT was aligned with my interests of contesting and DX
chasing.  I remember many battles between W0WP and K0LUZ during CW
Sweepstakes and it created a challenge to "get in there and slug it out".
I participated in several multi-operator contests at K0SVX and N4RR/0 along
with W0SML, W0WP, and others.  Those all helped me learn new operating
techniques and improved my overall skill.  All things that are important to
me.  But again those are my interests.

I am also challenged by how much operating I can do annually.  I have a
commitment to business travel and family concerns that challenge my time.
Contesting allows be to get on the air and operate with a high level of
intensity.  Get on for 48 hours and make 1500 QSOs is more than I would do
in an hour a day for several months.

I don't believe that recent events are trying to "turn the club into a
contesting club".  I do believe that we are trying to ressurect our stated
intent in the by-laws and to create a little friendly competition to help
improve all of our operating skills.

As a member I'd like to offer several observations about the proposed club
award.  Here are some personal observations:

1)  There is nothing mandatory about the proposed award.  If you want to
participate fine, if not that is also OK.  You should not consider yourself
a second class citizen if you choose not to operate in contests or
participate in the award program.  Diversity in opinion is what makes the
world go round.

2)  The award should present a challenge to the individual.  You should
have to work for the award.  If the point structure is set to allow
everyone to get the award annually based on a low to moderate effort, then
I think the intent of the award is missed.  It should be hard to get the
award annually.  BUT, and this is a key point, if you work for the award by
generating as many points as you feel comfortable generating in each of the
approved contests then you can accumulate the points and still get the
award by building a cululative score over several years.   (As a side note,
I believe that I will have a high degree of difficulty getting the award on
a recurring basis.  With my travel and family committments, operating
several contests a year will be a challenge.  But when I have the
opportunity I want to push myself to do the best and generate the most
points I can.)

3)  We have several members that have expressed a desire to submit their
scores to a club that shows interest.  We have seen several of our scores
submitted as part of the Society of Midwest Contesters.  (Mainly
Sweepstakes)  Personally, I would like to see those scores included in the
EIDXA listing and see us move up the list in terms of total points.  That
becomes an issue of pride.  For me to see the club I belong to rise in the
ranks based on increasing participation and total score gives me some
"bragging rights" at Dayton or other forums.

Maybe my motivations are different than the majority of the club.  But I
wanted to weigh in and at least offer the benefit of why I feel the way I
do about contesting and the overall proposal.

Rick N0YY