[EIDXA] EIDXA Contesting Proposal

[Jim Spencer]

Rick,

A very good letter and some excellent points.   I hope we will get a lot
more discussion going.  Although I find it more and more difficult to
participate in a contest, they can be fun and with a little encouragement I
could at least help in the club effort.

Have you sent out a copy of the proposal made Friday evening on the club
list?  It would be useful for those who didn't get a copy.

73,  Jim  W0SR

----- Original Message -----
From: <reheinri@rockwellcollins.com>
To: <EIDXA@mailman.qth.net>; <eidxa-admin@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2002 7:44 AM
Subject: Re: [EIDXA] EIDXA Contesting Proposal


>
> 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