[ILQSO] compilation of mobile incentives

[James Funk]

Here are the responses I got to my question about "what drives a mobile" in
a qso party:

Loyalty:  2, 4, 1, 8, 1, 1, 4, 1
Winning a category: 8, 8, 2, 4, 5, 7, 6
Tangible rewards provided:  7, 7, 1, 3, 8, 7
Tangible rewards available:  6, 6, 2, 4, 9, 8
Enjoyable way to spend a weekend: 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 2, 3, 1, 5
Length of contest: 4, 2, 6, 8, 6, 3
Rules format: 5, 5, 3, 4, 5, 7, 2, 3, 2
Try out setup and test skills:  1, 1, 3, 3, 6, 4, 2, 1

 Other and comments:
"#1A: Just to have fun!"
"It's like a mini-Dxpedition"
"SSB and solo, no chance to win anything"
"Should be category for single-op no driver"
"very cool to get a certificate for participation in Indiana QSO Party"
"Pretty much all number 1's, equally important"
"Fun, unique rules"
"Actually possible for solo op to win, unlike other QSO parties"
"Isn't there enough participation to have two mobile categories?" (with and
without driver)
"#1: Challenge of competing with others"
"need more participant awards for mobiles"
"little incentive to work DX past 5 mults"
"Other: getting club members active and introducing them to contesting"
"Best set of rules of ... any state QSO party"
"Desire to operate [in a state QSO party] is directly proportional to the
number of active mobiles"

Not many responses to why people DON'T operate mobile, but the one that
pretty much said it:
"I don't operate mobile because I can't drive and contest at the same time
without bad results!"

This was far from a scientifically-constructed survey; several stations did
not rank every choice and some included two number one choices.  Loyalty
ranks high, whether it is loyalty to the home state (or former home state),
or to a club effort.
Also high is the challenge of trying out ones mobile setup and operating
skills.   Rules were ranked high by some, but some like them and some don't!
Some mentioned needing more certificates while most ranked "rewards" near
the bottom.  The comments ranged rather far from the basic questions in some
cases and will give the RAMS committee something to talk about.

Now for my own 1.83 cents worth (adjusted for inflation):
My first Illinois QSO Party was in 1965.  I was a new Conditional Class
licensee and stumbled on the contest on 75 meters.  I filled up three log
pages that afternoon and was thrilled to pieces. (I probably also worked
some counties that I *still* need confirmed in Illinois for USACA, but I
digress....).  Since then, the ILQP has been a chance to "be DX" that I've
not fulfilled in any other way.  For the past five or six years, ILQP has
been a rallying point for the WIARC, and we've had the opportunity to pull
some new operators into contesting this way.  Mobile efforts with three of
my kids, my wife and my brother as drivers (no, not all the same year....)
have been a cool way to spend time with them in some beautiful parts of
southern Illinois.  The equipment doesn't always work, but so far it's
worked most of the time.  I'll never beat KF9D.  I'll never run the rate
that W3DYA does.  I'll probably never fly 1000 miles to participate the way
W1NN does.  You can bet I'll never paper log and make as many QSO's as KJ9C.
I'll never be as loud as NN9K.  I will never, EVER try it QRP like K9IUA!!
As long as I can, though, I'll keep mobiling....

While a successful state QSO party needs a lot of prominent fixed stations
to "stir up the band", it appears to me that a constant supply of mobiles
changing counties is what really keeps out-of-state stations focused for the
entire contest period.

Thanks for all the responses.  73, Jim N9JF