[NLRS] NLRS Discussion - Promotion of Rovermania & Limited Rover Category

[dirtydan;)]

Great Idea!  Let me see, I've got an 89 Ranger that could become a
permanant rover!  I could drill holes and weld on mounts, and park it on a
hill with a run of coax when not roving.
Dan
KC0RQH

Message text written by INTERNET:jcplatt1 at mmm.com
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Hello NLRS land.

I will try to keep this as note as short as I can.   Many of you may
remember how the ARRL UHF contest was on the brink of extinction, but in
part through the efforts of the NLRS (and surrounding clubs), through the
creation of Rovermania, that we have shown positive growth.    I am not
going to bore you with data .... the data is there for those whom may
challenge this position so please go look for yourself before you ask any
questions.    A big part of this growth, and oh ya, fun, has been because
of the rovers.    We all know that roving makes ANY contest more fun as it
breeds activity.   This is a subject that I could go on about for hours,
but oh ya, I'm trying to keep this short !    Bottomline is that we need to
encourage roving.

How do we encourage roving?    What makes a rover rove ?      There are
many reasons .... again, far to many to get into in this short email.
However, one of those reasons is recognition and "winning".     However,
can a new rover, a newbie, perhaps one with few bands, really expect to win
?     I have reviewed the ARRLs UHF contest data from 2002 to 2005 looking
at the highest rover finish versus the number of bands that a rover may
have.    From 20002 to 2005, the highest placed finish for a rover that has
three bands or less is ninth place, yet this same group represented 35% of
ALL rovers.   Slightly more than 1/3 of all the rovers that we want/need to
rove have absolutely no chance to win.     The result is that its difficult
to entice a newer rover, perhaps one with three bands or less, to rove
knowing that they will get trounced by rovers with many more bands .....
why try ?

Given that as the background, here is my proposal.    I would like to see
the NLRS sponsor a first place and a second place plaque for the ARRL UHF
contest (Rovermania) in the Limited Rover category.   The Limited Rover
category is OUR design and OUR definition.     This award would be given by
the NLRS nationally, not just to a NLRS club member (unless of course they
win !).    The generalized rules, to be fully defined with the full
proposal that will follow and based on your inputs & comments, would be:
   That you must have submitted a log to the ARRL for the UHF contest.
   The 1st and 2nd place winners would be determined by the data in the
   ARRLs Scores Database.   No extra submission by anyone is required.
   The full ARRL UHF contest rules apply.
   The Limited Rover shall operate with no more than three bands of their
   choosing.
   That the winners shall have demonstrated fair Rovermania practices by
   not overtly grid circling and not roving in packs.   Application of this
   rule would be at the discretion of the club's officers (Pres, VP,
   Secretary/Treasurer) and who's decision is final.

I anticipate that our annual NLRS club expenditure for this award would be
$75 (estimated cost for two plaques).    My motion would include this as
the cost ceiling (ie; ".... not to exceed $75 .... ").

Following our  interclub discussion on this, and assuming its a GO,  I
would like to then use this NLRS sponsored Limited Rover award as an
opening to approach all VHF clubs nationally.    We would use this award
(Limited Rover Award) as a way to continue growth through encouraging the
smaller and potentially newbie rover as well as to energize and mobilize
local clubs.

Comments & discussion welcomed.

73, Jon
W0ZQ
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