[NLRS] Regional NLRS proposal for VHF contests

[Mary Brown]

How about a separate contest for digital modes... they do it that way on 
HF... RTTY isn't mixed with analog modes...


Mary

W0AAT

On 9/17/2024 11:03 AM, Jon Platt via NLRS wrote:
> Hello NLRS land
>
> As we all know FT8 has had a major impact on VHF contesting.  A large 
> survey of VHF contesters conducted about two years ago showed that 
> /roughly/ 25% of VHF contesters use only digital modes, 25% use only 
> analog modes and 50% use both.  I am speaking mostly about 6 and 2m 
> where most of the contest contacts occur.  This led to a the recent 
> ARRL contest rule change to add an Analog Only category where the goal 
> was to generate increased activity on analog modes by moving some of 
> those digital only guys to mixed mode as that is the only place your 
> going to work the Analog Only guys.  Has it worked?  Maybe for June 
> when there is Es, but to a lesser extent for September and January (my 
> opinion, no flames please, YMMV).
>
> So in thinking about this some more, the positive impact of FT8 has 
> been to increase the number of newcomers to the World Above 50 MHZ and 
> to allow smaller stations to work farther distances, both a good 
> thing.  On the downside, some are still sticking to digital modes only 
> and are missing those who are on Analog Only, plus when sticking to 
> digital only its harder to QSY to higher bands like 222 and up.  These 
> are bad things.
>
> With all this said, let me state that digital modes are not going 
> away, so please no "lets ban digital modes from VHF contesting" 
> because that is not going to happen.  What we need to do is to use our 
> collective thoughts and experiences to make what we have work.
>
> Towards that end, although NLRS doesn't write the contest rules, we 
> can and do have an influence on our regional operating habits.  With 
> that in mind, here is one thought/proposal that I have that I want to 
> share with the club/region.
>
> How about for VHF contesting we focus on digital modes (for those who 
> wish to) on the ODD contest hours, and then focus on analog modes on 
> the EVEN hours.  Yes, you can only work a station once per band, but 
> if you've been playing on say 6m digital and have worked W0ZQ, then 
> come across me on 6m analog we can't count that duplicate Q but we can 
> coordinate to move to higher bands such as 2m and up.  Such a proposal 
> may generate more analog activity, more Qs, PLUS allow for improve QSO 
> totals on 222 and up that have suffered due to the FT8 only focus.
>
> So the proposal is CQ on digital (for those who want to) on the ODD 
> hours, CQ on analog on the EVEN hours.
>
> Of course when the bands are busy, like say a big E opening in June, 
> you can throw this proposal out the door, but when time are quiet, no 
> significant propagation going on, it may generate more Qs and more 
> activity.
>
> Wonder what club members think.  Is this something that we can try 
> regionally, maybe come the January contest?   And again, no negative 
> comments please on any mode (including FM only!).   Digital is here to 
> stay so lets find a way to make this work towards the betterment of 
> contesting.
>
> 73, Jon
> W0ZQ
>
>
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