[NLRS] Regional NLRS proposal for VHF contests

[Bill Davis]

   I think the EVEN / ODD mode idea is worthy of consideration. My only comment would be that for the Analog or Digital ONLY operator, it would be a pain UNLESS bands are open to areas that are NOT doing EVEN/ODD. It would "perhaps" be an incentive for the Digital ops to at least listen for analog or even try to WORK analog stations. 
  I wonder if there could be some kind of "weighted" pts system where analog would have a multiplier due to it's difficulty being greater (at least at DX range). The digital only guys are not penalized .. they are only competing with each other. BUT it would encourage analog/digital or analog only operators to pay more attention to analog. 
In the end, we have to ask ourselves ... what are we trying to accomplish? I guess that is activity of ANY MODE. Not just an analog incentive, I guess. Back in the 1950's operators just transitioned (some kicking and screaming) from AM to SSB. I don't recall trying to "encourage" operators to continue to use AM.
  I far prefer analog!! However there are those of us to the north, west and northwest of MSP that are at great disadvantage to those almost anywhere else due to our direction and distance. If I attempted to operate analog only, I suspect it would be ONCE and DONE. Too many SKs from my generation, the generation that LOVED the "old days". I think we are missing our SKs even more than we realize and confusing that with a feeling of an analog to digital shift. I LIVED for VHF contests for many decades BECAUSE it got us on and we could greet each other, ask about family and wish each other well. We were a Central States VHF family. Our families were friends even if we were separated geographically by hundreds of miles. FT8 sadly has no way to compete with those WONDERFUL DECADES. 
  Hope to see your call on the screen or greet you with a hearty Happy New Year and Good DX in the Jan contest.
Bill K0AWU (Since March 1955)
    On Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 11:04:12 AM CDT, Jon Platt via NLRS <nlrs at mailman.qth.net> 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, JonW0ZQ
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