Generating More Interest in VHF+ Contesting By Ward Silver, NØAX CAC Representative - Northwestern Division nØax@arrl.net Pacific NW VHF Conference, Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 No Subliminal Content Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 No Subliminal Content Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Overview ARRL Committee Update New Blood or New Rules? Thinking Outside the Logs Outreach Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Current Situation - 2004 QSO volume is off - that’s expected Log submissions about level - OK More VHF+ gear available - good More local/regional contests - good Sunspots way down - bad for newbies New digital modes & tools - good Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Current Situation - 2004 VHF+ contesting remains isolated Huge potential audience Available gear just keeps growing! Technical aspects act as barrier Technology is attractive Promotion is primary Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 ARRL Ad Hoc Committee Results of Initial Proposal Lots of Comment on Rule Changes Very Little Comment on Participation Many Changes Based on Feedback Rules to Be Reviewed by CAC Earliest Possible Changes - June ‘05 Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Changes Already in Place Internet Template for Log Submission Regional Coverage in Writeups VHF+ award support added to LOtW Club competition added to June VHF Added digital QSOs to EME Nice grid-square map Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Recommended Changes Categories VHF Sweepstakes + June/September QSO Parties Limited Single Operator category designed with the newcomer in mind. Four bands, low power 6/2/440 + incentive to add transverter should increase 220/902/1.2 activity one transverter leads to more, doesn’t it☺ Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Recommended Changes Undesirable Practices Grid Circling - Eliminate How to verifiably define it? Still allow random rover-rover encounters Contain as a separate category? Captive Rovers - Eliminate The discussion got noticed Still, how do you verifiably define it? Must allow for rookies and Elmering Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

- Digression - Is This a Sport or a Show? Much higher technical emphasis than HF contesting Less emphasis on “rate” Regional variation makes wide comparisons meaningless “Degree of difficulty” Recognition of achievement needed Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Recommended Changes Miscellaneous Stuff Low power - 150 W on 50/144/222/432 Eliminate M/O op-to-op QSOs above 2.3 GHz Still need incentives above 10 GHz? Plaques for Jan & Sep VHF QSO Certificates for low power and top DX EME multipliers & dates Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Recommended Changes Awards Smaller entry and advancement steps Establish a VUCC challenge Awards for entry-level or rover/portable operation Change location restriction from “same grid square” to 200 km radius Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Recommended Changes Promotion Activity Hours and Times by Band Raise visibility of VHF+ on ARRL Web Balance promotion of VHF+ with HF Promote non-ARRL contests Information on logging software Showcase regional stations & technique Offer memorabilia - cups/shirts/etc. Email list of log submitters for results Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Not Recommended Rebalancing microwave point structure 1-point rovers 1-2-3 points by distance Converting one QSO party to VHF/UHF Drop UHF - add 2.3/3.4/5.7 to 10 GHz Return of the old rover scoring rules Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Our Grade...a C- Original mission: Increase interest and participation - insufficiently addressed Final recommendations mostly deal with existing participants Regional variations prevent national changes from having consistent effect Promotion requires strong local level Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Review of Regional Variations Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Northeast & Great Lakes Lots of participation on all bands Most concerns with scoring rules Rovers - captives and club scores, LOTS of action! Clubs - Limited & Unlimited M/O discrepancies Microwaves are key Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Midwest and South Longer-distance average and fewer QSOs than NE Heavier 6 & 2-meter weight than NE Distance-based scoring desired Some roving, not a big issue as population less dense LOTS of tropospheric openings Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Southwest Plenty of activity - with much more FM Microwave is growing slowly Some roving, not too concerned about rules Operation revolves around San Fran and LA Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Northwest Population is basically an isolated community Roving is growing 6/2/440, some microwaves Fewer QSOs beyond W6 and SW Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Promoting VHF+ Contesting Nationally (i.e. - ARRL) Faster (E-logs & Web publishing) Better (Deeper and more precise data) Regional writeups and searchable data More analysis and commentary Cheaper (Web publishing) Wider (Use log email addresses so that results can be emailed directly) Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Promoting VHF+ Contesting Locally (i.e. - You) Elmering (offer training and assistance) Local Events (regional contests or competions in national contests) Local Results (regional writeups and distribution) Outreach (talks and demos with local clubs and at hamfests) Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Dude, Where’s Our Replacements? Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 1999 Population Average Age = 51.6 years Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Dropouts and Recruits 50% recruitment younger than 50 Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

0% recruitment reduces total to 30%, average 47.4 years 2015 Population 0% recruitment reduces total to 30%, average 47.4 years Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

16% recruitment maintains total, average 48.1 years 2015 Population 16% recruitment maintains total, average 48.1 years Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

26% recruitment doubles total, average 48.4 years 2015 Population 26% recruitment doubles total, average 48.4 years Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Dropouts and Recruits 75% Replacement Younger than 50 Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

17% recruitment maintains total, average 42.3 years 2015 Population 17% recruitment maintains total, average 42.3 years Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

27% recruitment doubles total, average 41.0 years 2015 Population 27% recruitment doubles total, average 41.0 years Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 The Recruit Busier, Family Commitments Likely mid-30’s Disposable Income Tech-Aware Apartment/Condo/CCR-limited Travels Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Skills Computer-savvy, including networking Familiar with video game style of competition Enjoys system & components Less background in RF/electronics Not as likely to be component-type builders Good at assembling complex systems Opportunities for teaching abound Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Technology Points the Way Excellent, inexpensive radios and antennas Mobile/Portable operating Computer-assisted operation search-and-pounce agents video and audio processing real-time propagation assessment Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Technology Points the Way Broadband connectivity available outside the home streaming audio, video, data Spotting network track individual stations becomes a “meta-band” Sharing remote stations Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Hybrids - Radio+? Outdoor activities Foxhunting, Geocache, Orienteering Off-road roving ARS Spartan Sprints Biking, skiing, sailing, road rallies Birding, star parties, rockhounding partner with other topical societies Get your butt OUT of the chair! Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Hybrids - Radio+? Wireless networking create ad hoc nets, count links for points Robotics: software and hardware operators Flight: gliders, balloons Modeling: rockets, airplanes Integrated with gaming systems Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Example - WAN-Slam All VHF/UHF/Microwave bands Form ad hoc networks and exchange data Points accrued by… total path distance number of links average speed of transmission in bps path frequency Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Reaching Out & Inside Outreach Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 Summary Some rule changes on the way Still need to increase participation Contesting should attract recruits Hybrids should be a natural at VHF+ Outreach to non-VHF+ ham community ARRL can only do so much… YOU are the key! Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004

Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004 THANK YOU!! Pacific NW VHF Conference - 2 Oct 2004