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Michael Coslo · April 27th 07, 08:48 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated

wrote:

When I became a ham back in 1967, ARRL sponsored the following
contests that were reported in QST:

Field Day

Ahem! We're not supposed to refer to FD as a contest.... ;^)

3) Complaints from noncontesters about how much QST space was being
used.
[rant]

Here's my cut on that. Editorial policy of a club newsletter
shouldn't be based on complaints, it should be based on FULL coverage
of ALL of the clubs activities. Perhaps the editors of QST agree with
that, perhaps not, but the point is moot because this decision was
driven by the BoD, not the editor.

All that a complaint amounts to is a form of member input.
Should the BoD ignore member input?

Not exactly ignoring the input, IMO. In the PAQSO party, I get a lot of
advice/complaints/feedback on many issues. If there is a decision to be
made, I'll make it, but I'm not ignoring the input of those members that
disagreed with my decision.

What is more likely is that there was a convenience or advantage to
listening to the membership that complained about the results. Get rid
of that part of the printing, and presumably save a few dollars.

Will these same complaints "about how much web server space is being
used" cause similar cuts there?

Please don't give the anti-contest folks ideas.

The amount of web space is pretty minimal, although I suspec that part
of the issue is TIC..

What I want is printing in the magazine, publication on the website,
and an Excel file too on the website. My major access would be on the
web, but there is nothing like the printed medium for access, and as you
note, permanence.

It seems to me that it's worth the space to publish all the scores,
even if they are printed very small.

Yup.

Three of the groups which comprise the core membership of the ARRL
radio club are Contesters, DXers, and the Field Organization. They're
not the only three, maybe not even the top three, but they are
certainly in the top 5 or 6 'interest groups' in the club.

(DEVIL'S ADVOCATE MODE =N)

Yes, but how many of them send in a contest log? Say, for SS - 2000
logs out of 125,000 members?

It's a good question, Devil's advocate or not. The answer comes in two
parts:
First, how many members do any single activity that QST reports on?
Moonbounce, homebrewing, antique radio, you get the point. Yet all those
make a nice addition to articles and reports in the magazine.

Second, If 2000 logs were sent in, you can bet there were a lot more
participants. In the PAQSO party, I can estimate that there is up to
twice as many participant as those who send in their logs. We can get
this from call signs that appear in multiple logs, yet don't have a log
sent in. It seems to increase the sunspot cycle wanes, and propagation
is not as good, so some of the folks think their score is too low to
warrant sending in a log.

(DEVIL'S ADVOCATE MODE =FF)

Yet, in recent decisions the BoD has stripped contest line scores,
most DXCC listings, and Section News from our newsletter. I'm sure
that saves some page-count in QST, but it seems false economy to snub
"who brought you to the dance" just because someone(s) complained they
took up space on your dance card.

[/rant]

Perhaps the BoD needs to hear some complaints from a different
quarter....

Of course.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

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