Contests. Not just for contesters.
I have noticed a number of discussions on forums recently where radio amateurs are asking questions like:-
- Is it ok for me to work a contest station?
- Will I ‘muck up their logging’ if I’m not in the contest?
- Can I use a contest contact for DXCC purposes?
These are just a few of the questions asked - there are many more along similar lines. The simple answer to all of these questions is this - as long as you exchange the required information (according to the rules of the contest in question) and the contest station logs the exchange, it’s a contact the same as any other in your log. You don’t have to submit a contest entry for it to count.
The contest stations depend on large numbers of this kind of contact to amass a large score so they’re always prepared to work all-comers. The advantage for the non-contest stations is that these serious contesters will often have invested tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in antenna systems. This means that you can work DX over paths where propagation just wouldn’t allow a contact between less well equipped stations. Always remember - as much as his large and expensive antenna systems allows him to transmit a big signal it also lets him hear better too!
Many amateur radio operators deride contests and resent contesters ‘taking over’ the bands on busy contest weekends. What they may not realise is that contests also bring levels of activity to the bands that can benefit the casual operator who can in the course of a contest work many new entities (towards DXCC), exploit apparently much improved propagation on bands that are ‘closed’ outside of contests (10m in particular is often ‘open’ during contests).
I enjoy contests. I’m not a contester and I have never submitted a contest entry but I always go into a big contest weekend hoping to work a new one or two and I’m more often than not, not disappointed!
I know for sure that my DXCC total (currently standing at 176) would be a lot smaller were it not for contests. I’d encourage all amateur radio operators to embrace contests and make the most of them for their own ends. I know I will certainly keep on doing just that!