www.yccc.org

YCCCYANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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YCCCYANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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So, How can I Compete?

[Little ol’ me?]

Jim Idelson K1IR

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

30 YEARS 1977-2007 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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Many Levels of Competition

• “Big Gun” Competition• Win or set a record in a major category

• “Climber” Competition• Win or place in a smaller category

• “Starter” Competition• Beat your own personal goals!

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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“Starter” Competition

• Compete with a friend• Join an ‘inside-the-club’ competition• Compete with ‘past results’• Compete with yourself

• Set a personal goal and make it!• Learn how to motivate yourself.

Secret of the champs:

Competing with yourself is how you win.

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

30 YEARS 1977-2007 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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Your First Contest

• What kind of operating do you enjoy most?• Low bands? High bands? SSB? Digital?

Domestic? DX?

• Find the contests that focus on this kind of operating.• Pick a contest, a category, and get started!

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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Your First Contest

• Do your homework• Look at past scores in the contest

• What’s a great score from your area? A good score?

• Note how many hours each entrant put in

• Talk to others who have experience• What kind of station capabilities are helpful?

• How does a good operator approach this contest?

• How many hours do they put in, and which are the best hours?

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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Your First Contest

• Set your goals• Set a few different goals – primary and secondary

• Have fun [PRI]

• Hours you commit to operate – “Chair Time” [PRI]

• Learn a new operating skill – how to S&P [PRI]

• Commit to submit your score [PRI]

• Total QSOs you hope to make [SEC]

• Learn how your station and antennas perform [SEC]

• It’s your FIRST contest!• Make your goals achievable . . .• Be a success in your first outing!

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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Your First Contest

• After the contest• Post your score on 3830• Submit in your log• Assess your performance against your goals• Write a narrative describing what you did, what went well, what

did not• Think about areas to improve and goals for next time, and

write them down

• Do all of this while the experience is fresh in your mind

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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Ways to Have More Fun

• Don’t do it alone• Do it with a friend

• Someone who is at the same stage as you

• You could both single-op or do a multi

• Find a mentor• Someone with experience who will assist you in setting good

goals, staying motivated, getting prepared and analyzing your performance when its all over

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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Ways to Have More Fun

• Clear the decks• Be focused 100% on the contest

• Let everybody who wants/needs your time and attention know that you will not be available during the contest

• Use a computer• You can log your first contest with paper and pencil

• You will have fun, but

• Logging with a computer is way more fun

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

30 YEARS 1977-2007 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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Ways to Have More Fun

• Commit to Having Fun• Fun is a state-of-mind

• Things will go wrong . . .

• You might not achieve all your goals . . .

• If you let these things get to you, the fun will be hard to find . . .• But, if you remember that contesting poses new challenges at

every level . . . • You will always have fun!

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YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB

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A Winning Attitude

You can win your first contest!1. Do what you enjoy

2. Set goals that you can achieve

3. Stay focused

4. Stay motivated

5. Have fun

6. Exceed your goals

7. Repeat