[ARDF] Fun and Frustration

[Homingin at aol.com]

Jay Henningan wrote:
> Shame on the ARRL for this month's QST with a theme of "Radio sport"

As Ken Harker pointed out, ARRL has been "rebranding" on-air contesting 
into RadioSport for some time.  And it's not just ARRL, because I heard the 
same lament from Bob G3ORY in an e-mail two weeks ago about the RSGB magazine.  
Stateside ARDFers have tended to think that the term "radiosport" belongs 
only to us, but it has never been that way elsewhere in the world.

To be fair, Sean KX9X, who does the QST RadioSport column, did write some 
nice paragraphs on the Boston ARDF championships, I think it was in the May 
issue.  But he didn't contact me beforehand and so I didn't have the chance 
to give him some good photos.  After that, I e-mailed to invite him to come 
experience the championships in Boston firsthand, but he replied that he is a 
member of a band and had a gig that weekend.  I'll keep after him and maybe 
he'll go to one of Vadim's sessions.  If so, welcome him!

I was not invited to submit anything for the October RadioSport special 
issue.

Regarding the proposed training Web site, Marvin wrote:
> I've been talking to Joe Moell, K0OV, about this for a 
> while, so I'm sure he is sick of hearing about it :)

Nope, what I'm sick of hearing is people lamenting the lack of ARDF 
participation and growth but not doing anything about it by holding local events.  
It's like the old cartoon caption "Ya gotta get out there and make calls if 
you want to get results."  Why aren't there monthly ARDF sessions in each of 
your localities?

Besides Boston, the only areas where I see on-foot hunts increasing in 
regularity are in Washington State, including Tacoma and Port Angeles, and in 
Milwaukee.

Marvin's training site is a great idea and I hope he does it, but people 
have to see ARDF and experience it first before they want to be trained.  
That's why I'm so glad that Vadim is putting on regular events in the Boston 
area.  However, I disagree with Vadim when he writes that "hams aren't 
interested in ARDF."  Maybe the Boston hams he has met are too old, but they have 
kids and grandkids.  When was the last time someone gave a talk or showed Gary 
Pearce's great video to the dozen or so ham clubs around there and invited 
them to come out with their families?

And besides Vadim at his local events, there are Nikolay and Leszek, who 
are also licensed hams.  According to his own results listings, the majority 
of attendees at his August 3rd session had their ham licenses.

Here in California and in other places like Ohio, it's the licensed hams 
that show up in greatest numbers to the practice sessions, and we get new ones 
every time.  Marvin and I have tried for years with the LA Orienteering 
Club members, but most don't show continuing interest in radio-O.  We'll keep 
reaching out to them, but we'll also keep on getting more hams to our ten or 
so ARDF sessions every year by giving talks at ham clubs and doing other 
promotion.  Hams are where the interest is out here -- experience proves it.

73,
Joe Moell K0OV