Is there Value in Documenting Contest Activity?

N9RV's Op-Ed piece in the March/April 2015 issue of the  National Contest Journal (NCJ) touched on the importance of documenting our contest activities, as well as learning from other scores posted to 3830Scores.Com and looking up old RBN (Reverse Beacon Network) charts.

WQ6X operating as W1AW/6

This WQ6X Contest Blog is in line with the above points.
I sent Patrick an e-mail detailing how I go about documenting my contest activities.  It occurred to me that others might like to see this and will have their own thoughts for inclusion to this discussion.


Here is what I wrote to N9RV

Your editorial comments in March/April NCJ got me to thinking about all the contests I have participated in since approximately 1970.  Other than a few things which stand out in each event, you are correct in saying that we remember the events but not many of the details of each event.

Because digital-cams and video are so cheaply plentiful, I make it a point to take as many pics and shoot as many video clips as time can be made for.  Because I have the http://wq6x.info/ website I can document some of the more important events such as my expedition with N6GEO on
St. Croix as WP2/WQ6X in the 2014 RTTY RU (we  took 1st place LP worldwide); or, our last 5 successive CQP events: http://WQ6X.Info/CQP.

When I post a log to 3830 I usually write a paragraph or two - not only for everyone else, but for me a year from now.  I also write a rather detailed soapbox entry, cuz ya' never know when the person writing up the contest will want to quote a soapbox entry, as happened in reference to WP2/WQ6X in the 2014 RTTY RU results write-up. (Documented on my /WP2 web page.)

Since January 2013 I have been maintaining a contest blog wherein I can post thoughts, URL links, videos & pictures from each contest event a few days after it is over.  You can see the blog at: http://WQ6X.Blogspot.Com.  In fact, I even posted the contents of this letter as a Blog Entry.

Facebook is also a great place to post information.  I announce most upcoming contest GiGs so friends and family know where I am on any given contest weekend.  It also allows hams on FB to keep up with my activities and the world of contesting in general.  People often don't know a contest or event is happening (such as the International Lighthouse event this weekend) until they see my Facebook announcement.
You can find my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ron.fitch.69

W1AW/6 Stepp-IR + 2-el 40

I would like to encourage YOU to start your own contest reporting Blog here on BlogSpot.Com. 
It's free. 
Who knows, your unique form of reporting might make a difference in operational improvements for a wanna be contester, or even a well seasoned Multi-Multi operation.

Once your Blog beginning is ready, PLEASE send me a link to it.  I will link to it from this Blog and will be happy to post something positive to it.

Until then - 73's - CU around the bands and in your Blog.

  Ron
 WQ6X