Les and folks, some thoughts on the 5BVUCC idea:
In an effort to stimulate activity on VHF/UHF bands beyond 70 CM, I?d like to suggest the creation of a Five Band VUCC (5B VUCC) award that would closely mirror the 5 Band DXCC Award.
It seems a worthwhile award for folks to go for, it would provide a further step for folks who have already gotten VUCC. The extra bands would remain easy for operators in the east, and difficult for those in the west.
Unfortunately, I don't think it would really provide lasting activity on the bands - nowdays folks would get on with FT8, exchange encoded callsigns and a couple more bits of information, and call it a contact. Then they wourl move on to the next grid or band. Continuing activity, ragchewing, even short "It is good to hear from you again", sort of contacts that don't add additional grids, but do add activity, would not be encouraged, as competitors would be letting their computers search out FT8 signals (random or arranged).
Perhaps I am missing something - isn't it possible to get VUCC on several bands as separate VUCC, so one could have it on 6 meters, 2 meters, and so on? If it isn't, it seems that it should be. Then 5BVUCC would just be 5 of these single-band VUCC awards.
I would love to see an approach that left operator skill as more important than computer processing power -- the only thing I can think of is mode specific awards. If by operating SSB or CW I were not competing against computers exchanging minimal traces of information, it would not be so disillusioning.
Alan