A VHF/UHF handheld activity proposal

With as many folks out there who have HTs, surely there is some way to get them more engaged, make everyone a better operator, and build some community.

Here’s an idea to do that – but it’s just the start really. I’ve put some details that need to be sorted out as questions. I’d like to hear your feedback in the comments.

I’m sure this has been tried before – anyone have the details?

Purpose

1. Get people on the air
2. Build community
3. Learn to communicate effectively
4. Use the most common equipment – VHR/UHF FM HT’s

Key elements

1. Enough structure that newbies aren’t struggling with what to say or how to say it.
2. Simple to get involved – minimal apps, or other stuff to sign up for or get. Maybe one site to register with & upload logs to.
3. Communicate over large distances
4. Points/awards/accomplishment/collections

Methodology

1. The originator calls other hams using an HT and transfers a short, simple message. Maybe more of a token – three letter-number pairs let’s say. The originator logs each contact made, with UTC, and 8-digit grid square, and message.
   
   • How do they know who to call?
   • How does this get started?
   • How do they know what the destination is?
   • How do the recipients know to be on air?
   • What frequency should people use?
2. Each of the recipients logs the contact, with UTC, 8-digit sub grid, and message.
   
   • How do the recipients know to be on air?
   • Maybe the event is spotted via dtmf tones?
   • Maybe they’re just monitoring?
3. Those recipients then each call other operators and the cycle repeats.
   
   • How does everyone know where the message got to?
   • How does everyone know if it worked?
   • Some kind of instant logging network so people can see what’s happening?
4. The logs are all submitted to a site & evaluated.
   
   • A chain is identified as the log entries that all have the exact same token/message. If someone gets it wrong, the chain is broken because those log entries won’t match.
   • Everyone in a chain gets credit for the sub grid squares from the start to their station.
   • Operators get credit for each confirmed QSO.
   • The folks who are part of the operator to operator sequence that reaches the destination get credit for all the sub grid squares in the sequence.
   • Extra points for speed.
5. There would be some kind of site with stats on chains – longest chain by distance or links, fastest chain, top chain operators, etc.

So there it is. What do you think? Would this get people on air?