RC India

RC Baazar => Free, Donations and Sweepstakes => Topic started by: K K Iyer on February 14, 2019, 01:39:11 AM



Title: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: K K Iyer on February 14, 2019, 01:39:11 AM
Often wondered how to encourage youngsters.
Can small cash prizes motivate them?
The only way to find out is to try.
With what I can afford.

Here are some small cash prizes, open till 31.3.2019

1. Rs 1000 for the first 10+ second flight by a hand launch chuck glider
2. Rs 2000 for the first 20+ second flight by a hand/catapult launched glider
3. Rs 3000 for the first 60+ second by a rubber power/hand/catapult launch free flight model
4. Rs 5000 for the first 120+ second flight by an RC/FF glider (50m towline or 10m rubber histart)
5. Rs 10000 for the first 30+ minute flight with solar power (no onboard battery)

That’s about as much as I can put up.
Other sponsors/mentors are welcome to add to the prizes.

There’s 6 weeks time.
Any takers?
(BTW, by international standards, these are rather low targets, ok?)

Welcome aboard, one and all.
I’ll be happy if I get even 3 entries per category.

Regards
Iyer.

Edit
Saikat sir has generously offered to match the prize money. Maybe we’ll get more sponsors!
Major change may be from first flight to qualify, to longest flight before deadline.
Please wait till Sunday 17th night for final guidelines


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: kiran rc on February 14, 2019, 02:34:48 PM
A very good initiative indeed!

If anybody is interested in trying the solar power challenge, here's a link.
http://www.rcindia.org/self-designed-diy-and-college-projects/solar-plane-'the-infinity'/


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: K K Iyer on February 14, 2019, 09:51:32 PM
No interest yet?
Kiran was a beginner just 2-3 years ago, but quickly became an expert in many facets of aeromodelling.

@kiran rc,
Request your comments on wether the proposed goals are easy or not...


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: K K Iyer on February 14, 2019, 09:55:28 PM
Request to veterans
Is this the wrong way to enthuse newbies?
Grateful for advice...
Regards


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: saikat on February 15, 2019, 08:25:36 AM
Hi KK ... More than wrong or right it is a WAY ... It is the initiative that really
matters.

I WILL MATCH whatever you have put up .... i.e for others that are reading the purse is effectively
doubled.

Administration of the entire endeavour will have to be done by you KK.


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: saikat on February 15, 2019, 08:37:26 AM
Everything is about catching eyeballs these days ....
So maybe some one with aptitude on the forum ought to design
a glitzy poster and give this initiative a name ( something zingy)

Then we can all post to various social media like facebook and whatsapp

That really ought to get the youngsters scrambling.


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: kiran rc on February 15, 2019, 09:08:14 AM
@KK Iyer
Sir, could it be renamed to something like the 'sweepstakes' that used to happen earlier? (Also a separate thread for the list of participating contestants with a deadline)

P. S  Regarding the difficulty level of the contest...
•Flight time of 10-15seconds is easily achievable.
 Beginners can focus on challenge 1 & 2.
• Challenges 3 ,4 &5 will require some trials and remakes.
  Nevertheless,  the results would be worth it!
 
 
  


    
        



Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: noob flyer on February 15, 2019, 03:34:53 PM
Hello sir, you said that this is to encourage new youngsters to take part in the hobby. I'm only 13 and I've built a quad that I've been flying for 5-6 months, can I take up this challenge?Or is it cheating because I'm not new?


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: K K Iyer on February 15, 2019, 06:14:59 PM
Hello sir, you said that this is to encourage new youngsters to take part in the hobby. I'm only 13 and I've built a quad that I've been flying for 5-6 months, can I take up this challenge?Or is it cheating because I'm not new?

To fly chuck gliders, you have to feel young. That’s all. No age or experience barriers.



Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: K K Iyer on February 15, 2019, 06:43:32 PM
Hi KK ... More than wrong or right it is a WAY ... It is the initiative that really
matters.

I WILL MATCH whatever you have put up .... i.e for others that are reading the purse is effectively
doubled.

Administration of the entire endeavour will have to be done by you KK.


Actually there’s no administration involved at all.
First guy to post a video here of a flight meeting the goal of a category wins that category. Simple!

May I suggest that instead of doubling the prize for the first successful entry, we could double the number of winners by offering the prize to the first two, instead of just the first.

Saikat sir,
At present it’s not a duration contest. Intention was to speed up the response.
Result will be that each category will close as soon as the first successful flight is posted, and no one else will participate thereafter.
Perhaps it may be better to make it a duration contest, with the stipulated target being the minimum to qualify. This may keep more people interested till the deadline, as they can post longer flights than that of others (and even their own earlier flights)
What do you think?

I’d like to post clear unambiguous guidelines by Sunday the 17th, and make that the start date (ie, earlier videos/flights not eligible). Else some of us (especially you and me ;D) could win even before the contest starts. Models built earlier can enter, as long as the flight is after the start date.

Participants kindly wait till Sunday night for final guidelines[\b]

Regards



Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: noob flyer on February 15, 2019, 06:59:13 PM
Thank you!I'll try my best(If my exams let me)


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: K K Iyer on February 15, 2019, 07:09:32 PM
@kiran rc,
Sweepstakes was ultimately a lottery. Everyone except the winner feels shortchanged.
Not ideal for a competetive endeavour.

Look at the various “Build Offs” in the Vintage Forum on RC Groups. Often with a ‘theme’.
Usually last 6 months (!) and get 10-20 entries.
Everyone posts detailed build logs lasting several pages. Everyone else comments/ offers suggestions.
Sometimes there is a popularity poll. Last time my Iambus got one ‘like’, enabling me to get off the mark, so I could cast my vote for a more deserving model!
And the prize is just a token from the person running the Build Off. Last time it was a 20-30 year old wooden razor plane!
There’s so much input that today it took me 3hours to catch just because I didn’t log in yesterday!

Kiran, remember that YOU are one of the NextGen with responsibility for carrying this forward.
Regards


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: kiran rc on February 15, 2019, 07:53:05 PM
@KK Iyer
Thanks for your kind words sir!

P.S-   not the sweepstakes title obiously ;D
A solid title may attract people. Lot of unregistered users may also end up here and try to participate!



Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: K K Iyer on February 16, 2019, 08:07:58 PM
@saikat sir,

Await your response to my post #9.

And to these ideas.

1. One prize for the first to meet the goal, another for the best duration achieved by the deadline.
2. Task 5, 30+ minutes on solar power alone, will be hard to achieve, and harder to document.
So maybe change the target to 2 minutes on solar power alone (no onboard battery). One prize to the first achiever, and another to the best duration thereafter.

Regards


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: saikat on February 17, 2019, 05:33:41 PM
@saikat sir,

Await your response to my post #9.

And to these ideas.

1. One prize for the first to meet the goal, another for the best duration achieved by the deadline.
2. Task 5, 30+ minutes on solar power alone, will be hard to achieve, and harder to document.
So maybe change the target to 2 minutes on solar power alone (no onboard battery). One prize to the first achiever, and another to the best duration thereafter.

Regards


Ok


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: noob flyer on February 17, 2019, 06:40:22 PM
@KK Iyer
Thanks for your kind words sir!

P.S-   not the sweepstakes title obiously ;D
A solid title may attract people. Lot of unregistered users may also end up here and try to participate!




I think he is right too.The first time I saw this post, I waited 2 or 3 days before actually veiwing it as i thought this was just a discussion and not a competition.


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: Imperial fire on February 17, 2019, 11:27:00 PM
fantastic initiative. for students under class 10 we can have cash prizes with parents consent on winning.
will share this with students that i meet . i myself am working on a little project to encourage this hobby among students... here projectnabh.wordpress.com

i come across so many students who are very interested in this hobby but have too many misconceptions. keep going friend! best wishes


Title: Re: Can small cash prizes encourage attempts?
Post by: K K Iyer on February 18, 2019, 12:53:11 AM
This thread closed.offers withdrawn.
For revised guidelines, pl see

http://www.rcindia.org/free-donations-and-sweepstakes/small-cash-prize-contest/msg298231/#new