Contester's Rate Sheet for June 4, 2003
*********************** Contester's Rate Sheet 4 June 2003 *********************** Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX SUMMARY o June VHF QSO Party -- June 14, 15, 16 -- this is the Big One! o World-Wide Young Contesters Web site o AEA-Wireless' new impedance analyzer o Roger Western G3SXW's new book o W9CF's new transmission line calculator Web site o WRTC-Style Contesting in the IARU-HF Championship BULLETINS o No bulletins in this issue BUSTED QSOS o The correct URL for the ARCI Hootowl Sprint is http://personal.palouse.net/rfoltz/arci/hoot.htm. The Holiday Sprint Web URL was mistakenly cut-and-pasted into last week's edition. (Thanks, Tom K1KI) o The correct URL for the Baltic Contest has been changed to http://www.lrsf.lt/BContest/index.htm and the CQ WW WPX Web site URL is actually http://home.woh.rr.com/wpx/. (Thanks, Bob W2SR) ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 4 JUNE TO 17 JUNE 2003 Logs are due for the following contests: June 4 - ARI International DX Contest, email to: aricontest@ari.it, paper logs to: ARI Contest Manager, Fabio Schettino, I4UFH, PO BOX 1677, I-40100 Bologna, Italy June 6 - MARAC County Hunter Contest, CW, email to: w3dya@juno.com, paper logs to: Norm Beavers, W3DYA, 3320 McMillan Dr, Tyler, TX 75701-8239, USA June 7 - 50 MHz Spring Sprint, email to: springsprints@etdxa.org, paper logs to: 50 MHz Spring Sprint, ETDXA/WU4O, Jeff J. Baker, 8218 Foxworth Trail, Powell, TN 37849, USA June 9 - FISTS Spring Sprint, email to: W8PIG@yahoo.com, paper logs to: Dan Shepherd, N8IE, 1900 Pittsfield St, Kettering, OH 45420, USA June 10 - Oregon QSO Party, email to: k4xu@arrl.net, paper logs to: Oregon QSO Party, c/o K9QAM, 23083 Maverick Lane, Bend, OR 97701, USA June 15 - GACW CW DX Contest, email to: uranito@infovia.com.ar, paper logs to: GACW DX Contest, PO Box 9, B1875ZAA Wilde, Buenos Aires, Argentina June 15 - Indiana QSO Party, email to: inqp@hdxcc.org, paper logs to: HDXCC, c/o Mike Goode, N9NS, 10340 Broadway, Indianapolis, IN 46280-1344, USA June 15 - Nevada QSO Party, email to: nw7o@anv.net, paper logs to: Jim Frye, NW7O, 4120 Oakhill Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89121-6319, USA The following contests are scheduled: Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the contest rules summaries: SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multiop - 2 Transmitters; MO - Multi-Op; MS - Multi-Op, Single Transmitter; MM - Multi-Op, Multiple Transmitters; AB - All Band; SB - Single Band; S/P/C - State/Province/DXCC Entity; HP - High Power; LP - Low Power; Entity - DXCC Entity HF CONTESTS QRP TAC Contest--CW--sponsored by EPA QRP Club from 1800 to 2359Z Jun 7. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters. Categories: QRP (<5 W), QRPp (<1 W), Tactical (portable with temporary antennas), Homebrew, Classic (pre-1985 radios.) Exchange: RST, name and telephone area code (TAC), DX send area code or prefix. PA stations send X after the area code. For more information - http://www.n3epa.org/. Logs due Jul 12 to tac@n3epa.org or EPA QRP Club c/o Ron Polityka, 1155 Robeson St, 2nd Fl, Reading, PA 19604-2151. WW South America CW Contest--sponsored by the Confederacao Brasileira de Radioamadorismo (LABRE) from 0000Z Jun 7 - 1600Z Jun 8. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MOAB. Exchange: RST and continent. QSO Points: South America entrants: own country--1 pt, different country--3 pts, diff. continent--10 pts; non-SA entrants: own country--1 pt, diff. country--3 pts, diff. cont.--5 pts, SA--10 pts. Score is QSO points x prefixes (WPX rules). For more information - http://www.labre.org. Logs due 31 Jul to labre@labre.org or LABRE--WWSA Contest Committee, PO Box 0000470359-970, 70359-970 Brasilia DF, Brazil. ANARTS WW RTTY / Digital Contest--sponsored by Austalian National Amateur Radio Teleprinter Society (ANARTS) from 0000Z Jun 14 - 2400Z Jun 15. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters. Categories: SO, MS, and SWL, SO and SWL only operate 30 hours. Exchange RST, CQ zone and Time (UTC). QSO Points are determined by an exchange table available from ANARTS. Score is QSO points x DXCC entities + VK, JA, VE, and W call districts + continents (counted only once). For more information -- http://www.users.bigpond.com/ctdavies/Rules%202003.txt. Logs due Sep 1 to ctdavies@bigpond.com or Contest Manager, VK2BQS, Jim Swan, PO Box 93, Toongabbie, N.S.W. 2146, Australia Asia-Pacific Sprint--SSB--sponsored by the Asia-Pacific Sprint Committee from 1100Z - 1300Z Jun 14. Frequencies: 20 and 40-meters, NA stations work Asia-Pacific countries only. Categories: SO only, 150 watts max. Exchange: RST and serial number. Score: total QSOs x WPX prefixes (counted once). For more information -- http://jsfc.org/apsprint/aprule.txt. Logs due 7 days after the contest to apsprint@kkn.net (no paper logs). West Virginia QSO Party--CW/SSB--sponsored by the West Virginia State Amateur Radio Council from 1600Z Jun 14 - 0200Z Jun 15. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters, CW--35 kHz from band edge, Phone--35 kHz from General Class band edge and Novice/Tech 10-meter segment. Categories: SO, MS, MM and Mobile, all categories may be HP, LP (<100W), QRP (<5W), Phone, CW, or mixed mode. Work stations once per band/mode and WV stations from each county (WV mobiles keep separate log for each county). Exchange: RS(T) and WV county or SPC. QSO Points: Fixed stations: CW--2 pts, SSB--1 pt; Mobiles: CW--3 pts, SSB--2 pts; Bonus--100 pts for QSOs with W8WVA once per band/mode, WV mobiles add 100 points per county activated with minimum of 1 QSO. Score: QSO points x WV counties (+ SPC for WV stations), add bonus to final score, multipliers count only once. For more information -- http://www.qsl.net/wvarrl/wvqp2003.html. Logs due Jul 15 to WA8WV@aol.com or Dave Ellis WA8WV, 610 Hillsdale Drive, Charleston, WV 25302. Portugal Day Contest--SSB--sponsored by Rede dos Emissores Portugueses (REP) from 0000Z -- 2400Z Jun 14. Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters. Categories: SOAB only. Exchange: RS + serial number or CT district abbreviation. QSO Points: different country--3 pts, CT stations--6 pts. Score: QSO points x CT districts counted once per band. For more information - http://www.rep.pt. Logs due 31 Aug to REP - Rede dos Emissores Portugueses, Award/Contest Manager, PO Box 2483, 1112 Lisboa Codex, Portugal. VHF CONTESTS ARRL June VHF QSO Party -- from 1800Z Jun 14 - 0300Z Jun 16. Frequencies: all bands 50 MHz and higher. Categories: SO-LP, SO-HP, SO-Portable, Rover, MO, Limited-MO. Exchange: 4-digit grid square locator. QSO Points: 50 & 144 MHz -- 1 pt, 222 & 432 MHz -- 2 pts, 906 & 1296 MHz -- 3 pts, 2.3 GHz and higher -- 4 pts. Total score: QSO Points x grid squares (counted once per band). For Rovers: QSO Points x unique grid squares + grids activated with at least one QSO. For more information - www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2003/june-vhf.html). Logs due 16 Jul to JuneVHF@arrl.org (Cabrillo format only) or June VHF, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. DDFM French Departments 6-Meter Contest -- CW/SSB - sponsored by Union Francaise de Radioamateurs (REF) from 1600Z Jun 14 -- 1600Z Jun 15. Frequencies (MHz): 50.200 and higher. Categories: French and non-French. Exchange: callsign, RS(T), serial number, and 4-digit grid locator. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Total score: QSO points x (locators + departments). For more information - f8op@wanadoo.fr. Logs due 14 July 2003 to ddfm50@ref-union.org or F6IIT, Patrick Vermotte, 175 chemin des Meuniers, F-86130 Dissay, France. NEWS & PRESS RELEASES The line scores for the 2002 November Sweepstakes (CW and Phone) and the 2002 160-Meter contest are now available online. A scoring error was discovered in the 10-Meter Log Checking software and was corrected. This entailed a complete review and revision of the 2002 10-Meter Results for QST and the Web. The Web changes were made and re-opened to the public. (Thanks, Dan N1ND) Calling all Old Farts! Check out the World Wide Young Contesters Newsletter at http://www.wwyc.net. The newsletter is available in PDF format (both a high-res and low-res version). All comments are welcome to news@wwyc.net or by a post into the WWYC Forum on http://www.wwyc.net/forum. (Thanks, Hrle 9A6XX) Beta testing of Logbook of the World (LoTW) has been underway since May 15 with over five million contacts added to the LoTW database so far. To join the beta testing program, which wraps up in mid-July, visit the Logbook of the World - Getting Started site, http://www.arrl.org/lotw/getstart.html. Logging software developers now can get documentation and a Windows DLL library plus complete source code for the TQSL software at the SourceForge Web site - http://sourceforge.net/projects/trustedqsl/. One interesting side effect of the beta testing is that many have found their addresses in the FCC data base are not current. Make sure your FCC address is correct by visiting the FCC Web site - http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/amateur/licensing/changingaddress.html or submit a license modification or renewal through the ARRL VEC at http://www.arrl.org/fcc/forms.html. AEA-Wireless has released a new Vector Impedance Analyzer - http://www.aea-wireless.com/viabravo.htm. It can measure complex impedance over a larger impedance range with better accuracy than the AEA CIA-HF model. The analyzer features new cable test functions and a spectrum analyzer mode. It also has non-volatile memory to store measurements. After the measurements are downloaded, an included software package allows you to plot the data. and download the data to a PC. (Thanks, John W1FV) Those of you that have done any DX contesting will surely recognize the callsign of Roger Western G3SXW or one of the many variations on that theme from exotic countries such as ZD9, XT, or FH. Idiom Press (http://www.idiompress.com) has just published a book by Roger called "Up Two -- Adventures of a DX-peditioner". It tells the story of each of Roger's numerous DX-peditions, plus some tips on operating and QSLing. Roger's wit and humor certainly shine through and you'll find the book to be a great read while waiting for the next New One to come on the air. Scott W4PA (w4pa@yahoo.com) and your editor are once again writing up the ARRL DX Contest results. To make the results better and more interesting, we are looking for two types of helper. One way to help is for you to write and tell us about exciting contest events in your region. These can be personal stories about your personal contest effort or you can write about someone you know that really did well, such as breaking a regional record or keeping a win streak alive. The other way to help is to look over the final scores from your ARRL division and let us know if there are some hidden gems that we might not see. Is there a big club rivalry or maybe a multi-op did really well this year. You don't have to be Shakespeare to contribute -- Scott and I will do the hard part. Please email us if you'd like to help improve the quality and depth of the contest results writeups. RESULTS AND RECORDS The complete list (electronic and paper) of Logs Received for the 2003 ARRL International DX CW and Phone contests are available at - http://www.arrl.org/contests/claimed/. If you find an error in your listing, please contact N1ND at n1nd@arrl.org and have your receipt number ready. Member's-Only access to the 2002 ARRL Ten-Meter Contest is now available at -http://www.arrl.org/contests/results/. The PDF of the QST article for non-members will be posted in about a week. The PDF of the QST article with line scores will be posted on-line for the general public in approximately 3-4 weeks. (Thanks, Dan N1ND) TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE A note regarding last issue's comments about identifying -- or not. Chuck K3FT and others questioned whether I was recommending that U.S. stations could skip identifying themselves. Reviewing the last editorial, it certainly might be read that way. My intent was to discuss identifying from a "DX" location where rules and regulations are typically much less specific. Nearly all of the "ID Offenders" that I have heard on the bands and discussed on the reflectors are DX stations. When was the last time a U.S. station had a pileup that big? FCC regulations are pretty clear -- U.S. stations have to identify with their callsigns. I'll have a bit more to say on the subject in a later issue. W9CF has written and made available on his web site a very nice transmission line calculator at http://fermi.la.asu.edu/w9cf/tran/. You can use it on any computer that runs JAVA and a browser. This is a very useful program and quite intuitive to use. It has a number of transmission lines already built in, or you design your own. W9CF's Web calculators (antenna tuner and Yagi modeler) have been mentioned before in the Rate Sheet. They're worth a bookmark! (Thanks, Dr. Megacycle KK6MC/5) Rog, K9RB reports that a reliable rotator connector is the automotive flat rubber trailer connectors that come with pigtails. These can be soldered, or butt-spliced to the wires after the factory connector has been cut off. The pigtails are about a foot long and the connectors come in 4 and 6-pin varieties. For 8 wire rotators, he uses two of the 4-pin connectors with a male and a female on each end so there is no way to mis-mate them. They are relatively inexpensive and available at most department, hardware, and auto parts stores. Jim Tabor, KU5S has an interesting program called GeoAlert Wizard, which he has just updated. It sits in the system tray on your PC and grabs solar and geophysical data automatically off the internet. Check it out at http://www.taborsoft.com/gawiz. (from K7RA's ARRL Propagation Bulletin) If you want the absolute straight story on IRC's, steer your browser to the Universal Postal Union site - http://www.upu.int/irc/en/index.html#zone_reserve. (Thanks, Tom K1KI) If you're technically inclined, there's an excellent article,"Understanding Common Mode Signals" by Jim Sherwin in the April 17th issue of EDN Magazine - http://www.e-insite.net/ednmag/index.asp?layout=article&;articleId=CA289961&text=jim+sherwin. Common mode signals are those nasty things our ham radios induce on telephone, speaker, TV coax, and power cords that cause interference. The article explains how the signals are generated and presents a discussion of how to deal with them. CONVERSATION WRTC-Style Contesting in the IARU-HF Championship The response to my sponsorship of an informal "WRTC-Style" contest-within-a-contest has been largely positive. For those of you that missed the initial announcement, I am encouraging two-operator teams to compete in the IARU-HF Championship multi-single category using a station setup similar to that of the 2002 WRTC. I will provide a registration mechanism and all reporting will be based on Claimed Scores. This is an honor system competition designed to keep the WRTC flame "alive" between official events. A Web site with the complete information should be available shortly. Some teams have already registered; the first was Teemu SM0WKA and Mikael SM4THN who will be using the callsign SM0W. Jan OK1QM and OK1NR are the first father-and-son team. From what I have heard, there will be quite a number of teams participating. Jan also reports that he and Martin, OL5Y organized a special local contest during CQ-M. All competitors (it was a first year and there were 8 participants) used the same set up - barefoot transceiver and dipole antennas for 80, 40 and 20-meters on 10-meter high towers. There are pictures at http://www.sweb.cz/cric2003/ and the complete logs are available as a single spreadsheet at http://www.sweb.cz/cric2003/cric2003.zip. Bruce Horn WA7BNM stepped up and will add the team score reporting facility to the IARU-HF claimed-score submission Web page at http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score. Each team that registers will be able to submit their scores under their team registration callsign. The scores will then be reported as team scores in the multi-single category along with other claimed scores in the regular submissions to CQ-Contest and the 3830 mailing list. (For more information about those lists, browse to http://www.contesting.com and look for the lists along the left side of the screen.) Thanks, Bruce! Gerry Hull W1VE also volunteered to host a real-time, manual score reporting Web page on his servers. Each team that registers will receive a password that will allow them to enter their score during the contest. The scores will then be sorted by several criteria. The team just needs to open a browser window to Gerry's Web page and then enter their line score every so often - or when they're doing really well. Thanks, Gerry! This and Bruce's offer are great examples of volunteerism enhancing the sport. The subject of real-time score reporting has gotten a fair amount of air time on the CQ-Contest reflector. The chief objection is that having one's current score made public along with a callsign and operator identity will result in "popularity contests" with friends and associates of the operators trying the "help" the team. I must say that this is an actual problem that has existed in contesting for a long time. In the original WRTC held in Seattle, there were clearly instances of "pass-the-microphone" where friends of the teams in their home country fed the teams calls even though the teams all had randomly-distributed calls. Actually, in any contest, anonymity is pretty much a myth on phone if you are familiar with the voice of the operator. Furthermore, the plans and calls of the operators are almost always fairly well known. Club members and friends often look for familiar calls on the air to give out a few points. I've done it and so have most other contesters not making a serious effort. This is part of the social cooperation aspect so unique to the sport. The worst-case scenario here is two closely-matched teams with the final result skewed towards one team by these "friends and family" QSOs. It's quite possible, of course, and has probably already occurred in WRTC or in other contests -- we're just not aware of it. Others have made the point that if you're watching the scoreboard, you're not making QSOs. Unassailably true. Some might say, "Why? What's wrong with the way things are now?" Good question. Current reporting is abysmally slow, but is that necessarily a bad thing for the on-air competition itself? Ignore the public-exposure and call-feeding angles for the moment and ask if the knowledge of the score of one's peers would affect the actual competition for better or worse. It adds a dimension of pressure to the competitors that is not there now. To look or not to look? The real-time reporting of scores is definitely a new element in radiosport contesting. It definitely has the potential to cause some disruption. It also has the potential to enhance competition and encourage interest in the sport. The only way that we will be able to answer the question is to make a controlled experiment. The WRTC-style team operations give us the opportunity to make that experiment and learn a bit about what it means to open up score reporting. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Contester's Rate Sheet wishes to acknowledge information from the following sources: WA7BNM's Contest Calendar Web page - http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/ ARRL Contest page - http://www.arrl.org/contests/ SM3CER's Web site - http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/
