Contester's Rate Sheet for August 27, 2003
*********************** Contester's Rate Sheet 27 August 2003 *********************** Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX SUMMARY o All-Asia Phone and North American CW Sprint coming up o New email address for WAEDC log submissions o 2003 ARRL DX Phone and 2002 OK-OM contest results available o Lots of free software o Email ionospheric and solar event alerts o Peaceful Coexistence BULLETINS o The SCC RTTY Championship was reported in Contest Corral as taking place on Aug 23-24, but actually occurs this coming weekend. BUSTED QSOS o A golden issue last time! ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 27 AUGUST TO 9 SEPTEMBER 2003 Logs are due for the following contests: August 30 - CQC Great Colorado Gold Rush, email to: contest@cqc.org, paper logs to: Goldrush, c/o CQC, PO Box 371883, Denver, CO 80237-1883, USA August 30 - TARA Grid Dip PSK-RTTY Shindig, post logs at: http://www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_grid_score.html, no email or paper logs August 31 - Portugal Day Contest, email to: (none), paper logs to: REP Award/Contest Manager, PO Box 2483, 1112 Lisboa Codex, Portugal August 31 - Venezuelan Ind. Day Contest, SSB/CW, email to: contestyv@cantv.net, paper logs to: Radio Club Venezolano, Concurso Independencia de Venezuela, PO Box 2285, Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela August 31 - European HF Championship, email to: euhfc@hamradio.si, paper logs to: Slovenia Contest Club, Saveljska 50, 1113 Ljubljana, Slovenia September 1 - ANARTS WW RTTY Contest, email to: ctdavies@bigpond.com, paper logs to: Contest Manager ANARTS, PO Box 93, Toongabbie, NSW 2146, Australia September 1 - CQ Worldwide VHF Contest, email to: cqvhf@cqww.com, paper logs to: CQ VHF Contest, 25 Newbridge Road, Hicksville, NY 11801, USA September 1 - Russian RTTY WW Contest, email to: contest@radio.ru, paper logs to: Russian RTTY WW Contest, Radio Magazine, Seliverstov per. 10, Moscow 107045, Russia September 1 - Black Sea 2m VHF FM Contest, email to: ta7ka@qsl.net, paper logs to: Manager, Black Sea 2m VHF FM Contest, PO Box 93, 61001 Trabzon, Turkey September 1 - IOTA Contest, email to: iota.logs@rsgbhfcc.org, paper logs to: RSGB IOTA Contest, PO Box 9, Potters Bar, Herts EN6 3RH, England September 1 - North American QSO Party, CW, email to: cwnaqp@ncjweb.com, paper logs to: Bruce Horn, WA7BNM, 4225 Farmdale Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604, USA September 2 - ARRL UHF Contest, email to: AugustUHF@arrl.org, paper logs to: August UHF Contest, ARRL Contest Branch, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111, 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 YO-DX Contest - CW/SSB, sponsored by the Romanian Amateur Radio Federation (RARF), 1200Z Aug 30 - 1200Z Aug 31. Frequencies: 80-10 meters. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MS. Exchange: RST and serial number, YO stations send county abbreviation. QSO Points: different country own continent - 2 pts, different continent - 4 pts, YO stations - 8 pts. Score: QSO points x YO counties and DXCC entities counted once per band. For more information - http://www.hamradio.ro/contests/yodx_eng.htm. Logs due 10 days after the contest to yodx_contest@romstar.com or YO DX HF Contest, PO Box 22-50, 71100 Bucharest, Romania. SARL HF DX Contest - CW, sponsored by the Bloemfontein Radio Amateur Club from 1330Z -- 1730Z Aug 31. Frequencies: 80 -- 20 meters. Categories: SOAB, MS. Exchange: RS(T) + serial number. QSO Points: SSB -- 1 pt, CW -- 2 pts. Total score: QSO points + ZS call areas and South African countries (see Web site). For more information - http://www.sarl.org.za/public/contests/contestrules.asp#HFCWPHONE. Logs due 14 days after the contest to admin@sarl.org.za or PO Box 1721, Strubensvallei 1735, Republic of South Africa. SCC RTTY Championship, sponsored by the Slovenian Contest Club, 1200Z Aug 30-1159Z Aug 31. Frequencies: 80-10 meters. Categories: SOAB-HP, SOAB-LP, MS-HP, MS-LP. Exchange: RST and 4-digit year first licensed. QSO Points: own country - 1 pt, different country same continent and between W, VE, VK, ZL, ZS, JA, PY call areas, LU provinces, and UA9/0 oblasts - 2 pts, different continent - 3 pts. Score: QSO points x different years from all bands. For more information - lea.hamradio.si/~scc/rtty/htmlrules.htm. Logs due Sep 15 to rtty@hamradio.si (Cabrillo format preferred) or on diskette to Slovenia Contest Club, Saveljska 50, 1113 Ljubljana, Slovenia. MI QRP Labor Day CW Sprint, 2300Z Sep 1 - 0300Z Sep 2. Frequencies: 160 - 6-meters. Categories: SOAB with classes A (<250 mW), B (<1 W), C (<5 W), D (>5W). Exchange: RST, SPC, and MI-QRP number or power output. QSO Points: MI-QRP members - 5 pts, non-member W/VE - 2 pts, DX - 4 pts. Score: QSO points x SPC counted once per band. If homebrew RX or TX, multiply by 1.25. If both RX and TX are homebrew, multiply by 1.5. For information - http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub. Logs to n8cqa@att.net or L. T. Switzer, N8CQA, 427 Jeffrey Ave., Royal Oak, MI 48073-2521, USA All-Asian DX Contest - Phone, sponsored by the Japan Amateur Radio League from 0000Z Sep 6 - 2400Z Sep 7. Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters, incl. 10-min. band change rule. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MO, Low Power (Asian stations only), Junior (JA stations <20 years), Senior (JA stations >70 years). Exchange: RS(T) and a two digit number denoting the operator's age. YL stations may send 00. QSO Points for non-Asian stations: 40 - 15 meters - 1 pt, 80 and 10 meters - 2 pts, 160 meters - 3 pts. Score: QSO pts × Asian prefixes (WPX rules). For more information and Asian station QSO points - http://www.jarl.or.jp/English/4_Library/A-4-3_Contests/2003AA_Rule.htm. Logs due Oct 30 to aaph@jarl.or.jp or JARL, All Asian DX Contest, 170-8073, Japan. IARU Region 1 Field Day - SSB, sponsored by IARU Societies, 1300Z Sep 6 - 1300Z Sep 7 (See June QST, p 95) Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters. Categories: SOAB (LP, QRP), MS (HP, LP). Exchange: RST and serial number. QSO Points: non-EU to EU - 3 pts, with portable EU stations - 4 pts. Score: QSO points x DXCC and WAE entities counted once/band. For more information - http://www.iaru.org/ or IARU Region 1 society Web sites. Send logs to the appropriate national societies (NA hams to RAC or ARRL). North American Sprint - CW, sponsored by the National Contest Journal, from 0000Z - 0400Z Sep 7. Frequencies (MHz) - 3.540, 7.040, 14.040, work stations once per band. North American stations work everyone, others work NA stations only. Exchange: other station's call, your call, serial number, name, SPC. QSY rule: Stations calling CQ, QRZ, etc, may only work one station in response to that call, they must then move at least 1 kHz before working another station or 5 kHz before soliciting another call. Once you are required to QSY, you may not make a new QSO on the previous frequency until you have made a contact at least 1 or 5 kHz (as required) away. (see http://www.contesting.com/articles/198 for beginner's guide) Score: QSOs X SPC (count each only once). For more information - http://www.ncjweb.com/. Logs due 7 days after the contest to cwsprint@ncjweb.com or Boring ARC, 15125 Bartell Road, Boring, OR 97009. DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest - Digital Modes - sponsored by the Deutsche Amateur Radio Committee, 1100Z - 1700Z Sep 7. Frequencies (MHz): 28.050 - 28.150 on RTTY, Pactor PSK31, Amtor, Clover. Categories: SO, SWL. Stations may be worked on each mode, but count for multipliers only once. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO Points x WAE countries + DXCC entities + W/VE/JA districts. For more information - http://www.darc.de/referate/hf/contest/. Logs due 4 weeks after the contest to df5bx@darc.de or Werner Ludwig, DF5BX, PO Box 1270, D-49110 Georgsmarienhuette, Germany First PSK63 Contest - Sponsored by the Digital Radio Reflector, 0000Z - 2359 Sep 6. Frequencies: 80 - 10m, just above PSK31 frequencies (consider wider bandwidth for PSK63). Categories: SOAB, SOSB, SWL, packet spotting allowed. QSO Points: own country - 5 pts, own cont. - 10 pts, diff. cont. - 15 pts. Score: same as SARTG RTTY contest, QSO points x DXCC entities + W/VE/VK/JA call areas. For more information, including PSK63 software assistance - http://www.netsync.net/users/obrienaj/quickpsk.htm. Logs due Oct 10 to obrienaj@netsync.net or QUICK PSK Contest, Andrew O'Brien, 9082 Concord Dr, Fredonia, NY 14063. VHF CONTESTS None scheduled, but don't forget the ARRL September VHF QSO Party on Sep 13 - 14. NEWS & PRESS RELEASES Due to anti-spam measures at DARC the e-mail address has been changed to waedc@dxhf.darc.de. This will be the new address for all WAEDC log submissions. The old address waedc@darc.de is still operational but about 20% of the mail sent to it is being rejected. (Thanks, Ben DL6RAI) Data entry is finished for all paper logs for Field Day so that the staff can start dealing with the over 1000 Field Day emails, including duplicate submissions. Gene W3ZZ visited HQ to discuss the VHF contest write-ups and spent the day looking at additional options that might be included in the write-ups, working out ways to coordinate with additional authors, and discussing ways to get some of the write-ups on to a more regional basis. (Thanks, Dan N1ND) Is your contest club's newsletter posted on the Web and available for public viewing? If so, please send me a note and I'll accumulate a list of them for a future issue. Don't hide your light under a bushel! Scott N3FJP reports that upgrades for Amateur Contact Log and all of his contesting programs are now available. CW performance has been improved along some user interface enhancements. This is all included in version 2.4 of the program at http://www.n3fjp.com/. RESULTS AND RECORDS The ARRL DX Phone Web results are now available on-line at http://www.arrl.org/contests. If you have browsed them already, please note that there was an error in the DX Accuracy tables (of course, it HAD to be in the Accuracy section) and a new table has been posted. This year's write-up also features Division-level analysis by volunteers that all deserve a big round of applause for taking a deeper look at the scores from a regional perspective. Results of OK-OM DX Contest 2002 and rules for the 2003 contest are now available at http://okomdx.radioamater.cz/. (Thanks, Martin OK1FUA and OL5Y) A list of logs received in the Cabrillo format by the robot for the CQ WW VHF Contest held July 19-20, is now posted at http://www.cqww.com/2003vhflogs.htm. The list is updated frequently. This list does not include paper log submissions. Questions should be sent to vhf-questions@cqww.com. (Thanks, John W1XX) Trophies for the recently published 2002 CQ WW SSB results have already been ordered and should be in the mail in about 8 weeks. The CW plaques are right behind them. All requests for missing awards have been addressed. The following categories need plaque sponsors for 2003: For the SSB contest, Single Op./All Band World QRP, Single Op./All Band World QRP, Single Op./Single Band USA 3.8 MHz, Single Op./Single Band Carib./Cent.Am., Single Op./Single Band USA 3.8 MHz, Single Op./Single Band Carib./Cent.Am., and for the CW contest, Single Op./All Band Oceania, Single Op./Single Band Carib./Cent.Am., and Single Op./14 MHz Japan. Plaques cost only $50 to sponsor and are a great way to honor a Silent Key or promote your club. All queries should be directed to k1ar@contesting.com. (Thanks, John K1AR) Hrle 9A6XX reports that he's posted a number of pictures from the four EU teams that participated in WRTC-Style Competition held during IARU-HF at http://www.wwyc.net/events/iaru2003. Jan OK1QM also reports a great time was had with his father and Elmer. Will the competition be held again next year? Certainly! TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE Get ready for printing those stacks of contest QSLs! BV QSL software from DF3CB is free and available at http://www.df3cb.com/bv/index.html. It can print right on the cards. If you have a printer with a stack feed option, such as the Epson Stylus 860, you can load a heap of cards and print away. (Thanks, Matt K7BG and Jim AD1C) For those of us near the less seismically stable parts of the globe, a neat article on predicting earthquakes has been published at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/11aug_earthquakes.htm. The graphics are outstanding. Worth a read. (Thanks, Ed N7NVP) The free-ware XLZIZL spreadsheet from Dan AC6LA handles every kind of transmission line, transformers, lumped components, and calculates all you might want to know, as well as plotting Smith Charts. This is quite a spreadsheet! It will read files of frequency/resistance/reactance, such as those generated by antenna modeling programs. This allows you to model your entire antenna/transmission line/tuner system. It's available at http://www.qsl.net/ac6la/xlzizl.html. (Thanks, Jim W6RMK) Another excellent package of free-ware is the antenna and transmission line analysis programs by Reg Edwards G4FGQ. These run under DOS and are available for downloading at http://www.btinternet.com/~g4fgq.regp/. The latest version of another package of tools, HAMCALC, can now be found on the CQ magazine Web site, http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/. (Thanks, Ron W2IOL) At last! A full and complete program to determine True North! Ron W2IOL (w2iol@arrl.net) also contributes a freeware DOS program that calculates antenna bearing (true & magnetic), distance (using the WGS-84 ellipsoid as default), latitude & longitude & grid. Pick this one up at http://home.earthlink.net/~rcmcc. No word on what version of plastic owl is required. Would you like to be notified of important events happening on the sun or in the ionosphere? You can subscribe to an email alert service on http://www.spaceweather.com/. This is a really interesting site with all manner of information about the space environment. CONVERSATION Peaceful Coexistence This fall is shaping up as a Return To the Low Bands for most DX contests. The 10-Meter contest will revert to its alternate personality as a VHF contest. The Rip Van Winkles among us will stir to life as 80- and 160-meter DX paths begin to open for mortals. The passing of Cycle 23 will also lead to another inescapable fact of life that comes with low sunspot counts - congestion. The lack of lengthy quality openings on 10- and 15-meters will be most strongly felt on phone. In better times, 10-meters fills up to the top, but mostly we occupy the 400 kHz from 28.3 to 28.7 MHz. 15-meters also provides 250 kHz of phone band, of which 200 kHz is active contest territory. When 10 and 15 go away, we lose 600 kHz of spectrum - about half again as much as 80, 40, and 20 meters combined if you leave some space at the top end of each band. Yikes! I think you can see where I'm going with this. A large group of contesters accustomed to the wide open spaces above 20 MHz is going to being looking for QSOs on bands that are full even at the peak of the cycle. This is going to put a lot of pressure on the usual inhabitants along with the other migrants heading down the dial in search of an open band. Most contesters are pretty reasonable individuals and will do their best to share the bands with their fellow hams. A few contesters won't be reasonable and will give our sport a black eye by being obnoxious in any number of easily imaginable ways. Sometimes it's accidental or unintended, in which case "Sorry!" goes a long way. Sometimes, we're unnecessarily obnoxious to each other - "can" is not the same as "should", you know. And, hey, guess what? Sometimes the non-contesters will be obnoxious, too! There's really no point in escalating the argument to a giant conflagration. Every second you spend in a shouting match is time that you're not making QSOs, destroying your focus and concentration. If things just get too heated, take a five-minute break and clear your head. Here's a few get-alongs that not only help us coexist with other band users, but make us better operators and improve our contest totals: o Set the amp drive, mike gain and processor for a super-clean, clear signal. o Become familiar with all of your receiver controls, such as the attenuator and RF gain. o Know where the major nets and calling frequencies are on each band. o Listen an extra millisecond or two before calling CQ or calling split. o Time to buy that extra filter, maybe? o Think and practice courtesy - always. It's also a good time to consider your strategy for the changing conditions. o Little Pistols and even Medium Guns should brush up on search-and-pounce technique. o Learn how to tune a second radio for extra multipliers and QSOs. o Would a single-band or multi-op effort be more fun this year? o Be realistic in your expectations for clear frequencies and pileups. Diplomacy is also a handy skill to learn for dealing with complaints. o Does the complaining party have their noise blanker turned off? o Suggest that they reduce RF gain or use the attenuator to fight front-end overload. o Remind them that the WARC bands are contest free year-round. o Sometimes, it won't kill us to move a little. o Offer to QSY if the guys in the net will give you a QSO! We all have a perfect right to operate on any frequency we choose, but that's not a strategy for anything but conflict. If you're going to derive the maximum amount of satisfaction from contesting this year and for the next few years, the most important rule to follow will be the Golden Rule. 73, Ward N0AX 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/
