Contester's Rate Sheet for June 1, 2005
*********************** Contester's Rate Sheet 1 June 2005 *********************** Edited by Ward Silver N0AX SUMMARY o Welcome to VHF+ Contest Season! o Pick Up Some South American Counters on CW - GACW WWSA CW Contest o Post-Dayton Report including New Icom IC-7000 o 2004 10-Meter and Low Power Sprint Results Available o Multi-Multi Mobile o Powerful Lithium-Polymer Battery Packs o Your Assignment BULLETINS o No bulletins this issue BUSTED QSOS o A golden issue last time! ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICES FOR 1 JUNE to 14 JUNE 2005 Logs are due for the following contests: June 1 - Nevada QSO Party, email logs to: info@a51cc.com, paper logs and diskettes to: NK7C, Pat Hess, 759 Fairway Drive, Boulder City, NV 89005, USA June 4 - Microwave Spring Sprint, email logs to: springsprints@etdxa.org, paper logs and diskettes to: Microwave Spring Sprint, ETDXA/WU4O, Jeff J Baker, 2012 Hinds Creek Road, Heiskell, Tennessee 37754, USA June 6 - US IPARC Annual Contest, both modes, email logs to: (none), paper logs and diskettes to: Contest IPARC 2004, Box 463, Sanbornville, NH 03872, USA June 7 - ARI International DX Contest, email logs to: aricontest@kkn.net, paper logs and diskettes to: ARI DX Contest, c/o ARI, Via Scarlatti 31, 20124 Milano, Italy June 7 - New England QSO Party, email logs to: logs@neqp.org, paper logs and diskettes to: NEQP, PO Box 3005, Framingham, MA 01705-3005, USA June 10 - MARAC County Hunter Contest, CW, email logs to: aa8r@aol.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Randy Hatt, AA8R, 7878 W. County Line Rd., Howard City, MI 49239, USA June 10 - Oregon QSO Party, email logs to: logs@codxc.org, paper logs and diskettes to: Oregon QSO Party, c/o CODXC, 61255 Ferguson Rd., Bend, OR 97702, USA June 11 - 50 MHz Spring Sprint, email logs to: springsprints@etdxa.org, paper logs and diskettes to: 50 MHz Spring Sprint, ETDXA/WU4O, Jeff J Baker, 2012 Hinds Creek Road, Heiskell, Tennessee 37754, USA June 11 - Spring NA Meteor Scatter Rally, email logs to: mph@swcp.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Mike WB2FKO, 3209 Cagua Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA June 13 - FISTS Spring Sprint, email logs to: W8PIG@yahoo.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Dan Shepherd, N8IE, 1900 Pittsfield St., Kettering, Oh 45420, USA June 14 - Mid-Atlantic QSO Party, email logs to: maqp_logs@yahoo.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Mid-Atlantic QSO Party (MAQP), Attn: Walter O'Brien, W2WJO, PO Box 4922, Clinton, NJ 08809, USA The following contests are scheduled: Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the contest rules summaries: SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multi-Op - 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 Sprint Contest - CW, SSB & PSK31, sponsored by EPA QRP Club, from 1800 - 2359Z Jun 4. 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. QSO Points: CW - 4 pts, SSB - 3 pts, PSK31 - 2 pts. For more information: http://www.n3epa.org/. Logs due Jul 12 to tac@n3epa.org or EPA QRP Club, c/o Ron Polityka, 3050 Elm Road, Reading, PA 19605-2343. WorldRadio Friends' Day QSO Party - all modes, from 1800Z Jun 4 - 1800Z Jun 5. Frequencies: all HF and VHF+ bands except WARC bands. Exchange: Name, first three digits of zip code (or give province/country), WR subscriber or not. QSO points: subscriber - 2 pts, 1 pt otherwise. Total score: QSO points x unique zip codes + provinces + countries. For more information: http://www.wr6wr.com/. Logs due 8 Jul to QSO Party, PO Box 807, Hadley, MI 48440. IARU Region 1 Field Day - CW, sponsored by IARU Societies, from 1500Z Jun 4 - 1459Z Jun 5 (SSB - Sep 3 - 4). Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters. Categories: SOAB (LP, QRP), MS (HP, LP). Exchange: RST and serial number. QSO Points: EU to EU fixed stations - 2 pts, non-EU to EU - 3 pts, with portable EU stations - 4 pts. Score: QSO points x DXCC and WAE entities counted once/band. See IARU Region 1 society Web sites for more information. Send logs to the appropriate national societies (NA hams to RAC or ARRL). Bill Windle QSO Party - CW, sponsored by First Class CW Operators Club (FOC), from 0000Z -- 2359Z June 11. Open to all hams. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters, 6 & 2 meters. Call "CQ BW" from 15 to 40 kHz above band edge. Exchange: RST, name, and FOC number, if any. Participants are encouraged to engage in mini-chats during this event, if they so desire. Report total QSOs with FOC members, counted once per band, FOC members report total QSOs and total FOC QSOs. For more information: http://www.firstclasscw.org.uk/. QSO totals due June 18 to KZ5D@aol.com. ANARTS WW RTTY / Digital Contest - sponsored by Australian National Amateur Radio Teleprinter Society (ANARTS), from 0000Z Jun 11 - 2400Z Jun 12. 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, not incl. Antarctica). For more information: http://www.users.bigpond.com/ctdavies. Logs due Sep 1 to ctdavies@bigpond.net.au or Contest Manager - Colin Davies VK2CTD, PO Box 93, Toongabbie, NSW 2146, Australia Asia-Pacific Sprint - SSB, from 1100Z to 1300Z Jun 11. Frequencies: 20 and 15 meters only, 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). Portugal Day Contest - SSB, sponsored by Rede dos Emissores Portugueses (REP), from 0000Z -- 2400Z Jun 12. 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/dia_de_portugal.htm. Logs due 1 Sep to REP - Rede dos Emissores Portugueses, Award/Contest Manager, PO Box 2483, 1112 Lisboa Codex, Portugal. GACW World Wide South American CW DX Contest - sponsored by Grupo Argentino de Radiotelegrafia (GACW), from 1500Z Jun 11 - 1500Z Jun 12. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (QRP <5 W, LP, HP >100 W), MS, MM. Exchange: RST and CQ Zone. QSO Points: own country - 0 pt (mult credit only), different country - 1 pts, diff. continent - 3 pts, non-SA to SA - 5 pts. Score is QSO points x zone + countries from DXCC/WAE/GACW lists. For more information: http://gacw.no-ip.org/. Logs due 15 Jul to uranito@gacw.no-ip.org or GACW DX Contest, PO Box 9, B1875ZAA Wilde, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Weeknight 40/80-Meter Sprint - CW, sponsored by the North American QRP Contest Club (NAQCC) from 0030Z - 0430Z Jun 15. (This is Tuesday evening in the US - Ed) Operate any 2-hour period starting at 0030, 0130, or 0230Z. Frequencies (MHz): 3.560, 3.710, 7.045. Exchange: RST + S/P/C + NAQCC number or power. There is a straight key or bug bonus. For more information: http://www.arm-tek.net/~yoel/sprint_0506.html. NAQCC generally has one such event each month. VHF+ CONTESTS Summer Six Meter Digital Rally - sponsored by the Digital On Six Group (DOS), from Jun 1 - Jul 5. Work stations on PSK31, MFSK, RTTY, Feld Hell, JT6M, FSK441A, JT44 and JT65B, including during the VHF contests in this period. For more information: http://www.ykc.com/wa5ufh/Misc/EasyDOSContest.htm. World Wide Major Six Club Contest - CW/SSB, sponsored by the Six Meter World Wide DX Club, from 2300Z Jun 3 - 0300Z Jun 6. Frequencies: 50 MHz only. Categories: SO only. Exchange: Grid Square. QSO Points: own country - 1 pt, diff. country (incl. KH6 and KL7) - 2 pts. Score: QSO Points x grid squares (counted only once). For more information: http://6mt.com/contest.htm. Logs due 30 days after the contest to w4wrl@aol.com or to Wayne Lewis Sr, Six Club Contest Director, 3338 S. Cashua Dr, Florence SC 29501-6306. ARRL June VHF QSO Party - from 1800Z Jun 11 - 0300Z Jun 13. 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 - http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2005/june-vhf.html. Logs due 13 Jul to JuneVHF@arrl.org (Cabrillo format only - see note in Logs Due section) or June VHF, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. EU EME Contest - any mode, sponsored by DUBUS and REF, from 0000Z Jun 11 - 2400Z Jun 12. Frequencies: 432 MHz, 5.7 GHz. Categories: Single and Multi-band, QRP and QRO - based on EIRP, Pro, CW, Digital, Mixed, Assisted. Exchange: callsigns TMO/RST and "R". QSO Points: 144/432/1.3 - 100 pts for random, 10 pts for scheduled QSO, 2.3 GHz and higher - 100 pts/QSO. Score: QSO Points (x2 for QSOs at 2.3 GHz and above) x S/P/C from random QSOs (or any QSOs at 2.3 GHz and above). For more information: http://www.dubus.org/ or info@dubus.de. Logs due Jul 10 to f6hye@ref-union.org or Patrick Magnin, F6HYE, Marcorens, F-74140 Ballaison, France. NEWS AND PRESS RELEASES There has been a noticeable increase in Field Day queries lately! QST rules announcements and full rules for the Web are ready for the 2005 10 GHz and Up Contest, the International EME Competition, and the September VHF QSO Party. Certificates for the 2004 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest and the 2004 ARRL 160-Meter Contest are beginning to hit the mails, too. (Thanks, Dan N1ND) News flash! Scientists have determined that the bands are not only open during contests! Try calling CQ (without the "Contest") during the week to test this provocative new theory! The Co-Sponsors to the BPL bill H.230 needs the support of your congressmen and congresswomen. There is a sample letter on the ARRL Web pages at http://capwiz.com/govexec/issues/bills/?bill=7546281&cs_party=all&cs_status=C&cs_state=all. It won't take much time to send your encouragement their way for this important legislation. (Thanks, Phil AB7RW) - - - - - - - -POST-DAYTON HAMVENTION EXTRA - - - - - - - - - - - - The CQ Contest Hall of Fame inductees for 2005 were Jeff Briggs K1ZM and Charles "Rusty" Epps, W6OAT. K1IR did a good job introducing and roasting K1ZM while K3EST and K3LR did the honors on Rusty. Please congratulate these two fine contesters on receiving this honor! Icom America lived up to the rumors, unveiling the new IC-7000, the "son of the IC-706", which adds numerous new features in a package slightly smaller than the 706. So new it's not even on the Icom Web site yet, the 7000 has a full-color display, advanced DSP features (including IF filters), a digital voice recorder, band scope, improved function access and control, and the ability to watch VHF TV channels - just the thing for those slow Sunday afternoons! Note that the IC-706 family will remain available. The Potomac Valley Radio Club introduced their 12-hour contesting seminar - a six-disc set of DVDs available for $50. Well-known presenters include K3EST, K3ZO, W3LPL, W3ZZ, W3IY, and others. The full gamut of important topics is covered. More information and samples are available at http://n3oc.dyndns.org/dvd.htm. More cool stuff I found... o - LDG has two new automatic tuners, the Z-11 Pro and the PM-20 (http://www.ldgelectronics.com/). Both are battery-powered and feature latching relays. o - The neat PC-based Vector Network Analyzer (a grown-up SWR analyzer) designed by Tom N5EG and Karl Ireland will soon be offered by Ten-Tec (http://radio.tentec.com/Amateur). This is a serious tool - read all about it in the July/August 2004 issue of QEZ. Ten-Tec fans will want to check out the Worldstation Orion control software from http://dxtra.com/orion.html, too. o - Chuck Adams K7QO's new CW training course is extensive, up-to-date, and FREE. It's designed to get the trainee from nothing to 20 wpm and replaces the recently discontinued ARRL Morse training CDs. Chuck was handing out copies of the course on CD - it includes 90 Mbytes of MP3 files, instructions, a PDF manual, sample QSOs. There is a review of the course in the June issue of WorldRadio and you can download all of it from Chuck's Web site at http://www.k7qo.net/. Thank you, Chuck! o - Lido was showing a novel set of mobile mounts for radios, phones, you-name-it. (http://www.dxercase.com/) o - Degen Design (http://www.degendesigns.com/) has a nice line of small HF quads and 2-meter antennas. o - Winradio (http://www.winradio.com/) keeps expanding their line of PC-hosted receivers. They have everything from plug-in boards to sophisticated surveillance radios. o - Dr. Bill and his merrye band were demonstrating their miLOG logging and control software with enthusiam. If you haven't seen this neat software, check out http://www.hamtoys.com/. In the same booth was the Hamation (http://www.hamation.com/) PC 600 portable ham computer. It runs off of 12 V dc and is optimized for the shack with built in keyers and radio interfaces, plus LOTS of USB and serial ports. o - Green Heron Engineering (http://www.greenheronengineering.com/) has a very interesting Universal Digital Rotor Controller that runs basically any kind of rotator, including TIC ring-mounts. You can even "stack" two of them, with the one on top keeping the antenna on target while the mast or tower turns beneath it! Moderator Tim K3LR has been kind enough to facilitate posting of some of the Antenna Forum's presentations. Follow the links at http://www.k3lr.com/ to find them. Dr. Beldar L1AR's humorous Dayton Contest Dinner presentation, "Twenty Years of Contesting, 2005 to 2025," is available on the NCJ web site at: http://www.ncjweb.com/twentyyearsofcontesting.php. There is also a PDF file if you prefer something you can read on the throne. (Thanks, Bruce WA7BNM) Dave KM3T is looking for contester or contest-related pictures from Dayton 2005. Send Dave your pictures here http://www.contesting.com/spotlight/add/15. No word on whether there will be any pictures of the can-stacking contest held in the Sultans of Schwing hospitality suite on Saturday night. Don't fall asleep in the Sultans' Suite! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For those of you with a taste for antique radio, Matt KV1K contributes the Old QSL Card and Radio Shack page at http://geocities.com/w8jyz will is a definite must-visit. Matt also contributed the link to this drool-worthy screensaver from Icom America - http://www.icomamerica.com/amateur/ScreenSaver/7800ScreenSaver.asp. A favorite VU and Zone 22 multiplier, Miku VU2WAP lost his main tower and antenna in a recent storm. Miku is currently assessing the damage and deciding what to do next. (Thanks, Bob W3YY and the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin, edited by KB8NW, sysop of the BARF-80 BBS.) For anyone that isn't familiar with Hfpack, a group that promotes *very* portable operation, check out http://www.hfpack.com/. I found a bicycle mobile Web site, too, at http://www.lafetra.com/bmha/default.htm. We're hearing more and more signals from these folks, particularly in the summer contests and Field Day. (Thanks, Michael VE3WMB) Fred K3ZO contributes a very interesting audio interview by OE1WHC with Danny Weil made when Danny was 80 years old, at http://www.qsl.at/common/weil.html. Old timers and interested young timers will want to hear from one of the most storied DXers of all time. Many families will be attending WRTC 2006 (http://www.wrtc2006.com/), enjoying the tropical resort while the rest of us wrangle about contesting. Where are their priorities? Nevertheless, it will be polite to use the following family jargon from the Lonely Planet Western Europe phrase book: Wife - mulher or esposa - mu-LYEHR or SHPO-za Husband - marido - ma-REE-du Family - familia - fa-MEE-lee-a Son - filho - FEE-lyu Daughter - filha - FEE-lya RESULTS AND RECORDS The 2004 ARRL 10-Meter Contest results are now available on the ARRL Web site. Congratulations to David Jones K4DLJ on a fine write-up! Lots of photos and information included - check it out to learn what old record fell last year. The January VHF SS and 2005 DX CW QST articles are well along and should be ready for the Web before too long. (Thanks, Dan N1ND) Congratulations to Howie N4AF for organizing and reporting so quickly on the recent Low Power Sprint. Also thanks to N6TR for log checking assistance. Full details are available at http://pvrc.org/lpsprint/lpsprint.htm. The second running of the LP Sprint will be held on 2 Apr 2006. See http://pvrc.org/lpsprint_2006/rules.htm for further details. You may recall that the WAEDC (http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/fedcw.htm) included a "Super Bowl" prize drawing last year - a lottery with 50 prizes to be won, ranging from WAEDC anniversary T-Shirts, books, several ten-thousand-free-QSL-cards, to the "Grand Prize," a Jupiter transceiver from Ten-Tec. To have been eligible for the lottery, a WAEDC 2004 contest participant must have achieved a score of more than 10,000 points (after log checking), requiring roughly about 100 QSOs, or 70 QSOs and 70 QTCs. You'll be interested to know that 1,563 participants qualified for the Super Bowl! (Thanks, Eric K9GY) The results of the Kansas City DX Club's 25th Anniversary CW Pileup competition, held on the 5th Floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in beautiful downtown Dayton, Ohio, are now available for viewing at http://www.qsl.net/kcdxc/Dayton2005.htm. The top grouping was closer than in years! (Thanks, Bill K0VBU) Wow! I received in the mail a detailed, statistic-packed booklet containing the Final Results of the PA QSO Party. There is a table of every possible data sorting and category. Soapbox entries abound. There's a good story about "Mr. PAQP," and more. This really sets a high standard - good job! TECHNICAL Ian GM3SEK recommends using thread-locking compound on stainless steel threads rather than a pure anti-sieze because (a) it lubricates the sliding thread surfaces enough to prevent galling (b) it locks the threads (within 24 hours) so you don't need locking hardware or you don't need to tighten the nuts up so much, and (c) it seals inside the nut against corrosion. The Loctite "blue" grade gives firm enough locking but can still be undone with hand tools. A small dropper bottle lasts a very long time - just put a few drops on the bolt, where the nut is going to be, and run the nut on over it. (Thanks, Ian GM3SEK) Multi-Multi-Mobile? It's been done! In 1989 CQP, N6BT, did it with a two-element tribander and 40/80 vertical strapped to the top of his truck. Gary VA7RR (then WA6VEF) and Niki VE7NKI assisted with the operating including while in motion. Tom's dad helped with the driving. Each of the two complete stations ran a full kW powered by a gas generator towed behind the vehicle. The tribander had separate feedlines, so simultaneous operation was possible on any two-band combination of 20/15/10. (Thanks, Gary VA7RR via Kevin N6RCE) High-density LiPolymer battery packs used for radio control vehicles are available from Thunder Power at http://www.thunderpower-batteries.com/. They are available in a wide variety of capacities and voltages but the 11.1 and 14.8 Volt packs seemed most useful to hams. Capacities varied from as little as 480 mA-Hr (truly a tiny battery) to as much as 8,000 mA-Hr. Take care not to discharge the packs below their rated level and be wary when charging them, as well, since failure during charge is dramatic. (Thanks, JC K0HPS and Tim N9PUZ) We can all use a good extendable pole, can we not? How to find them? "Google "kite poles" and you will have more than you can shake a fiberglass telescopic pole at, " says Eric KE6US. "Lots of antenna-adaptable mounting accessories for them too." CONVERSATION Your Assignment One of my hot buttons was definitely stoked by my visit to the Dayton Hamvention. By the way, this was the first year in many (17, I believe) that there was no rain to speak of and it was really, really nice - just what a hamfest should be. All 22,000 of us enjoyed it tremendously. Back to the hot button. Ham radio has gotten so big and wide that it is impossible for any one person to keep up with all of it. In fact, wandering around the Hara Arena and environs, even grizzled veterans like your editor often discover some completely new activity, mode, or function. This really keeps me on my toes as I wander through the rows of booths and tailgates. If I have time, I'll talk with the proprietor, often learning something really interesting and new. Otherwise, I'll pick up the brochures and maybe visit the Web site when I get back home. I found several neat things this year, as the Post-Dayton wrapup above will attest. How can I keep that excitement going? I found one way and am passing it along to you, the reader, as your monthly homework. Read at least one of your ham magazines cover to cover, including all of the tiny little ads and snippets of article-lets such as QST's "Strays." Be sure to read through the columns you might normally skip over. Then visit a bunch of the Web sites you've discovered. I'm positive you'll find something you had no idea was happening in or on ham radio! We get so focused on our own specialties growing ever-finer and deeper, whether a certain band, mode, or technique, that we can completely lose touch with other areas of the hobby. At some point our groove turns into a rut and it can be darn hard to climb out. I'm not suggesting that we all have to be skilled in every radio art, but learning what others are doing contributes more perspective to our chosen activities. Awareness is rarely a bad thing. In the case of ham radio, it gives me an ever-greater appreciation of just how special the amateur service is and how much opportunity it affords its licensees. Awareness keeps me from thinking of other hams as "them", when we are really "us." 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
