 October 14, 2021 Editor: Paul Bourque, N1SFE | |
IN THIS ISSUE
NEW HF OPERATORS -- THINGS TO DO A couple of state QSO parties this weekend will help get your contesting feet wet, and to add to your Worked All States awards! The New York State QSO Party, starts at 1400 UTC Saturday, October 16 through 0200 UTC Sunday, October 17. Multipliers for New York stations are each NY County, US State, VE province or territory (once, regardless of mode). Non- New York Stations count each New York county as multipliers once, regardless of mode. CW, SSB and digital modes are allowed on all bands except WARC bands. The Western Illinois Amateur Radio Club sponsors the Illinois QSO Party, 1700 UTC Sunday, October 17 through 0100 UTC Monday, October 18. Use all non-WARC HF bands and 6 and 2 meters. Multipliers for Illinois stations are each Illinois county, US state, VE province once, and up to 5 DXCC countries. Non-Illinois stations work each Illinois county once. Allowed modes are CW/Digital and Phone. CONTEST SUMMARY Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section October 14 October 15 October 16
October 17
October 18 October 19 October 20 October 21 October 22 October 23
October 24 October 25 October 26 October 27 The Radio Amateur Society of Australia (ACMA) has announced the release date of new 2x1 Contest Callsigns. These callsigns will be assigned with the usual Australian prefix of VK, along with the additional prefixes of VJ and VL as well. The new 2X1 calls are issued exclusively for use in amateur radio contests and will be issued for a period of twelve months. For more information, see the ACMA news release available on their website here. The WRTC 2022 committee have announced the Team Leaders (TL) and Team Mates (TM) final qualification standings. The standings are available through links on the WRTC 2022 news page. If you are on the TL's list and your email is not updated in QRZ, please contact the WRTC 2022 committee. The organizers would also like to remind us that WRTC 2022 has been postponed until July 2023. Ken K4ZW shared some news via the Topband Reflector- "Congratulations to Steve Babcock, VE6WZ, who received the Yasme Excellence Award for his contribution to the art of low band antennas and remote operating. Steve has made available to the amateur community countless hours of instructional videos on low band topics, available for free on YouTube. Thanks for all you've done Steve!" WORD TO THE WISE W/VE Stations Often when reading rules for a specific contest, you'll see language like "W/VE Stations work DX stations; DX stations work everyone." I've been asked on several occasions, "What's a W/VE station?" W/VE stations are those stations located in the United States and Canada, while DX stations are the rest of the world. Be careful though, in some contests Alaska, Hawaii and the US territories are considered DX (such as ARRL International DX contest), and others they are considered W/VE (such as ARRL Sweepstakes). SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Tim, K3LR is getting his contest station in Western Pennsylvania ready for another exciting contest season! He shared with us this photo of maintenance being performed on the 40-meter antenna using a 100-ton crane. [Tim Duffy, K3LR, photo] RESULTS AND RECORDS Ed, W0YK, announced that the CQ WW RTTY Contest Raw scores have been posted at cqwwrtty.com/raw.htm. Ed added that the scores are computed before any log checking score reductions. These scores my differ from the "claimed scores" calculated by your contest logging software. Ward, N0AX writes, "Thanks to the great work of the North American CW Sprint team, including the Boring Amateur Radio Club and the NCJ webmaster, the final results article by Jim George, N3BB has been published at ncjweb.com/north-american-sprint/. All records have been updated as well and there are quite a few new ones that were set in September." The Jan/Feb issue of NCJ will include an abbreviated version of the article including the complete line scores. OPERATING TIP Log those "dupes" Many contesters have emailed me asking about how to handle "dupes" (duplicate contacts) in contest logs. Often, they're concerned that they will be penalized for including such contacts in their logs. While you won't receive any points for duplicate contacts, there are no extra penalties assessed for including them in your log. If you work a dupe, just log them, and move on. Leaving both contacts in your log ensures that you don't receive a NIL (not-in-log) penalty if the station that was a "dupe" in your log didn't log the first contact with you for some reason. TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION Microsoft has released Windows Version 11 on October 5th. Radio amateurs may be eager to learn if it will run the station software they're running under Windows 7 or Windows 10, and if they'll need new device drivers. "We are not too concerned," said Tom Wagner, N1MM, of the widely popular, free logging software that bears his call sign -- N1MM Logger+. "One member of the team and one end user has tested with Win 11 and not reported issues. We will fix them if they arise." The WSJT-X Development Group is similarly unconcerned. "A few WSJT-X users have been running on the beta Windows 11 releases without any issues," said Bill Somerville, G4WJS. "This seems reasonable evidence that there should be no serious problems." Logbook of The World (LoTW) users are reminded to backup their TQSL Callsign Certificate using the TQSL File "Backup" utility before updating to Windows 11. You can then use the TQSL File "Restore" utility to restore TQSL functionality after your OS update. See https://lotw.arrl.org/lotw-help/multiple-computers/ for details. On existing Windows 10 PCs, Windows Update will let people know when the upgrade is available for Windows 11. You can also check to see if your device is eligible for the Windows 11 upgrade through Windows Update. If your PC isn't fully compatible with Windows 11, Microsoft will continue to support Windows 10 until October 14, 2025.
Pete, N4ZR, published an article on the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) blog entitled "How Skimmer Server Decides What to Spot." If you're a node-or or station-op that relies on RBN, this is very useful information. CONVERSATION With this issue of the Contest Update, I begin my tenure as editor, taking the reins from Brian, N9ADG. A few readers have sent emails thanking him for the great job he's done holding down the fort here. It appears that I have quite a big set of shoes to fill, and I hope that I can do so adequately. A little bit about me- I'm currently Contest Program Manager at ARRL, a position I've held since June of 2019. I've been a ham since 1994, and as a newly licensed Technician, I was bitten by the VHF contesting bug. I was active in those contests for a few years, and after several years of inactivity, I upgraded to General (and then Extra) and became active in HF contesting as well. In the next few weeks and months, I plan on introducing some new material to the Contest Update, as well as keeping the contesting community informed of upcoming contests, results publication, and noteworthy news. I'd like to feature some of the many contesting clubs as a regular feature, focusing on how the innovative ways in which they draw members, and share their contesting experience with new and old contesters alike. I'll be sending out emails to club secretaries very soon soliciting their input and ideas. What would you like to see more in in the Contest Update? More information on mentoring new contesters? If there's anything that you'd like to see here, please send me an email to contest-update@arrl.org with any suggestions. That's all for this time. Remember to send contesting related stories, book reviews, tips, techniques, press releases, errata, schematics, club information, pictures, stories, blog links, and predictions to contest-update@arrl.org 73, Paul N1SFE (n1sfe@arrl.org) CONTESTS 14 Oct - 27 Oct 2021 An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral is available as a PDF. Check the sponsors' website for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions. HF CONTESTS CWops Mini-CWT Test, Oct 14, 0300z to Oct 14, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + MemberNo./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 16. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Oct 14, 0700z to Oct 14, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + MemberNo./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 16. RTTYOPS Weeksprint, Oct 14, 1700z to Oct 14, 1900z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs due: Oct 21. EACW Meeting, Oct 14, 1900z to Oct 14, 2000z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; EACW Member: RST + Member No. + Nickname,EA non-Member: RST + Nickname + EA province, non-EA: RST + Nickname + DXCC prefix; Logs due: Oct 16. NCCC RTTY Sprint, Oct 15, 0145z to Oct 15, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Oct 17. NCCC Sprint, Oct 15, 0230z to Oct 15, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Oct 17. K1USN Slow Speed Test, Oct 15, 2000z to Oct 15, 2100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 17. JARTS WW RTTY Contest, Oct 16, 0000z to Oct 17, 2359z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + age of operator; Logs due: Oct 31. 10-10 Int. Fall Contest, CW , Oct 16, 0001z to Oct 17, 2359z; CW; Bands: 10; 10-10 Member: Name +10-10 number + (state/province/country), Non-Member: Name + 0 +(state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 25. New York QSO Party, Oct 16, 1400z to Oct 17, 0200z; CW, SSB, Digital; Bands: All, except WARC; NY: RS(T) + county, non-NY: RS(T) + (state/province/"DX"); Logs due: Oct 30. Worked All Germany Contest, Oct 16, 1500z to Oct 17, 1459z; CW, SSB; Bands: (Please observe contest free band segments per the rules), 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; DL, DARC-Member: RS(T) + DOK (local area code), DL, non-DARC: RS(T) + "NM",non-DL: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: Oct 25. Feld Hell Sprint, Oct 16, 2000z to Oct 16, 2359z; Feld Hell; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 15, 10, 6; (see rules); Logs due: Oct 20. Argentina National 7 MHz Contest< >, Oct 16, 2130z to Oct 16, 2230z; SSB; Bands: 40; RS + 2-digit year first licensed; Logs due: Nov 16. Asia-Pacific Fall Sprint, CW, Oct 17, 0000z to Oct 17, 0200z; CW; Bands: 20, 15; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Oct 24. Illinois QSO Party, Oct 17, 1700z to Oct 18, 0100z; CW/digital, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2; IL: RS(T) + County, non-IL: RS(T) + (state/province/country); Logs due: Nov 18. RSGB RoLo CW, Oct 17, 1900z to Oct 17, 2030z; CW; Bands: 80; RST + previous 6-character grid square received; Logs due: Oct 18. Run for the Bacon QRP Contest, Oct 17, 2300z to Oct 18, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + (state/province/country) +(Member No./power); Logs due: Oct 24. K1USN Slow Speed Test, Oct 18, 0000z to Oct 18, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 20. ARRL School Club Roundup, Oct 18, 1300z to Oct 22, 2359z; CW, Phone, RTTY/Digital; Bands: All, except 60, 30, 17, 12m; RS(T) + Class (I/C/S) + (state/province/country); Logs due: Nov 6. RSGB FT4 Contest Series, Oct 18, 1900z to Oct 18, 2030z; FT4; Bands: 80, 40, 20; 4-character grid square; Logs due: Oct 19. Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Oct19, 0100z to Oct 19, 0159z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RS + age group (OM, YL, Youth YL or Youth); Logs due: Oct 20. RTTYOPS Weeksprint, Oct 19, 1700z to Oct 19, 1900z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs due: Oct 26. Phone Weekly Test - Fray, Oct 20, 0230z to Oct 20, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: Oct 22. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Oct 20, 1300z to Oct 20, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name+(state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 23. AGCW Semi-Automatic Key Evening, Oct 20, 1900z to Oct 20, 2030z; CW; Bands: 80; RST + Serial No. + "/" + 2-digit year first used a bug; Logs due: Nov 4. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Oct 20, 1900z to Oct 20, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 23. Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest, Oct 21, 0000z to Oct 22, 0300z; CW; Bands: 20; Maximum 13 wpm, RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (Member No./power); Logs due: Oct 28. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Oct 21, 0300z to Oct 21, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 23. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Oct 21, 0700z to Oct 21, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 23. RTTYOPS Weeksprint, Oct 21, 1700z to Oct 21, 1900z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs due: Oct 28. EACW Meeting, Oct 21, 1900z to Oct 21, 2000z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; EACW Member: RST + Member No. + Nickname, EA non-Member: RST + Nickname + EA province, non-EA: RST + Nickname + DXCC prefix; Logs due: Oct 23. NCCC RTTY Sprint, Oct 22, 0145z to Oct 22, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Oct 24. NCCC Sprint, Oct 22, 0230z to Oct 22, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Oct 24. K1USN Slow Speed Test, Oct 22, 2000z to Oct 22, 2100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 24. YBDXPI FT8 Contest, Oct 23, 0000z to Oct 24, 2359z; FT8; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; 4-Character Grid Square; Logs due: Oct 31. UK/EI DX Contest, SSB, Oct 23, 1200z to Oct 24, 1200z; SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; UK/EI: RS +Serial No. + District Code, DX: RS + Serial No.; Logs due: Oct 25. Stew Perry Topband Challenge, Oct 23, 1500z to Oct 24, 1500z; CW; Bands: 160; 4-Character grid square; Logs due: Nov 8. North American SSB Sprint Contest, Oct 24, 0000z to Oct 24, 0400z; SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name] + [your state/province/country]; Logs due: Oct 31. Classic Exchange, CW, Oct 24, 1400z to Oct 27, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2; Name + RST + (state/province/country) + rcvr/xmtr manuf/model; Logs due: Dec 31. Telephone Pioneers QSO Party, Oct 24, 1800z to Oct 26, 0300z; CW/Digital, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, VHF/UHF; Members: chapter no. + name, non-Members: RS(T) + name; Logs due: Dec 3. K1USN Slow Speed Test, Oct 25, 0000z to Oct 25, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 27. QCX Challenge, Oct 25, 1300z to Oct 25, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Oct 31. QCX Challenge, Oct 25, 1900z to Oct 25, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Oct 31. Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Oct 26, 0100z to Oct 26, 0159z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RS + age group (OM, YL, Youth YL or Youth); Logs due: Oct 27. QCX Challenge, Oct 26, 0300z to Oct 26, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Oct 31. RTTYOPS Weeksprint, Oct 26, 1700z to Oct 26, 1900z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs due: Nov 2. SKCC Sprint, Oct 27, 0000z to Oct 27, 0200z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE"); Logs due: Oct 29. Phone Weekly Test - Fray, Oct 27, 0230z to Oct 27, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: Oct 29. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Oct 27, 1300z to Oct 27, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 30. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Oct 27, 1900z to Oct 27, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 30. UKEICC 80m Contest, Oct 27, 2000z to Oct 27, 2100z; CW; Bands: 80; 6-Character grid square; Logs due: Oct 27.
VHF+ CONTESTS UBA ON Contest, 2m, Oct 17, 0700z to Oct 17, 1000z; CW, Phone; Bands: 2; ON: RS(T) + Serial No. + ON Section, non-ON: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: Oct 24. ARRL EME Contest, Oct 23, 0000z to Oct 24, 2359z; CW, Phone, Digital; Bands: 50 MHz and up; Signal report; Logs due: Jan 19. Araucaria World Wide VHF Contest, Oct 23, 0000z to Oct 24, 1600z; CW, SSB, FM; Bands: 6, 2; RS(T) + 6-character grid square; Logs due: Oct 29. Also, see New York QSO Party, Illinois QSO Party, Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Classic Exchange, CW, Telephone Pioneers QSO Party LOG DUE DATES 14 Oct - 27 Oct 2021 October 14 October 15 October 16 October 17
October 18 October 19
October 20
October 21 October 23 October 24
October 25 ARRL Information Click here to advertise in this newsletter, space subject to availability. Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information ARRL membership includes a choice of one print magazine: QST, the monthly membership journal, or On the Air, ARRL's new bimonthly publication for beginner and intermediate hams. All ARRL members can access all four ARRL magazines -- QST, On the Air, NCJ, and QEX - digitally. Subscribe to NCJ - the National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. Subscribe to QEX - A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL members: Subscribe to The ARRL Letter (weekly digest of news and information), the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news), Division and Section news -- and much more! ARRL offers a wide array of products to enhance your enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Visit the site often for new publications, specials and sales. Donate to the fund of your choice -- support programs not funded by member dues! Reprint permission can be obtained by sending email to permission@arrl.org with a description of the material and the reprint publication. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest Calendar. | |
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