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Contest Update Issues

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The ARRL Contest Update
May 25, 2011
Editor: Ward Silver, NØAX
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IN THIS ISSUE

• That's Where??? - CQ WPX CW
• Hunting Southeast Asia - SEANET Contest
• Sunday Morning Tearin' Down

CONTEST SUMMARY

Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section

May 28-29

  • CQ WW WPX Contest--CW
  • Baltic Contest
  • QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint
  • MI QRP Memorial Day CW Sprint

June 4-5

  • SNS and NS Weekly Sprints--CW (Jun 3)
  • Worldwide EME Contest
  • Ten-Ten Open Season--Digital
  • LZ Open 20 Meter Contest--CW
  • Maritime QSO Party
  • SEANET Contest
  • UKSMG Sporadic E Contest
  • IARU Region I Field Day--CW
  • Alabama QSO Party
  • DARC 10 Meter Digital Contest
  • ARS Spartan Sprint--CW (Jun 7)
DAYTON PHOTO ISSUE

If you weren't able to make it to Dayton this year - here is a potpourri of photos from my wanderings of the highways and byways of the world's largest hamfest. A special note of recognition goes to the Dayton Hamvention committee for their hard work - it is an all-year job and a lot of hours were dedicated to making it fun for all of the attendees. In addition, ham radio vendors donated thousands and thousands of dollars worth of prizes to the dinners, presentations, and seminars - please take a moment to thank them (even if you didn't win) for contributing to and supporting our favorite hobby.

And now - have a great Memorial Day weekend and on with the show!

This year's inductee to the CQ Contest Hall of Fame was John Sluymer, VE3EJ. Well done, John! (Photo by KM3T)

This year's Hamvention theme of "Global Friendship" was plenty evident - here are (L-R) QARS Secretary, Saba'an A71BP, Dave KM3T, Ali A71BZ, and Mubarak A71AE. (Photo from KM3T)

For those of you trying for the ham radio equivalent of skeet shooting - "squirting a bird" - you can keep those satellites in your sights with an automatic az-el rotator. (Photo by NØAX)

If it's not in the Hamvention flea market, it just doesn't exist - everything for the Big Gun station is ready to go! (Photo by NØAX)

Do you ever wonder why cavities are called "cans"? Wonder no more as Bird Technologies was displaying this set of 2 meter through 23 cm duplexers. (Photo by NØAX)

Tom W2SC and Randy K5ZD gave a great talk at the Contest Forum on their adventures at the WRTC2014 in Moscow last summer with tales of how they very closely avoided disaster on contest day! (Photo by NØAX)

You know you're at the Hamvention when the smell of roasted spiced nuts hits your nose and the chatter of the embroidery machines fills your ears! (Photo by NØAX)

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Need any handhelds? (Photo by NØAX)

Last year's June QST article about using triplexers to share a tri-band antenna sure caught a lot of eyes. International Radio is offering this beefy model for sale - new at the Hamvention. (Photo by NØAX)

John K1AR was honored for his 21 years of service to the contest community writing the Contest column for CQ Magazine. (Photo by W8WTS)

Harry RA3AUU (R) was on hand to pick up the CQ WPX CW (corrected) plaque as last year's World-winning Multiop, Single-Transmitter score from P33W, handed to him by CQ WPX Committee (corrected) member, Doug K1DG. (Photo by W8WTS)

I'm sure you're in the logs of this trio! Left to right are Tim K3LR, your best friend in Zone 1 - Rich KL7RA, and Tom K8AZ. (Photo by W8WTS)

Who's zooming who? That's Dennis K7BV on the left and old friend Mark AG9A on the right - that's why we go to Dayton every year, isn't it? (Photo by NØAX)

On the left is one of the PJ2T crew, Jeff K8ND, with Elecraft team member Bob K6XX. (Photo by W8WTS)

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Dots a lot of dits - keys and paddles were everywhere as this Vibroplex display demonstrates. Not bad for a "dying mode"! (Photo by NØAX)

Chuck NO5W (next to display) wrote this WAY cool software to show how the KCDXC CW Pileup Contest horses were racing. The current heat is shown at the bottom in comparison to the current Top Five at the top. (Photo by NØAX)

The winners of the KCDXC CW Pileup Contest are holding their prizes: 2nd-place Andy N2NT (L), 1st-place Yuri VE3DZ, and 4th-place John N2NC (R). Winners of 3rd-place Randy K5ZD and 5th-place John K4BAI weren't around for the photo but congratulations to all! Big thanks to the Kansas City DX Club for putting on this fantastic competition every year. (Photo by NØAX)

Do you think this rotator plate is big enough to handle your aluminum farm? It fits on top of the 200-foot Luso crankup tower that was delivering some shock-and-awe to the Hamvention-eers. (Photo by NØAX)

Jim N2ZZ (L) and SteppIR Boss, Mike K7IR were no doubt discussing how a new Dream Beam would give Jim's competition nightmares. (Photo by NØAX)

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The Contest Super Suite was full of happy hamsters like this pair. Ville OH2MM (L) now hails from Sao Paolo as the shirt and tan attest. Jim W8WTS gets his sun as part of the PJ2T team. (Photo from W8WTS)

You know there's a new LED category in the ARRL VHF+ contests, don't you? ARRL Lab Manager, Ed W1RFI sure does - and it looks like he's going for the title this year! (Photo by NØAX)

All smiles was Bob W6RGG, long-time DXer and contester and veteran of the Hamvention social scene. (Photo by NØAX)

Here's your Eastern Washington Sweepstakes multiplier - the colorful Wilse WX7P was manning the AMSAT booth when not looking for ideas for improving his Top Band antennas. (Photo by NØAX)

If you've every wondered what goes on after the banquets and dinners wind down, you need go no farther than upstairs at the hotel where you'll find the halls filled until oh-dark-thirty with happy hamsters packing a year's worth of socializing into a weekend. Oh, and as Paul K9PG (L) knows well - there can be some silly hats involved as modeled by Scott KA9FOX. See you next year! (Photo by NØAX)

CONVERSATION

As I was walking out the door on Sunday with tired feet and legs, headed for the parking lot and the long drive home with not enough sleep on Saturday night this song popped into my head, begging to be Dayton-ized. I obliged it.

73, Ward NØAX

Sunday Morning Tearin' Down

By Kris Kristofferson but re-engineered by Dr Beldar

Well, I parked on Sunday morning
With no way to plant my feet that didn't hurt.
And the candy bar for breakfast wasn't bad,
So I had one more for dessert.
I had fumbled in my suitcase through my clothes
To find that silly cartoon shirt.
So I grabbed my bag and donned my badge
And stumbled 'cross the lot to finish Day(ton).

For not buying on the day before
It was my own behind that I was kicking.
But I sipped my cup and watched a small kid
Playing with a key that she was clicking.
Then I walked across the aisle
And caught the smoky smell of hamfest hot dogs cooking.
And Lord, it took me back to goodies that I'd missed
Somewhere, somehow along the way.

At a Sunday morning hamfest
I'm wishing, Lord, I had more dough.
'Cause there's bargains left on Sunday
That a ham could take back home.
And there's nothing left this sunrise
More than half the price of Friday morn
From the sleepy hamfest vendors
On Sunday morning tearing down.

In the park I saw an Elmer
With a laughing learning ham that he was teaching.
And I stopped outside a forum talk
About technical achievements they were reaching.
Then I headed through the crowd
And somewhere far away a lonely rig was beeping,
And it echoed through the tables
Like the disappearing gadgets yesterday.

At a Sunday morning hamfest
I'm wishing, Lord, I had more dough.
'Cause there's bargains left on Sunday
That a ham could take back home.
And there's nothing left this sunrise
More than half the price of Friday morn.
From the sleepy hamfest vendors
On Sunday morning tearing down.

CONTESTS

25 May through 7 June

An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format is available. Check the sponsor's Web site for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions.

HF CONTESTS

CQ WW WPX Contest--CW, from May 28, 0000Z to May 29, 2400Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RST and serial . Logs due: Jun 27. Rules

Baltic Contest--Phone,CW, from May 28, 2100Z to May 29, 0200Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5. Exchange: RS(T) and serial. Logs due: Jul 1. Rules

QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint--CW, from May 29, 8 PM to May 29, Midnight. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST, S/P/C QRP number or power. Logs due: Jun 29. Rules

MI QRP Memorial Day CW Sprint--CW, from May 29, 2300Z to May 30, 0300Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, MI QRP number or power. Logs due: 30 days. Rules

SNS and NS Weekly Sprints--CW, from Jun 3, 0200Z to Jun 3, 0300Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-14. Exchange: Serial number, name, S/P/C. Logs due: none. Rules

Ten-Ten Open Season--Digital, from Jun 4, 0000Z to Jun 5, 2400Z. Bands (MHz): 28. Exchange: Call, name, S/P/C, member numbers. Logs due: 15 days. Rules

LZ Open 20 Meter Contest--CW, from Jun 4, 1100Z to Jun 4, 1500Z. Bands (MHz): 14. Exchange: 6-digit serial and serial from previous QSO. Logs due: 10 days. Rules

Maritime QSO Party--Phone,CW, from Jun 4, 1200Z to Jun 5, 0300Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144, Frequencies: 25 to 50 kHz from band edge. Exchange: RS(T), Maritime county or S/P/C. Logs due: 1 month. Rules

SEANET Contest--Phone,CW,Digital, from Jun 4, 1200Z to Jun 5, 1200Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Frequencies: CW--3.525,7.025,14.025,21.025,28.025, SSB--3.540/3.790,7.090,14.320,21.320,28.320. Exchange: RS(T), serial. Logs due: Jul 31. Rules

IARU Region I Field Day--CW, from Jun 4, 1500Z to Jun 5, 1459Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RST, serial. Rules are available on IARU Society Web sites

Alabama QSO Party--Phone,CW, from Jun 4, 1600Z to Jun 5, 0400Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Frequencies: CW--1.810, 3.545, 7.045, 14.045, 21.045, 28.045; PH--1.865, 3.855, 7.230, 14.250, 21.300, 28.450. Exchange: RS(T) and county, state, province, or 'DX'. Logs due: 30 days. Rules

DARC 10 Meter Digital Contest--Digital, from Jun 5, 1100Z to Jun 5, 1700Z. Bands (MHz): 28. Exchange: RST, serial number. Logs due: 14 days. Rules

ARS Spartan Sprint--CW, from Jun 7, 0200Z to Jun 7, 0400Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Frequencies: Monthly on the first Monday evening. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, and power. Logs due: 2 days. Rules

VHF+ CONTESTS

Worldwide EME Contest--Phone,CW, from Jun 4, 0000Z to Jun 5, 2400Z. Bands (MHz): 1.2G. Exchange: TMO/RS(T) and "R". Logs due: Jun 25. Rules

Maritime QSO Party--Phone,CW, from Jun 4, 1200Z to Jun 5, 0300Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144, Frequencies: 25 to 50 kHz from band edge. Exchange: RS(T), Maritime county or S/P/C. Logs due: 1 month. Rules

UKSMG Sporadic E Contest--Phone,CW,Digital, from Jun 4, 1300Z to Jun 5, 1300Z. Bands (MHz): 50. Exchange: RST, member nr, 6-digit grid locator. Logs due: Jul 1. Rules

LOG DUE DATES

25 May through 7 June

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest Calendar and SM3CER's Contest Calendar.

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