The ARRL Contest Update Newsletter
News and Techniques for the Active Operator
(Formerly the Contester's Rate Sheet)
Contester's Rate Sheet for February 26, 2003
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Contester's Rate Sheet
26 February 2003
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Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX
SUMMARY
o ARRL DX Phone this weekend, Elecraft QSO Party the next
o Great contest activity maps by WM5R
o JIDX, Ohio QSO Party, and OK-OM Contest results are ready for you
o For the climber and the ground crew
o "Why Do You Contest?"
BULLETINS
o No bulletin-level items this issue
BUSTED QSOS
o Regarding the Web sites for supplemental information about ARRL DX
participation - the Canadian sections were inadvertently left out of
the list of QTHs. Ouch, eh? This has now been repaired and all
Canadians are encouraged to visit
http://www.hornucopia.com/surveys/arrldxcw.php or
http://www.hornucopia.com/surveys/arrldxssb.php
If you haven't visited yet, we'd love to have you contribute to the
growing pool of interesting information -- it only takes a minute or
two.
ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 26 FEBRUARY TO 11 MARCH 2003
Logs are due for the following contests:
o February 28 - East Asia 160/80 DX Contest, email to:
ja1ely@bb.mbn.or.jp, paper logs to: Five Nine Magazine, P.O. Box 59,
Kamata, Tokyo 144-8691, Japan
o February 28 - Hunting Lions in the Air, email to:
rad.handfield-jones@pixie.co.za, paper logs to: The HLITA Contest
Committee, Lions Club of Midrand, PO Box 1548, Halfway House 1685,
South Africa
o February 28 - Midwinter Contest, CW/SSB, email to:
jckoekkoek@home.nl, paper logs to: PA3GQG, Contest Manager Midwinter
Contest, Keulenheide 1, 6373 AP Landgraaf, The Netherlands
o February 28 - CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW, email to: cq160@kkn.net,
paper logs to: CQ 160-Meter Contest, 25 Newbridge Road, Hicksville, NY
11801, USA
o March 1 - BARTG RTTY Sprint, email to: ska@bartg.demon.co.uk, paper
logs to: John Barber, GW4SKA, PO Box 611, Cardiff, CF24 4UN, Wales
o March 1 - Vermont QSO Party, email to: (none), paper logs to: Chris
Knox, N1GBB, Vermont QSO Party Coordinator, Central Vermont Amateur
Radio Club, 1339 Aseltine Road, Northfield, VT 05663, USA
o March 2 - Mexico RTTY International Contest, email to: xe1j@ucol.mx,
paper logs to: Jose Levy, Direccion de Concursos FMRE, Clavel 333,
Colima, Col 28030, Mexico
o March 4 - North American Sprint, Phone, email to:
ssbsprint@ncjweb.com, paper logs to: Jim Stevens, K4MA, 6609 Vardon
Ct., Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526, USA
o March 9 - Delaware QSO Party, email to: QSOparty@fsarc.org, paper
logs to: Contest Chairman - FSARC, Inc., PO Box 1050, Newark, DE
19715, USA
o March 10 - FISTS Winter Sprint, email to: W8PIG@yahoo.com, paper
logs to: Dan Shepherd, N8IE, 1900 Pittsfield St., Kettering, OH 45420,
USA
o March 11 - YL-OM Contest, CW, email to: wa6uvf@pe.net, paper logs
to: Jeanie Parker, WA6UVF, 28400 Vista del Valle, Hemet, CA 92544,
USA
o March 11 - North American Sprint, CW, email to: cwsprint@ncjweb.com,
paper logs to: Boring Amateur Radio Club, 15125 Bartell Road, Boring,
OR 97009, USA
o March 11 - QRP ARCI Winter Fireside SSB Sprint, email to:
rfoltz@turbonet.com, paper logs to: Randy Foltz, K7TQ, Attn: Fireside
SSB, 809 Leith St., Moscow, ID 83843, 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
ARRL International DX Contest - Phone - from 0000Z Mar 1 - 2400Z Mar
2. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters, LSB operation above 1.843 MHz would
be appreciated. Categories: SOSB, SOAB (HP >150W, LP, QRP <5W), MS,
M2, MM. Exchange: RST + State or Province or Power (KH6 and KL7 count
as DX). QSO Points: 3 pts/QSO. Score: QSO points x DXCC entities (DX
counts states + provinces). For more information --
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2003/intldx.html. Logs due 1 Apr to
dxphone@arrl.org (Cabrillo format only) or DX CW, ARRL, 225 Main St.,
Newington, CT 06111.
DARC 10-Meter Digital "Corona" - RTTY/AMTOR/PACTOR/PSK31/Clover,
sponsored by Deutscher Amateur Radio Club from 1100Z -- 1700Z Mar 2.
Frequencies (MHz): 28.050-28.150, work stations once per mode.
Categories: SO, SWL. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO Points:
1pt/QSO. Score: QSO points x DXCC entities + WAE countries + JA/VE/W
call districts (all counted only once). For more information -
http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/cqdlcont/corona02.htm. Logs due 4 weeks
after the contest to df5bx@darc.de or Werner Ludwig, DF5BX, PO Box
1270, D-49110 Georgsmarienhuette, Germany.
Spartan Sprint - CW - sponsored by the Adventure Radio Society from
0200Z -- 0400Z Mar 4 (Monday evening in the U.S.). Held on the first
Monday of every month. Frequencies (MHz): 3.560, 7.040, 14.060,
21.060, 28.060 (QRP calling frequencies). Categories: SO. Exchange:
RST, SPC, and power output. Score: "Skinny" division - total QSOs /
total station weight, "Tubby" division - total QSOs. For more
information -
http://www.natworld.com/ars/pages/spartan_sprints/ss_rules.html --
recent changes in rules about total station weight may be of interest.
Logs due on Wednesday after the contest via the ARS Web site or to
hjohnc@core.com.
RSGB Commonwealth Contest - CW - sponsored by the RSGB from 1000Z Mar
8-1000Z Mar 9. Open to British Commonwealth stations only, work
stations once per band outside your own call area. HQ stations may be
worked by everyone and count as a separate call area. Frequencies:
lower 30 kHz of 80-10 meters. Categories: SO - open (full-time), -
restricted (12 hrs max), Headquarters -- MO and SO, no spotting
assistance. Scoring: 5 pts/QSO, 1st 3 QSOs with a call area count 25
pts. For more information - http://www.rsgbhfcc.org/. Logs due April 7
to commonwealth.contest.logs@rsgbhfcc.org or G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor
Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7AF, England.
UBA Spring Contest - CW - sponsored by the Royal Union of Belgian
Amateur Radio from 0700Z-1100Z Mar 9. Frequencies: 80 - 10-meters,
according to the IARU band plan. Categories: SOAB, SOAB-QRP, SOSB, MS,
packet is allowed for all classes. Exchange: RST and serial number, ON
stations add their province abbr. QSO Points: QSOs with ON stations -
10 pts, with other EU - 3 pts, outside EU - 1 pt. Score: QSO points X
ON provinces + ON prefixes + DXCC entities counted once per band. For
more information - http://www.uba.be. Logs due 30 days after the
contest to berger@cyc.ucl.ac.be or Michel Le Bon, ON4GO, UBA HF
Contest Manager, Chée de Wavre 1349, B-1160 Bruxelles, Belgium.
Wisconsin QSO Party - Phone/CW - sponsored by the West Allis RAC from
1800Z Mar 9-0100Z Mar 10. Frequencies (MHz): CW -- 3.550, 3.705,
7.050, 14.050 and 15-2 meters, Phone -- 3.890, 7.230, 14.290, 21.350,
28.400 and 6/2 meters, no repeater QSOs. Categories: SO, MS, MM, and
Mobile. Mobile operators may not sit on a county line to operate.
Exchange: SPC or WI county. QSO Points: Phone - 1 pt, CW - 2 pts.
Score: Pwr mult x QSO pts x WI counties (max 72), WI stations - QSO
pts x WI counties + SPC. WI mobiles/portables add 500 bonus points for
each county with 12 or more QSOs. Power multiplier: x2 (<5W), x1.5
(<150W), x1(>150W). For more information - http://www.warac.org. Logs
due April 10 to Wisconsin QSO Party, West Allis Radio Amateur Club, PO
Box 1072, Milwaukee, WI 53201.
North American RTTY Sprint, sponsored by NCJ from 0000Z-0400Z Mar 9.
Frequencies 80 -- 20 meters. North American stations work everyone;
others work NA stations only. Exchange both callsigns, serial number,
name, and SPC. The same station can be worked multiple times provided
3 contacts separate the contact in both logs, regardless of band. 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. For more information - http://www.ncjweb.com. Logs due
30 days after the contest to rttysprint@ncjweb.com or Douglas McDuff
W4OX, 10380 SW 112th Street, Miami, FL 33176. (Doug is the new contest
manager.)
Elecraft QSO Party - CW/SSB - sponsored by Elecraft (makers of the
K1/K2 kits) is sponsoring a QSO party from 1500Z Mar 8 -- 1500Z Mar
9th. You don't have to have an Elecraft rig to enter. Frequencies: CW
1.805-1.815, 3.530-3.540, 7.030-7.040, 14.050-14.060, 21.050-21.060,
28.050-28.060; SSB 1.905-1.915, 3.850-3.900, 7.250-7.300 (EU
7.050-7.100), 14.250-14.300, 21.300-21.350,28.300-28.350. Categories:
Elecraft and Non-Elecraft. Exchange: RST, Elecraft model and serial
number (if available), and SPC. QSO Points: <5 W - 3 pts, <15 W - 2
pts, 1 pt otherwise. Bonus Points: 5 points for each Elecraft Field
Tester worked (Field Testers send /FT after rig model), 25 points if
any QSOs are made with battery power. For more information -
http://www.elecraft.com. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
K2@linuxcolumbus.com in ASCII format.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES
If you made a few QSOs in any of the recent NA Sprints and don't
really feel like doing the regular log submission, but would like to
get your log to the contest manager, the new Sprint log entry form is
on-line and ready for you to enter your log. This tool, created by
WA7BNM, can be used for any of the NCJ Sprint contests. You can find
it at http://www.ncjweb.com/manualsprintlog.php. (Thanks, Tree N6TR
and Bruce WA7BNM)
Dennis, K0CKD is trying to update the Top Band Frequency allocations
listing at
http://www.machlink.com/~k0ckdennis/topbandfrequencyallocations.txt.
If you have information concerning any countries frequency allocation
on 160 meters, please let him know so that he can make the necessary
changes and updates. Dennis can be reached at
dennis.peterson@machlink.com.
Ken WM5R has made some really great maps of contest activity available
at his Web site, http://www.wm5r.org/maps/. This is a great example of
the type of useful data that exists in the ARRL's on-line results
(http://www.arrl.org/contests). Ken's maps include the following
contests:
- ARRL International DX Contest, CW
- ARRL International DX Contest, Phone
- IARU HF World Championship
- ARRL November Sweepstakes, CW
- ARRL November Sweepstakes, Phone
- ARRL 160 Meter Contest
- ARRL Ten Meter Contest
Ken's site is a great example of the kinds of useful, interesting
analysis that can be performed on the data now available on the ARRL
on-line contest results. If you have an idea -- give it a try!
RESULTS AND RECORDS
Results for the 2002 JIDX HFCW contest are now available at the
following URL: http://je1cka.jzap.com/jidx/index.html. (Thanks, Tack
JE1CKA)
The final results of the 2002 WAG Contest have been published at
http://www.darcdxhf.de. (Thanks, Klaus DL1DTL)
2002 Ohio QSO Party results are available at
http://www.mrrc.net/story/2003/2/12/9163/45045. Congratulations to
Single-Op category winners WX3M (HP), K9NW (LP), and K8GU (QRP). Other
category winners are listed on the Web site. (Thanks, Pat N8VW)
Claimed scores for the 2002 OK-OM DX Contest are available at
http://okomdx.radioamater.cz/uvnitr_en.htm. (Thanks, Martin OK1FUA)
All certificates and plaques for the 2002 EU Sprint Contests have now
been mailed. The EU Sprint Web page http://www.qsl.net/eusprint
contains results, software, and other items of interest. (Thanks,
Paolo I2UIY)
TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE
This issue's T&T section is packed full of good information and ideas
from the denizens of the TowerTalk reflector (available via
http://www.contesting.com).
For the climbers...
o Two tool pouches (bolt bags) on your belt - one for tools and the
other for parts and hardware
o Use two lanyards on your climbing belt so that one can always be
attached to the tower.
o Always take along a roll of electrical tape...even if the job
doesn't require it, there is always at least one thing on the way down
that can always use a quick wrap or two.
o Have an HT, cell phone, or FRS radio for communications to the
ground crew or to call for help
o Carabiners and slings are good for lifting just about anything and
are also useful for temporary holds
o Always bring up extra fasteners for the job
o Hold a safety meeting before work commences
o Go to the bathroom before you go up the tower.
o You were born tied off, stay tied off.
For the ground crew...
o Have the ground crew wear hard hats -- always.
o Learn how to tie a bowline
o When using tape to hold stuff together to go "up the tower", fold
the end of the tape over in a "flag" so that the tower workers can
just grab and pull the tape off.
o Mate the tower sections on the ground (rotating for best/easiest
fit) before they go up in the air and mark the legs so that the
rope/cable is attached to the correct leg.
CONVERSATION
"Why Do You Contest?"
This is a fun question. I'm not talking about, "What is it with
contesters?", often asked in frustration by someone feeling a bit
crowded. But rather, about what draws you to the radio- weekend after
weekend - to holler into the microphone or pound on the keyboard in
pursuit of...what?
Let's see -- there are the competitors that fight for a spot at the
lofty top. They want The Plaque that says "Ultimate Champion". At the
very least they want to be in The Box -- one of the Top Ten. They
plan, they prepare, they strategize, they fret, they fly great
distances, they push the envelope. And by golly, they DO appear in the
boxes time after time after time with excellent scores that just seem
to get higher every year. These folks are after RATE and MULTS and
SCORE and lots of it. Their first question on Monday morning is,
"When's the next contest?"
There are the "DX-ers" that use contests as a vehicle to make QSOs
that count for any number of awards -- DXCC, WAZ, WAS, IOTA, you name
it. They don't mind sitting in a screaming packet pileup for fifteen
minutes, because the station in the Italian Virgin Islands is a New
One! Many QRP operators LOVE contests for this reason -- the Big Guns
are out in force looking for Every Single QSO, including that puny
weak cross-continental contact on 80-meters the QRP-er needs for
5B-WAS. The band-mode collector, the Medium Pistol, the wallpaper
chaser -- all keep the bands busy.
Casual operators abound. A few hours here, an hour there, they like
finding the bands packed and enjoy an afternoon of radio slam dancing.
When the dinner bell rings, they're probably through, but in the
meantime a hundred or more QSOs went in the logs of other competitors.
It's an operating breath of fresh air that fits in nicely with the
local club repeater, the weekly emergency services net, and the
schedule with Fred in Arizona on Thursday afternoons.
Newly licensed operators are continually discovering the sport and
working up the nerve to push the mike button and call Mr. Big Gun
40-over-9 200-per-hour. Yikes! He answered! It's like getting a
handshake from Tiger Woods. Send a QSL? You bet! He's where? I
talked to what? There may be only ten QSOs in that contest log, but
you can bet that each one was an accomplishment.
The strange thing about radio contesting is...those operators are all
in there TOGETHER. No other sport puts all levels of competitors in
the same arena at the same time and requires them to cooperate. In
fact, in no other sport are the competitors measured by their ability
to cooperate. To be sure, there is competitive pressure -- just try to
get a frequency within 20 kHz of the band edge -- but the competition
is to see who can cooperate the best, the fastest, the most-est.
Weird, huh?
No matter why you do it -- as a Major Dude or on the What-Do-I-Say-Now
level -- your presence is required and accepted. I have been all of
the above kinds of contester (although my plaques are few) and have
never been made to feel anything but welcome on the air. I admit, some
of the welcoming takes place in about 10 microseconds, but by golly,
my QSOs add to a score just as much as from somebody in the Hall of
Fame and we all put our antennas together one element at a time.
When I was helping to host the first WRTC back in 1990 and all these
famous callsigns were showing up at the various functions, my wife
asked me how long I'd known these guys. My instant answer was,
"Years!" Even though, on reflection, our cumulative interaction
probably totaled no more than five minutes and our scores couldn't
have been farther apart, I felt like each one was a trusted friend.
Hey, they're contesters, right? I guess that's why I contest.
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/
Page last modified: 04:29 AM, 06 Dec 2008 ET
Page author: rate-sheet@arrl.org
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