Contester's Rate Sheet for April 9, 2003

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Contester's Rate Sheet
9 April 2003
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Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX

SUMMARY
o Thank You from VY1JA
o QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party -- not all QRP signals are weak!
o Clamping Guy Cables and Phillystran
o Balloon and Kite Antennas
o QDC -- What's Your D**n Call?

BULLETINS
o Dayton Contesting Dinner tickets going fast -- see
http://www.radio-ware.com.
o Canada Day logs may have been mis-categorized - see info below.

BUSTED QSOS
o A golden issue last time

ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 9 APRIL TO 23 APRIL 2003

Logs are due for the following contests:

o April 9 - NSARA Contest, email to: ve1cel@rac.ca, paper logs to: Mr.
Tom Goldie, VE1BYO, Antigonish Amateur Radio Club, 18 Ponderosa Drive,
Antigonish, NS B2G 2R5, Canada

o April 10 - Wisconsin QSO Party, email to: (none), paper logs to:
Wisconsin QSO Party, West Allis Radio Amateur Club, PO Box 1072,
Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA

o April 12 - Pesky Texan Armadillo Chase, email to: n1ln@arrl.net,
paper logs to: Bruce Meier, N1LN, 15283 Runnymede St., Conroe, TX
77384, USA

o April 15 - Virginia QSO Party, email to: ks4ii@arrl.net, paper logs
to: VA QSO Party, Call Box 599, Sterling, VA 20167, USA

o April 22 - 9K 15-Meter Contest, email to: 9k2rr@9kcc.com, paper logs
to: Contest Manager, PO Box 1124, Alfarwanya 80000, Kuwait

o April 22 - Spring QRP Homebrewer Sprint, email to: n2cq@arrl.net,
paper logs to: Ken Newman, N2CQ, 81 Holly Drive, Woodbury, NJ 08096,
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

DX YL to North American YL Contest - CW - sponsored by YLRL from 1400Z
Apr 9 - 0200Z Apr 11, (Phone - April 16 -- 18), 24 hours max. (Yes --
this is a Wednesday through Friday contest.) Frequencies: 160 -- 10
meters, DX to NA and NA to DX QSOs only (KL7 and KH6 are DX).
Categories: SO YL-only. Exchange: Callsign, RST, S/P/C. QSO Points: 1
pt/QSO. Score: QSO Points x SPC x power multiplier (1.5 for <150 W on
CW, <300 W on phone). For more information --
http://www.qsl.net/ylrl/ylcontests.html#DX%20YL%20to%20NA%20YL. Logs
due 30 days after each contest to wabufg@pe.net or Jeanie Parker,
WA6UVF, 8400 Vista del Valle, Hemet, CA 92544.

QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party - CW - sponsored by the QRP ARCI, from 1200Z
Apr 12 - 2400Z Apr 13, operate 24 hrs max. Frequencies (MHz): 1.810
3.560 3.710 7.040 7.110 14.060 21.060 21.110 28.060 28.110 50.128.
Categories: SOAB, SO-High Band (20 - 6), SO-Low Band (160 - 40). QSO
Points: member QSOs - 5 pts, non-member on same cont - 2 pts,
non-members on diff cont - 4 pts. Score: QSO points x SPC x Power
Multiplier (<250 mW ×15, <1 W ×10, <5 W output ×7,  >5 W ×1). For more
information - http://personal.palouse.net/rfoltz/arci/arcitst.htm.
Logs due 30 days after contest to rfoltz@turbonet.com or QRP ARCI
Contest Manager, Randy Foltz, K7TQ, 809 Leith St, Moscow, ID 83843.

EU Spring Sprints - SSB: 12 Apr - managed by G4BUO, CW: 19 Apr -
managed by I2UIY, from 1500Z - 1859Z. Frequencies (MHz): SSB - 14.250,
7.050, 3.730, CW - 14.040, 7.025, 3.550. SO category only, EU stations
work everyone, non-EU stations work EU only. Exchange: your call, the
other station's call, serial number starting at 001, your name - both
stations must repeat both callsigns. If any station initiates a call
(CQ, QRZ?, etc.) he is permitted to work only one station on the same
frequency and must move at least 2 kHz before he may call another
station or before he may call CQ again. Score is the total QSOs (1
point/QSO). For more information or contest software -
http://www.qsl.net/eusprint. Logs due 15 days after the contest to
eusprint@kkn.net (ASCII format) or to (SSB) Dave Lawley, G4BUO,
Carramore, Coldharbour Road, Penshurst, Kent, TN11 8EX, England, UK,
or (CW) Paolo Cortese, I2UIY, PO Box 14, 27043 Broni (PV), Italy.

Japan International DX Contest (JIDX) - CW - sponsored by Five-Nine
Magazine from 0700Z Apr 12 -- 1300Z Apr 13. (Phone - Nov 8/9) 
Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP >100W,
LP), MO, Maritime Mobile. Exchange: RST + JA prefecture number or CQ
Zone. QSO Points: 80 or 10-meters - 2 pts, otherwise 1 pt. Score: QSO
Points x JA prefectures + JD1 provinces (JA stations use DXCC
entities). For more information -- http://je1cka.jzap.com/jidx. Logs
due May31 to jidx-cw@ne.nal.go.jp or JIDX "PHONE/CW" Contest, c/o
Five-Nine Magazine, PO Box 59, Kamata, Tokyo, 144 Japan.

Georgia QSO Party - CW/SSB - sponsored by SECC and SEDXC from 1800Z
Apr 12 - 0359Z Apr 13 and 1400Z - 2359Z Apr 13, no time limit.
Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters. Categories: SOAB, MS, MM, Rover,
Novice/Tech, HP (>150W), LP, or QRP (<5W). Rovers must activate at
least six GA counties. Mobiles and portables must move the complete
station including antennas at least 100 yards to change counties - no
county line operations. Exchange RST and GA county or SPC. QSO Points:
SSB - 1 pt, CW - 2 pts. Score: QSO Points x GA counties (GA station
use states and provinces) counted 
only once per band and mode. For more information --
http://gqp.contesting.com. Logs due May 17 to jshort@mindspring.com or
Jeffrey Short, KD3UC, 5106 Cypress Court, Alpharetta, GA 30005.

YU DX Contest - CW/SSB - sponsored by SRJ (Amateur Radio Union of
Yugoslavia) and YUDXC (YU DX Club) from 1200Z Apr 12 -- 1200Z Apr 13.
Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters. Categories: SO-CW, SO-SSB, SO-Mixed,
MS. Exchange: RST + ITU Zone. QSO Points: with own zone - 1 pt, own
continent - 3 pts, diff cont - 5 pts. Score: QSO points x ITU zones +
YU prefixes (counted once per band). For more information - 
http://solair.eunet.yu/~yu1ab/awards/rules.htm. Logs due 30 days after
the contest to yu0srj@EUnet.yu or Savez radio-amatera Jugoslavije, YU
DX Contest, PO Box 48, 11001 Beograd, Yugoslavia.

European EME Contest - sponsored by DUBUS Magazine from 0000Z Apr 12
-- 2400Z Apr 13. Frequencies: 144 MHz, 1.3 GHz, 10 GHz. Categories:
QRP and QRO (determined by EIRP), Pro (non-ham antennas). Exchange:
both callsigns, TMO or RST, and R. QSO Points: random QSOs - 100 pts,
scheduled QSOs - 10 pts, any QSO on 10 GHz - 100 pts. Score: QSO
points x DXCC entities + states or provinces in W/VE/VK. Only random
QSOs can count for multipliers. For more information - 
g3sek@ifwtech.co.uk. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
f6hye@ref-union.org or Patrick Magnin, F6HYE, Marcorens, F-74140
Ballaison, France.

Michigan QSO Party - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Mad River Radio Club,
from 1600Z Apr 19 - 0400Z Apr 20, no time limit. Bands: 80-10 meters.
Frequencies: CW - 45 kHz from band edge, Phone (MHz) - 3.850, 7.225,
14.250, 21.300, 28.450. Work stations once per band and mode, MI-to-MI
QSOs allowed, mobiles and portables can be worked from each county.
Categories: SO, MO, and Mobile. Exchange: serial number and MI county
or SPC. QSO Points: CW - 2 pts, Phone - 1 pt. Multipliers for MI
stations are states, provinces and MI counties; multipliers for non-MI
stations are MI counties. Multipliers count once per mode. Score: QSO
points x multipliers. For more information - http://www.miqp.org. Logs
due 30 days after the contest to mqp@contesting.com or Mad River Radio
Club, c/o Dave Pruett, 2727 Harris Rd. Ypsilanti, MI 48198.

GACW DX Contest "Mr. Samuel Morse Party" - CW - sponsored by the Grupo
Argentino de Radiotelegrafia (GACW) from 1200Z Apr 19 - 1200Z Apr 20.
Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters, everyone works everyone format.
Categories: SO-SB and SO-AB (HP, LP, and QRP), MS and MM categories,
no time limit. MS category subject to 10-min band change rule - see
Web site. Exchange: RST and CQ Zone. QSO Points: same continent - 1
point, diff cont - 3 pts, DX-to-South America add 2 points, own
country - 0 pts (but counts for zone and country credit). Score is QSO
points x DXCC, WAE and GACW countries + CQ Zones from each band. For
information and software -- http://gacw.no-ip.org. Logs due May 30 to
uranito@infovia.com.ar (ASCII text) or GACW DX CONTEST, PO Box 9,
B1875ZAA Wilde, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

TARA PSK31 Rumble - sponsored by Troy ARA, 0000z - 2400z Apr 19.
Frequencies: 80 - 6 meters, work stations once per band. Categories:
Normal (100W), Great (20W),  Super (5W), Novice, SWL. Exchange: Name
and SPC. Score: QSO's x (W/VE/JA/VK call areas + 1 point per entity).
Multipliers count once per band. For more information -
http://www.qsl.net/wm2u/rumble.html or http://www.n2ty.org. Logs due
May 17 via the contest score entry form at
http://www.qsl.net/wm2u/score.html or email to wm2u@n2ty.org.

Holyland DX Contest - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Israel Amateur Radio
Club from 0000Z - 2359Z Apr 19. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters
according to IARU Region I band plan, work Israeli stations once per
band and mode. Categories: SO (Mixed Mode, CW, SSB), MS, MM, SWL.
Exchange RST and serial number or Israel district. QSO Points: 1.8 or
3.5 MHz - 2 pts; other bands 1 pt. Score: QSO Points x districts
counted once per band. For more information - http://www.iarc.org.
Logs due 31 May to 4Z4KX@iarc.org or Contest Manager 4Z4KX , Israel
Amateur Radio Club, Box 17600, Tel Aviv, 61176, Israel.

Ontario QSO Party - CW/Phone - sponsored by the Ontario DX Association
from 1800Z Apr 19 - 1800Z Apr 20. Frequencies (MHz): SSB - 1.870,
3.735, 3.860, 7.070, 7.260, 14.130, 14.265, 21.260, 28.360; CW - 30
kHz above band edges; VHF-SSB: 50.130, 144.205, 432.105; VHF-FM
52.540, 146.550, 446.1, no repeater QSOs. Categories: SOAB and SOSB
(HP, LP <150W HF & 50W VHF, QRP <5W) in CW, Phone, and Mixed Modes, SO
VHF FM QRP (< 5W), MS, SWL, Mobile, Rover. Exchange: RS(T) and SPC or
Ontario QTH. QSO Points: HF SSB - 1 pt, HF CW - 2 pts, VHF - 5 pts
(work stations once per VHF band), 10 bonus pts for each QSO with
VE3ODX and VA3RAC. Score is QSO Points x Ontario QTHs (non-VE3
stations) or SPC + Ontario QTHs (mults count once per band). For more
information - http://www.odxa.on.ca/oqphome.html. Logs due May 31 to
ve3sre@rac.ca or Ontario QSO Party, Ontario DX Association, PO Box
161, Station "A", Willowdale, Ontario, M2N 5S8 Canada.

Low Power Spring Sprint - CW - sponsored by the Slovak Amateur Radio
Association (SARA) from 1400Z -- 2000Z Apr 21. Frequencies: 160 -- 10
meters. Categories: A (1W), C (5W), Q (25W), X (50W), Y (100W), SOSB,
SO-2 or 3 Bands, SOAB. Exchange: RST, Grid Square, and Power Category.
(RST-only OK from non-contest stations) QSO Points: with own continent
- 3 pts, diff cont. - 9 pts, OM station - 18 pts. Score: QSO points x
grid squares + WPX prefixes (counted once per band). Logs due 30 days
after the contest to om3kfv@zoznam.sk or Radioclub OM3KFV, PO Box 129,
036 01 Martin 1,  Slovakia

Spring Lites QSO Party - all modes - sponsored by the Amateur Radio
Lighthouse Society from 0001Z Apr 19 through 2359Z Apr 27. Frequencies
(MHz): CW - 1.830, 3.530, 7.030, 14.030, 18.070, 21.030, 28.030; SSB -
1.970, 3.970, 7.270, 14.270, 18.145, 21.370, 28.370. Exchange: ARLHS
member/lighthouse number or year first licensed, name, and SPC. Score:
1 pt/QSO except - 2 pts for ARLHS member, 3 pts for ARLHS lighthouse.
For more information -- http://arlhs.com/spring2003.html. Logs due May
15 to Dave Ruch, NF0J, PO Box 20696, Bloomington, MN 55420-0696.

VHF CONTESTS

VHF Spring Sprints - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Eastern Tennessee DX
Association, 222 MHz from 7 - 11 PM local time, 12 Apr; 432 MHz from 7
- 11 PM Apr 19. Fixed and Rover categories. Exchange is Grid Square
only, count 1 pt per QSO. Score is QSO Points x Grid Squares, score
each sprint separately. Rovers and Microwave sprints total all points
and all grids worked from each grid. For more information --
http://www.etdxa.org/vhf.htm. Logs must be emailed or postmarked
within four weeks of the contest to springsprints@etdxa.org or Jeff J
Baker, 8218 Foxworth Trail, Powell, TN 37849.

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

The ARRL Contest Desk reports that progress is being made on
Sweepstakes, ARRL DX CW and Phone, January VHF Sweepstakes, and
160-Meter contest logs, data bases, and write-ups.  There will be an
article in QST on the new Class F category for Field Day.

Ken Wolff K1EA, author of popular contest logging software, CT,
reports that CT is going to become a freeware program. The software
can be picked up at http://www.k1ea.com/ctvault/, without a password. 
Support will be via the users group reflector: ct-user@contesting.com.
 Look for a summary of popular logging programs in an upcoming issue
of the Rate Sheet.  Ken, thanks for your major contributions to
contesting over the years.

Doing some grounding system work?  If the thought of driving ground
rods is keeping you up nights, Groundhawgs has developed a motorized
ground rod driving system that converts the ground rods into small
augers. See http://www.groundhawgs.com for more information.  No, the
nice young lady is not part of the package.  Screw tips are available
separately and a big hammer drill is also reputed to do the job.  This
might be a good package for a club to purchase and share. 

There is some confusion about how contest results are published by the
ARRL and how the new Web-based reporting will affect the availability
of results, particularly to non-members. First, the extensive Web
write-up and searchable, detailed score listings are initially posted
on the ARRL Web site, available only to ARRL members. Second, an
article summarizing the contest is published in QST about a month
later which is less extensive than the Web write-up and does not
include the score listings. Finally, at about the time QST is received
by members, a PDF file is posted on the ARRL Web site that includes
the text from QST plus detailed score listings (i.e. -- the
traditional line-scores) that are not searchable. This is available to
members and non-members, along with the on-line Soapbox. So,
non-members do not get searchable score listings, and do not get the
expanded write-up available to members, but they do get everything
they used to get. (Thanks, Tom K1KI)

I'd like to remind everyone that entered the ARRL DX contests, that
there is a short survey for you at the following Web sites:
   CW: http://www.hornucopia.com/surveys/arrldxcw.php
   SSB: http://www.hornucopia.com/surveys/arrldxssb.php
Scott W4PA and your editor will be doing the QST and Web write-ups. 
We'd like to have more individual and personalized coverage, so please
take a few minutes to log onto these sites and enter your data. 
Thanks!

If you're contemplating attending the Dayton Contest Dinner, K1QX
reports that ticket orders are ahead of last year. Do not wait until
the last minute to place your order as there may not be tickets left.
Current ticket orders will be filled and should have been mailed by
April 8th.  Dinner MC will be Tim Duffy K3LR and the dinner speaker
will be that wizard of witticisms, Rich Strand KL7RA. Price is $31.00
per person and tickets are available via Craig Clark, K1QX at the
Radioware and Radio Bookstore on the Web at
http://www.radio-ware.com.

In a nice note from "J", VY1JA -- "To all the contesting
community....It is now five years since the time that I ran an ad
looking for an inexpensive reparable transceiver QRP rig to get back
on the air after a financial reversal. That ad was met with
unbelievable kindness in the amateur community who took it on
themselves to help me rebuild the station. I cannot list here all of
the people who helped, but here is a list of a few very special groups
and individuals: Chen, W6AY, Mark, N5OT, Tree, N6TR, Northern
California Contest Club, Southern California Contest Club and the
Boring Amateur Radio Club. There were many other unnamed groups and
individuals who helped greatly. To all of you who were so kind, I want
to say that the radio station which your generosity built has
benefited many. In the five years that have passed, well over 40,000
VY1 QSOs have been logged where there otherwise would have been near
silence. Over the past five years I have often heard, "Thanks for the
sweep!" and can only say in reply...thank the people that rebuilt the
station, the credit is theirs. I am very proud to be a part of such a
great group of people. 73, "J" VY1JA"

RESULTS AND RECORDS

The JIDX contest committee has posted the list of received logs for
the 2000 phone contest at http://je1cka.jzap.com/jidx/log-list.html. 
If you have any problems or questions, contact Tack JE1CKA at
je1cka@jzap.com.

The results of the 2002 Canada Day contest were printed in the
March/April issue of the RAC journal TCA. Unfortunately an error was
discovered in the way that the entries were categorized. Those of you
with access to the magazine may have noticed that the results seemed
quite different than those shown on the 3830 reflector for instance.
Because of these errors RAC is reluctant to post the results at this
time on their Web site. For those of you in the U.S.A. and overseas,
without access to TCA to do a check, I have posted a "Logs Received"
page for the 2002 Canada Day contest on the RAC web at
http://www.rac.ca/2002CDYLogs.htm. If you entered the 2002 Canada Day
contest please check to see that your log was processed and that it is
in the proper category. If you find that your entry is missing or in
the wrong category, please send another copy of your entry to
ve9qed@rac.ca. It is hoped that complete and corrected results will be
available on the Web in June and in the July/August TCA. (Thanks, Bob
VE3KZ)

TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE

If you're constructing a large loop, Larry W1GOR recommends using a
PVC 'sweep' instead of an 'elbow' to support the loop wire.  Sweeps
are designed to turn corners at a large enough radius to pull
electrical cable and are found in the electrical section of finer
hardware stores everywhere.  Using sweeps allows the wire at the
corners to slide easily as wind conditions demand. By pulling on the
wire, you can also convert a 'corner-fed' loop to a
'center-of-one-side-fed' loop just by pulling on the wire.  Moving the
feedpoint can change the radiation pattern of a vertical loop from
'regional-coverage cloudburner' to a vertical-like low-angle
radiator.

As the Northern Hemisphere's low-band season fades with the increasing
sunlight, don't forget that our friends south of the equator are just
beginning their season.  In particular, the VK's and ZL's will become
easier to work with each passing week.  While you're listening
Pacific-wards, you'll no doubt hear some weak, beacon-like signals
emanating from fishing buoys.  These have primary allocation status
between 1900 and 2000 kHz and share the band with amateurs between
1800 and 1900 kHz.  Their transmitters run from 100 mW to 10 W and
have a 10-foot loaded whip antenna.  While they're supposed to be
licensed, some aren't, but you can use these signals as an indication
that the band is open.  Here's a URL -
http://www.taiyomusen.co.jp/ehomepage/Radiobuoysystem.html -- with
more information about them. (Thanks, Thom SM6CNS)

Many of us tend toward the electronic as opposed to the electrical, so
putting in wiring and other heavy jobs is sometimes a head-scratcher. 
This can lead to safety and reliability problems, so a how-to book is
good to have around the workshop.  The National Electrical Code has
all the rules, but isn't really very helpful in showing the Sunday
electrician how a three-way switch is wired up.  To that end, "Ugly's
Electrical References" is a pocket-sized book of information aimed at
power wiring.  It's less expensive than a big how-to book and much
more likely to go with you out on the job or to the hardware store,
where it's needed.

For those looking for a document describing overall grounding
techniques, the FAA spec for their facilities, FAA-STD-019D, is
available on the Web at
http://204.108.10.116/nasiHTML/FAAStandards/faa-std-019/FAA-STD-019D.pdf.
It contains lots of stuff about lightning grounding, power line
grounding, coaxial and other cables, etc. (Thanks Jim W6RMK)

If you're like me, you don't work with guy cables every day.  So how
to remember the proper way to install the cable clamps?  Do the
saddles go on the "live" cable (the one connected to the tower) or the
"dead" cable (the end wrapped around the thimble)?  While this is
old-hat to the veterans of the tower trade, Josh N7XM contributed the
following easy-to-remember sentence, "Never saddle a dead horse!" 
i.e. -- the saddle clamp always goes on the live cable and the "U"
goes on the dead cable end.

For those of you using Phillystran guys, Steve K7LXC and Gerald
Williamson of Texas Tower remind us NEVER to use cable clamps on the
stuff.  The only approved termination method for old-style Phillystran
is the epoxy-potted terminations.  The only approved termination
method for the new-style, more limber Phillystran is the preformed
grips. The grips are not compatible with the older style Phillystran
so it is extremely important to determine which version you are using
when used or surplus material is obtained. Rigging suppliers can
supply end fittings called Spelter sockets that can be used with epoxy
to terminate the old-style Phillystran. They are not cheap but are
less expensive than the few remaining original Phillystran
terminations and are readily available.

Not many of us can look at a tethered balloon or high-flying kite and
avoid thinking, "If only..."  Well, Top-Band DX-er Bob G4VGO has a
nice Web page on using kites and balloons to hold up wire antennas
(http://www.qsl.net/g4vgo) with lots of detailed info on balloon and
kite-supported wires. (Thanks, Steve VE6WZ).  Chuck W1HIS also
contributes the following tips:
- Use lightweight Litz wire supported by 100-lb. Test woven fishing
line
- Wire losses should be kept below 25% of the radiation resistance
- Wind causes severe "tilts" -- stay away from power lines!
- 5/8-wave antennas give the best low-angle gain and keep counterpoise
currents low 
- DC ground the antenna at all times to avoid potentially lethal
static charges

CONVERSATION

QDC -- What's Your D**n Call?

After every major contest -- primarily phone contests -- a great hue
and cry goes up about stations running pileups without giving their
calls as frequently as some feel they should.  Regardless of my own
opinion, I am pleased to be able to provide commentary from a true
authority on the subject.  

Dick Norton N6AA, a member of the CQ Contesting Hall of Fame and a
first-place finisher many times over from numerous DX locations,
understands the dynamics of handling a pileup very, very well. Perhaps
we'll have some counterpoint on the subject in a future issue, but for
the moment, Mr. Norton has the floor:

Managing a pile-up by judicious callsign rationing is an advanced
operating technique that, if executed properly, can squeeze a few
extra contacts out of an operating period. Since small differences in
operating skill rarely affect contest outcomes, many contests can be
won without ever mastering such skills. In fact, most entrants are
rarely in situations where such action even matters. However, there
are advantages to not signing after every QSO. 

1) If you can make another contact without signing your call, the time
you would have used to sign the call can simply be used to make
additional contacts. 

2) By keeping some potential callers off balance until they know who
you are, you may be able to reduce the size of an excessively large
pile-up to a size where you can copy callsigns. 

3) There are a number of highly-skilled operators with small signals.
If these individuals sense that you will allow their skill to get them
through, ahead of competitors with bigger signals, they will stick
around, trying to work you. If they sense that you are a plain-vanilla
operator, signing your call every time and then working the loudest
station, they will go away since they know how weak they are. 

4) If you are a common CQ-ing station, many S&P'ers will call you only
once. When two stations reply, and you finish the first contact
extremely rapidly, and give the second station the impression that you
know he was there, he may call again, even if you completely missed
his callsign. 

There is a downside in not signing every time, in that you may cause
other operators to take actions that may lower your rate. Certain
operators may feel that their superior stations and/or favorable
locations entitle them to know your callsign where their
identification skills and experience are not advanced enough to
determine it, or enough about you to know whether to call, without
hearing you actually sign it. They may QRM your weak, target stations
by sending, "Call?" They may work you without knowing your call, which
of course, is usually only bad if they are duplicates. 

There is considerable skill involved in maximizing the benefits while
minimizing the liabilities incurred. The callsign-signing decision may
change after every contact. Factors that may impact the individual
decisions include: 

1) Do you already know the callsign of another station in your
pile-up? 

2) How many people are tuning the band listening, and what percentage
of them have already worked you? Have you made 10 or 5000 QSO's on the
band? 

3) What is your signal like in your target area? 

4) Is your call EE5E or KH5K/JQ9YXJ/M? 

5) Do you have an overall picture of what is going on in your pile-up?


    5a) Can you say something like, "There are now 5 or 6 calling, and
3 or so have been there for some time. There have been no new
additions to the pile- up during the last few contacts?" 

    5b) Or, can you say, "One weak guy, with a long call, has been
here for a while. He sends fast and always zero beats the last
station. Maybe I can sneak him through." 

    5c) Or, are you simply struggling to copy callsigns, and therefore
unaware of your pile-up structure? 

Summary: If you feel that the callsign should be signed after every
contact, this strongly indicates that your operating skills have
developed to the stage where you should indeed sign your call after
every contact. However, when you give unconditioned advice to others
suggesting that they absolutely always do the same, note that you are
primarily broadcasting your skill level rather than giving good
counsel.

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/