Contester's Rate Sheet for July 2, 2003

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Contester's Rate Sheet
2 July 2003
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Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX

SUMMARY
o IARU-HF Championship and WRTC-Style Team Competition
o More Cool Radio Gadgets Announced
o Jim Cain's New YASME Book
o Wisconsin and Illinois QSO Party Analysis
o Charging Batteries and What Mower Could You Want?
o If It's Not a Contest, Then What Is It?

BULLETINS
o FCC Comments on Broadband Over Power-Line (BPL), a probable new HF
interference source, are due by July 7. For the complete story and
guidance on filing comments, see
http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/06/19/2/?nc=1. This is an
important issue.

BUSTED QSOS
o Sharp-eyed Bob, W2SR reports that the Web URL for the Venezuelan
Independence Day Contest - CW/SSB - was slightly mangled and
originally reported without the leading "www" that some browsers may
require. It should be http://www.radioclubvenezolano.org/concurso.htm.
Bob also reminds us to look for the English flag button that
translates foreign language Web pages. (The contest's date is
correctly reported in this issue.)

ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 2 JULY TO 15 JULY 2003

Logs are due for the following contests:

July 4 - VK-ZL Trans-Tasman Contest, CW, email to:
vktasman@hotmail.com, paper logs to: VK/ trans-Tasman Contest, 28
Crampton Crescent, Rosanna, VIC 3084, Australia

July 7 - AGCW VHF/UHF Contest, email to: vhf-uhf@agcw.de, paper logs
to: Manfred Busch, DK7ZH, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Weg 6, D-63069
Offenbach/Main, Germany

July 10 - UKSMG Summer Contest, email to: contest@uksmg.org, paper
logs to: Dennis Robbemond, PA7FM, Loggerhof 11, 3181 NS, Rozenburg,
Netherlands

July 12 - QRP TAC Sprint, email to: (none), paper logs to: Eastern PA
QRP Club, N3EPA, Attn: Ron Polityka, 1155 Robeson St., 2nd Floor,
Reading, PA 19604-2151, USA

July 15 - West Virginia QSO Party, email to: WA8WV@aol.com, paper logs
to: Dale Ellis, WA8WV, 610 Hillsdale Drive, Charleston, WV 25302, 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

MI QRP Jul 4th CW Sprint - 2300Z Jul 4 - 0300Z Jul 5. Frequencies: 160
- 6-meters. Categories: SOAB with classes A (<250 mW), B (<1 W), C (<5
W), D (>5W). Exchange: RST, SPC, and MI-QRP number or power output.
QSO Points: MI-QRP members - 5 pts, non-member W/VE - 2 pts, DX - 4
pts. Score: QSO points x SPC counted once per band. If homebrew RX or
TX, multiply by 1.25. If both RX and TX are homebrew, multiply by 1.5.
For information - http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub. Logs to n8cqa@att.net
or L. T. Switzer, N8CQA, 427 Jeffrey Ave., Royal Oak, MI 48073-2521,
USA

Venezuelan Ind. Day Contest - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Radio Club
Venezolano from 0000Z Jul 5 - 2400Z Jul 6. Frequencies; 160-10 meters.
Categories: SOAB and  SOSB (CW, SSB, and mixed), MS (mixed mode).
Exchange: RS(T) plus serial number. Work any station - not just YV.
QSO Points: Own country - 1 pt, different country, same continent - 3
pts, different cont. - 5 pts. Score: QSO Points x YV call areas + DXCC
entities counted once per band. For more information -
http://www.radioclubvenezolano.org/concurso.htm.  Logs due 31 Aug to
contestyv@cantv.net or Radio Club Venezolano, Concurso, Independencia
de Venezuela, PO Box 2285, Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela.

DL-DX-RTTY-Contest - sponsored by the DL-DX-RTTY Group from 1100Z Jul
5 -1059Z Jul 6. Frequencies: 80-10 meters. Categories: SOAB and
SO-Dipole/Ground-Plane (Full-time, 6 Hour), MS. Exchange: RST + serial
number. QSO Points: own country - 5 pts, diff. country - 10 pts, diff.
continent - 15 pts, with DL station add 3 pts from EU, 5 points
elsewhere. Score: QSO Points x DXCC entities + VK/VE/JA/W call areas
from each band. For more information - http://www.dl-dx.de. Logs due
10 Aug to logs@dl-dx.de.

DARC 10-Meter Digital "Corona" - RTTY/AMTOR/PACTOR/PSK31/Clover - 
sponsored by Deutscher Amateur Radio Club from 1100Z - 1700Z Jul 6.
Frequencies: 28050-28150 kHz, 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/corona03.htm. Logs due 4 weeks
after the contest to df5bx@darc.de or Werner Ludwig, DF5BX, PO Box
1270, D-49110 Georgsmarienhuette, Germany.

IARU HF World Championship - CW/SSB - sponsored by the IARU, 1200Z Jul
12 to 1200Z Jul 13. Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters, work stations on
each mode. Categories: SO (Phone, CW, Mixed Mode), MS (with 10 minute
rule). Exchange: RS(T) and ITU Zone, HQ stations will send a society
abbreviation, such as "ARRL". (See http://www.arrl.org/contests for a
list of prefixes and zones. A good ITU zone map is available at
http://www.iaru.org/ituzonesc.gif.) QSO Points: own zone and HQ
stations - 1 pt, same zone, different continent - 1 pt, different
zone, same continent - 3 pts, different zone and continent - 5 pts.
Score: QSO points x ITU zones + HQ stations counted once per band. For
more information - http://www.arrl.org/contests. Logs due Aug 13 to
IARUHF@iaru.org (Cabrillo format only) or IARU HF Championship, IARU
International Secretariat, Box 310905, Newington, CT 06111-0905, USA.

WARC-Style Team Competition - sponsored by N0AX, this competition runs
during the IARU HF Championship as did WRTC in 2000 and 2002. Operate
as a two-man team in accordance with the modified WRTC-2002 rules as
posted at http://summitschool.com/faculty/wrtcrules.html. All team
scores are also eligible for IARU-HF submission in the MS category.
Teams must pre-register by sending email with team call, QTH,
operators, and an optional team name to n0ax@arrl.net by 1200Z on 11
Jul.

FISTS Summer Sprint - CW - sponsored by FISTS International CW Club,
1700Z - 2100Z Jul 12. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters, work US/VE
stations. Categories: SOAB-QRP (<5W), SOAB-QRO, Club. Exchange: Name,
RST, SPC, members send FISTS number, nonmembers send power output. QSO
Points: FISTS members - 5 pts, nonmembers - 2 pts. Score: QSO points ×
SPC (count each only once). For more information -
http://www.FISTS.org. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
W8PIG@yahoo.com or Dan Shepherd N8IE, 1900 Pittsfield St, Kettering,
Oh 45420. 

QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint - CW - 2000Z - 2400Z Jul 13.
Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters. SO-CW, SO-SSB, SO Mixed-Mode categories,
no time limit. Exchange: RST, SPC and Pwr or QRP ARCI number - work
stations once per mode. QSO Points: members - 5 pts,
non-members/different continent - 4 pts, non-members/same cont. - 2
pts. Score: QSO points x total SPC x power mult (<250mW x 15, 250mW -
1W x 10, 1 - 5W x7, 5W x 1). For each band on which  homebrew gear is
used and 2000 pt bonus for homebrew transmitter, 3000 pts for homebrew
receiver, 5000 pts for homebrew transceiver. For more information --
http://personal.palouse.net/rfoltz/arci/top.htm. Logs due 30 days
after the contest to rfoltz@turbonet.com or Randy Foltz, K7TQ, Attn:
Top Band Sprint, 809 Leith St, Moscow, ID 83843.

VHF CONTESTS

None listed, although 10-meters is doing its best impression of
6-meters lately.

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

KY1V David and WA4PGM Kyle are looking for more ops to complete their
VP5 team for the CQWW CW Contest this year. They are also going to
sponsor a teenage op for an all expense paid trip! Plus two others ops
to complete the team. Complete details are available at
http://www.qth.com/vp5/ham-radio.html.

DX Engineering (http://www.dxengineering.com) has a new accessory for
those of you putting up serious verticals this summer - the Stainless
Steel Radial Plate. Now you may be wondering what the big deal is
about a piece of metal, but the folks at DX Engineering added value to
this thing by providing a sturdy and secure way to connect the coaxial
feedline to the vertical and radials. The feedline connection always
seems to wind up as a weak link, so this is a good development. See
the "Technical and Technique" section below for a handy radial
installation idea.

ICOM IC-756ProII and IC-746Pro owners will find the BetterRF Company's
(http://www.betterRF.com) new I-MATE accessory of interest. It plugs
into the microphone jack and implements the external keypad functions
to control the voice keyer in the radio. The I-Mate accepts ICOM and
Heil microphones and there is a digital audio port, as well. The
TUNE-MATE feature of the I-MATE generates a pulsing audio tone to
reduce amplifier load during tuneup. All in all, a handy little box.

If you are chasing the ARRL's Code Proficiency certificate (our club
has a year-long competition going to see who can get those 30, 35, and
40 wpm stickers) the complete schedule is available at
http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html#qualifying_run. The schedules of both
East and West Coast Qualifying Runs are listed in UTC and local time.
(Thanks, Joe NJ1Q)

Another great book for your summer reading pile is "YASME - The Danny
Weil and Colvin Radio Expeditions" by Jim Cain, K1TN. It's published
by the ARRL and sponsored by the YASME Foundation. Whether or not you
worked Danny or the Colvins, their exploits basically set the tone for
modern expeditions. OT's and rookies alike will find the book
fascinating. If Jim's name sounds familiar, it may be because he was
an ARRL staff member for a number of years.

RESULTS AND RECORDS

If you're a Sweepstakes winner, you'll be pleased to know that
shipping of 2002 Sweepstakes plaques was finished this week and that
the SS phone certificates were mailed, as well. From all indications,
the new certificate design looks pretty snappy. (Thanks, Dan N1ND)

Results for the 2003 Wisconsin QSO Party have been posted on the
contest Web site - http://www.warac.org. There's a very good write-up
and results table. Well worth a look! (Thanks, Lynn K9KR)

Here's another great QSO Party write-up -
http://my.core.com/~jematz/rams.html. N9JF has done a great job for
the Illinois QSO Party. These writeups are particularly useful for QSO
Party managers because they illustrate ways to improve the contest and
may have useful ideas for analyzing the results. (Thanks, Joe K9LY)

TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE

If you are at all interested in mobile VHF/UHF contesting, you owe it
to yourself to check out the Rover Resource Page at
http://www.qsl.net/n9rla. Lots of stories, photos, and a couple of
great how-to introductory articles. There are also VHF contesting
calendars and announcement pages. (Thanks, Dan N9RLA)

If you have battery charging needs, the ST Microelectronics PB137
looks like you can just supply it with 16 Vdc, slap on a couple of
capacitors, and presto!  You have a 1.5 amp trickle charger. It's
available in the latest Mouser Electronics catalog
(http://www.mouser.com) at less than a dollar. (Thanks, Jim KK6MC/5
and Steve KD1JV)

Maybe the PB137 won't quite do it for you and you need something with
a little more oomph to it...and wheels? 
http://www.webpal.org/webpal/b_recovery/3_alternate_energy/electricity/lawnmower/generator/generator.htm
is a Web site that shows how to turn an old lawn mower into something
useful, like a generator, by using an automotive alternator. Who
knows, it might even get you out of mowing the lawn! 
http://theepicenter.com/tow082099.html is another similar site.
(Thanks to the QRP-L list)

If you like the idea of a radial plate, but the thought of burying all
those radials seems daunting, "Right now, the NE is drying out from a
the all-time wettest June on record - the best time to bury radials
and ground rods. This tool (http://eztrench.com/tp300.htm) seems like
it would be very effective and the rental price was very reasonable
for 4 hours at Home Depot." (Thanks, Bob W2SR)

CONVERSATION

If It's Not a Contest, Then What Is It?

Ah, Field Day. It isn't supposed to be a contest, but how many of us
got launched into this great sub-species of ham radio called
"contesting" by learning at the elbow of a somewhat intimidating
master operator in the (pick a band) meter tent working (pick a mode)?
 Remember that feeling of terror and exhilaration when after hours of
watching he handed you the mike, key, or keyboard and said, "Here,
take it for a while"?  You...an instant band master!

Field Day was originally envisioned as an emergency test and training
opportunity. That aspect lives on in the sheer process of collecting,
hauling, installing, and activating tons of radio equipment and
antenna hardware. Recent years have seen more and more class "E"
emergency power stations and this year we have the new class "F" EOC
stations. I took the opportunity to get our local EOC station (W7VMI)
on the air for the first time. It was as much work as a "real" Field
Day, pulling cables through conduit, putting up antennas, installing
connectors, wondering why the radio that worked fine before didn't
work now (and figuring it out), and making a few QSOs in the bargain.

What I like best, though, is that we're all equals at Field Day. Do
you remember that first feeling of actually belonging and getting the
hang of ham radio, even if just a little?  There's nothing like that
first late night bull session with the unshaven older guys drinking
that muddy coffee and telling the most amazing stories while the
generators putter and throb in the night and the lights in the radio
tents dim in sync with each dot, dash, and syllable. In our sweaty
work duds through the day and then gathered around at night under the
kitchen fly lantern wearing old camp jackets, the distinctions between
OT and newcomer fray and dissolve.

This year I had a pleasant surprise that jogged me into this little
reverie. While experiencing "the innate cussedness of inanimate
objects" late in the afternoon, rassling yet another connector onto an
obstinate cable, a young voice burst through the 2-meter rig's squelch
calling, "CQ Field Day" on 146.52. I was only too happy to put the
connector down and called him back. The contact was a little stiff,
with some coaching audible in the background. At the end, the young
man added, "And you're my first contact!"  Really, I said, your very
first?  And so it was, my connector forgotten, as we chatted a little
while. What a treat for both of us!  Those are rare moments.

As I look back through my own checkered ham career of thirty two
years, starting with the high school club tearing around in my back
yard, the Field Day memories are strong and numerous. I remember
having to pound that vertical mounting pipe all the way into the
ground because we couldn't pull it out and hoping my dad wouldn't
catch us. Then there was freezing in the back of a buddy's VW bug all
night and working unexpected DX on 40-meters. Watching the tide come
in farther - a whole lot farther - than I expected and slowly covering
up the bases of that fine 40-meter vertical array. Running a phone
pileup with Mt. Rainier looming across the water in the evening
sunset. I'm sure you have yours, too.

Yes, the very best thing about Field Day, useful intentions aside, is
connecting with each other. To let new hams join our tribe and for the
warriors to grow reacquainted once again. Life moves at such a fast
pace these days, it's too easy to forget that we need to make contact,
so to speak. Suddenly, six months are past and we've only chatted with
the same dozen guys on the repeater or at the meetings. I really enjoy
seeing a new face join in and pull on that guy rope or a familiar old
face pop through the tent flap.

Sharing the work and the rewards does wonders for the ham spirit. A
successful Field Day recharges our enthusiasm, widens our circle of
friends, and enriches ham radio for us. It's not just about QSOs.
Given the pastoral nature of the event's name, it seems appropriate to
end this ramble with a quote from Thoreau, "Some men fish their entire
lives without realizing it's not fish they're after."  Field Day, at
least, gives us a hint.

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/