Contester's Rate Sheet for February 11, 2004
*********************** Contester's Rate Sheet 11 February 2004 *********************** Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX SUMMARY o ARRL DX CW and CQ WPX RTTY Contests o N3FJP and MILOG release new versions o WAG results available on DARC Web site o K4ZA comes up with a new way to shoot hoops o The oldest contest strategy article? o Adapting USB to RS-232 o Pull Some Magic Out of Your Hat BULLETINS o No bulletins this issue. BUSTED QSOS o Manitoba was erroneously abbreviated as MN, when MB is correct. (Thanks, Peter VE3SUN) ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 11 FEBRUARY TO 24 FEBRUARY 2004 Logs are due for the following contests: February 15 - EUCW 160m Contest, email to: jacar@club-internet.fr, paper logs and diskettes to: Jacques Carrier, F5YJ, 12 rue Henri Delaunay, F-93110 Rosny-sous-Bois, France February 15 - North American Sprint, Phone, email to: ssbsprint@ncjweb.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Jim Stevens, K4MA, 6609 Vardon Ct, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526, USA February 16 - LZ Open Contest, email to: lz1fw@yahoo.com, paper logs and diskettes to: LZ Open Contest, PO Box 830, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria February 17 - 070 Club PSKFest, email to: PSKFest@poxds.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Brad Roberson, 53 E Robert Weist Ave., Cloverdale, IN 46120, USA February 17 - MI QRP January CW Contest, email to: n8cqa@att.net, paper logs and diskettes to: L.T. Switzer, N8CQA, 427 Jeffrey Avenue, Royal Oak, MI 48073-2521, USA February 17 - Hungarian DX Contest, email to: contest@enternet.hu, paper logs and diskettes to: MTTOSZ Gyor Varosi Radioklub, 9002 Gyor, PO Box 79, Hungary February 23 - 10-10 Inter. Winter Contest, Phone, email to: (none), paper logs and diskettes to: Steve Rasmussen, N0WY, 312 N 6th Street, Plattsmouth, NE 68048, USA February 24 - REF Contest, CW, email to: cdfcw@ref-union.org, paper logs and diskettes to: F6CTT, Joseph Cornee, 31 rue des EcoButs, 44230 St Sebastien Sur Loire, France 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 School Club Roundup - This contest continues this week through the 13th, see last issue for details. RSGB 1.8 MHz Contest - CW - sponsored by RSGB, 2100Z Feb 14 to 0100Z Feb 15. Frequencies (MHz): 1.820 -- 1.870. Categories: SO only. Exchange: RST + serial number and UK district. QSO Points: 3pts/QSO + 5 pts for first QSO with a UK district. Score: QSO points. For more information: http://www.rsgbhfcc.org/. Logs due 16 days after the contest to 1st160.logs@rsgbhfcc.org or RSGB-G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor Road, Thorton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7AF, England. Asia-Pacific Sprint - CW - sponsored by the AP Sprint Contest Committee, 1100Z - 1300Z Feb 14. Frequencies: 20 and 40-meters, NA stations work Asia-Pacific countries only. Categories: SO only, 150 watts max.. Exchange: RST and serial number. Score: total QSOs x WPX prefixes (counted once). For more information: http://jsfc.org/apsprint/aprule.txt. Logs due 7 days after the contest to apsprint@kkn.net (no paper logs). FISTS CW Winter Sprint - CW - sponsored by FISTS International CW Club, 1700Z until 2100Z Feb 14. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters, work US/VE stations. Categories: SOAB-QRP (<5W), SOAB-QRO, Club. Exchange: Name, RST, S/P/C, members send FISTS number, nonmembers send power output. QSO Points: FISTS members - 5 pts, nonmembers - 2 pts. Score: QSO points × S/P/C (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. Dutch PACC Contest--CW/SSB--sponsored by the Vereniging voor Experimenteel Radio Onderzoek in Nederland (VERON) from 1200Z Feb 14 -- 1200Z Feb 15. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters according to IARU band plan, no SSB on 160, work stations only once per band. Categories: SO, SO-QRP, MO, SWL. Exchange: RS(T) + serial number (Dutch stations send province). QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO points x Provinces (counted once per band). For more information: http://www.dutchpacc.com/. Logs due March 31 to pa0adt@dutchpacc.com or Ad van Tilborg, PA0ADT, Schepenenveld 141, 7327 DB Apeldoorn, Netherlands. OMISS QSO Party - SSB - Sponsored by the Old Man International Sideband Society, 1500Z Feb 14 - 0459Z Feb 15. Frequencies (MHz): 3.9405, 7.2635, 14.290, 21.360, 28.665. Categories: SO, Mobile. Exchange: RS, S/P/C and OMISS # (DX stations send "DX"). QSO Points: OMISS members--2pts, non-members--1 pt. Score: QSO points x States + Provinces + 1 DXCC entity, each counted only once. For more information: http://www.omiss.net/. Logs due Mar 15 to Don Banta, K5DB, 3407 Diana St, Springdale AR 72764. CQ World Wide RTTY WPX Contest, sponsored by CQ Magazine, 0000Z Feb 14 to 2400Z Feb 15. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters. Categories: SOLP (<150 W), SOHP, SOSB, MS, MM. SO work 30 hours max. Use of spotting assistance allowed for all categories. Exchange: RST and serial number. QSO Points: own country - 1 pt, own continent - 2 pts, different cont - 3 pts, double points on 80 and 40 meters. Score: QSO points x WPX prefixes. For more information: http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/. Logs due 13 Mar to wpxrtty@kkn.net or CQ Magazine - WPX RTTY Contest, 25 Newbridge Road, Hicksville, NY 11801 USA. ARRL International DX Contest -- CW - 0000Z Feb 21 - 2400Z Feb 22. Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters. 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. Logs due 24 Mar to dxcw@arrl.org (Cabrillo format only) or DX CW, ARRL, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111. YL International QSO Party - CW - sponsored by YL International SSB System, 0000Z Feb 21 - 2400Z Feb 22 (SSB is 0000Z Mar 13 - 2400Z Mar 14), two 6-hr off times required. Frequencies: 160 -- 10, no US-US contacts on 14.332 MHz except handicapped. Categories: SOAB. Exchange: Callsign, RST, State, County, YLISSB member number. Score: Number of QSOs. For more information: http://www.qsl.net/yl-issb/. Logs for both modes due 31 Mar to 2hamsrus@comcast.net to N4KNF/N4ZGH, 2160 Ivy Street, Port Charlotte, FL 33952. CQC Winter QSO Party - CW/Phone - sponsored by the Colorado QRP Club, 2200Z Feb 22 to 0359Z Feb 23. Frequencies (MHz): CW - 1.825, 3.560, 3.710, 7.040, 7.110, 14.060, 21.060, 21.110, 28.060, 28.110, SSB - 1.910, 3.985, 7.285, 14.285, 21.385, 28.385. Categories are SOAB, SOSB, SO-Homebrew. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, name, CQC member number or power output (5W max). QSO Points: CW - CQC member - 6 pts, non-member - 4 pts, Phone - members - 3 pts, non-members - 2 pts. Score: QSO Points X S/P/C (count once per band) X names (one name from each letter of the alphabet) + 1000 pts for QSO with W0CQC. For more information: www.cqc.org/contests/winter04.htm. Logs due 30 days after the contest to ki0rb@idcomm.com or CQC Contest, PO Box 17174, Golden, CO 80402-6019. VHF CONTESTS None are scheduled during this period. NEWS & PRESS RELEASES N3FJP announced that a new release of the N3FJP Contest Log software incorporating the Minnesota QSO Party was made available as of 7 Feb. Scott also says that the Mid-Atlantic QSO Party Contest program is under development. More information is available at http://www.n3fjp.com/. MILOG V6.4, a Windows-based package that performs general-purpose and contest logging functions along with station control. The software is very network and Internet-savvy for multi-operator and remote station use. A free demo is available at http://www.hamtoys.com/. If you overhear someone grouching about Cabrillo format and how it's "just not worth it" to submit small logs to contest sponsors, be sure to direct them to http://b4h.net/cabforms/. This is the Web-based log entry form released by WA7BNM. So far it's gotten good reviews. RESULTS AND RECORDS 2004 Field Day package of advance information should be posted on the ARRL Web site this week. (Thanks, Dan N1ND) The final results of the 2003 Worked All Germany contest are now published on the DARC home page at http://www.darc.de/referate/dx. (Thanks to WAG Contest Manager, Klaus DL1DTL) TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE While there are quite a number of articles analyzing contest results and operating strategy today, when was the first one published and by whom was it written? Yes, it was Ellen White, then W1YYM, now W1YL. If you have the old magazines or the QST-on-CD set, set the controls of the "way-back machine" to Nov 1955 and look on pages 46 and 134 for the article, "Contacts vs. Multipliers, Which Way do the Points Pay." Published close to 50 years ago, Ellen's analysis of when to chase (and not chase) multipliers holds true today. Here is a quote from world champion José Nunes CT1BOH, "I am convinced 9000 QSOs will be made on CW in the SOAB category before the next sunspot cycle maximum. This does not depend only on the skills of the DX Stations though. It depends mostly on the skills and correct operating of the (casual) contesters..." Little Pistols and Medium Artillery may be surprised to learn that it is they that hold the key to breaking QSO total barriers, but it is true. If you've wondered what "CQ FOC" is CQ-ing for, FOC refers to the First-class Operators Club, a very exclusive British organization, stiff upper lip and all that...hip hip. Check them out at http://www.firstclasscw.org.uk/ Don Daso K4ZA has come up with a great "why didn't I think of that invention" that should make handling those long masts a lot less dangerous. "I recently had to install a 21-foot chrome-moly mast, working alone atop the tower. Installing a basketball goal (just the hoop) at the top of my 13-foot heavy-duty gin pole, provided a margin of control (and safety) missing from all previous methods I've used. The mast, lifted at just above its midpoint, couldn't swing or "get away" from me once inside the hoop, which made guiding it down, and into the tower top's thrust bearing, relatively easy. (No matter how big and strong the tower worker is, maneuvering such a mast is always difficult on the tower, as there's no real mechanical advantage possible, nor a good way to control the heavy mast.) I chose the basketball hoop because it was pre-made, relatively cheap (mine cost $20), and sturdy. I ground off the small loops, which normally hold the net, then drilled matching holes for U-bolts and saddles to allow mounting on the gin pole." Way to go, Don...just try dunking in this sucker! The article is also available in the latest Potomac Valley Radio Club newsletter at http://www.pvrc.org/ -- thanks, Pete N4ZR. For those of us that love seeing those colorful satellite photos of the Sun, Willie K7ROK has found a site of many photos at http://ds9.ssl.berkeley.edu/viewer/flash/flash.html. Take your pick - SOHO, aurora, UV -- it's all there for the viewing. Now here's a product that truly reflects the times. It's a suitcase combination lock that can also be unlocked with a key only used by the Transportation Security Agency (TSA). http://www.thetravelinsider.info/roadwarriorcontent/searchalert.htm shows the locks, which have an indicator that flips from green to red when the lock is opened. This may be useful in those upcoming mini-DXpeditions on contest weekends. The Travel Insider site also has a number of articles and other products for those who travel regularly. No word as to whether they're offering a line of products for VHF rovers. (Thanks, Kyle WA4PGM) Want to join the action down on 80 and 160? The bottom of the solar cycle is the time to commence work on that 5-Band DXCC. The following site has several photos and a copy of a May 1975 article on shunt feeding your tower for the low bands. http://www.fortwayneradioclub.org/shuntfeedtower80m_160m/ (Thanks, Kevin N9IWW) Mahon K4OQ says the he has, "...found the ideal tool for soldering PL-259s the other day at Wal-Mart: a Ronson "TechTorch" mini-torch. Butane-fueled, refillable, and best of all comes with a catalyst burner with soldering & heat tips, so you can shrink the heat shrink after you solder the connector." It's less than $30 and is Ronson item # 80009, UPC 0-37900-80009-6, most likely located in the plumbing department. With the ISS getting more ham gear every day, wouldn't it be nice to know where to look for it? Try http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html and see if you can't find it there. If you haven't ever watched the ISS pop out of the sunset and wend its way across the sky, disappearing into the earth's shadow, you should give it a try. Many more satellites and orbital oddities can be observed by using the Heavens Above Web site, http://www.heavens-above.com/. Last issue's mention of the slide rule brought a tip from Tom ND2T for aficionados. The Oughtred Society, dedicated to slide rules, has a Web page at http://www.oughtred.org/, with numerous slide rule links. After last issue's survey of Canadian multipliers, Rich K2WR reminds us that the ARRL DX Contest from the non-US/VE side uses the same 14 Canadian multipliers as the 10 Meter Contest and the RTTY Roundup. This is kind of a mixed grill of multipliers, since NF and LB are included along with the regular provinces and territories. If you bought a new PC lately, you'll waste your time looking for its RS-232 ports since most have been replaced with USB. This is bad news for hams, since our standard interface is the venerable RS-232. What to do? David N9KT reports that the microHAM USB interface will put those serial interfaces right back in your system, supporting multiple devices over a single USB port. (http://www.microham.com/USB%20interfaces.html) If you want to recreate the actual RS-232 port, the Belkin F5U103 USB/Serial adaptor will provide a serial port with proper address and IRQ. Bob N4BP reports good results using them for rig control and RTTY applications. Bob also points us to http://www.aa5au.com/rtty.html, which is a very good RTTY resource, in general. Replace your short-term memory for contest dates with a computer wallpaper calendar form http://www.w8mhb.com/bench/wallpaper/cal.jpg. Neat! (Thanks, Matt WV1K) CONVERSATION Pull Some Magic Out of Your Hat A recent piece on the ARRL Web site from February 5th caught my eye, "Talking with Drums: A Morse Operator's Ragchewing Side." Jane Wodening AA0ZR describes her gradual mastery of Morse, with ham radio her link to the outside world from an isolated cabin in the Rocky Mountains above Boulder, Colorado. (http://www.remote.arrl.org/news/features/2004/02/05/1/?nc=1) The article captures Jane's growing enjoyment of Morse with practice -- you can almost hear her getting better with each QSO. But even more than Morse, the story captures the essential reason we return to ham radio day after day. That is the Magic of Radio. Waiting for us behind the power switch is an entire world that the non-ham, non-SWL world never gets to see or hear. Just turning on the rig instantly transports us to a universe of bands and frequencies and modes. Lightning crashes, solar storms, rain and snow static, and auroral flutter all give us an added dimension to experience along with the customary manifestations of these majestic and occasionally mysterious processes. Up before dawn, low band DX-ers paddle out into the surf of nighttime propagation, hoping to catch a big wave and ride it all the way to daylight. VHFers fish patiently along the shores of the E-layer, waiting for a sporadic patch of ions to form on a lazy summer afternoon. Ragchewers sail from port to port, some harbors new and others a familiar home. Every ham feels that magic in varying degrees -- some love the technical spells, some prefer the special incantations of operating proficiency, and others are happy with visions of making random friends in a way that the hyper-reliable wired networks can never match. These are "interesting" times for ham radio. Our population is changing and long-held assumptions are challenged. It's too easy to fall into the trap of "us and them" as we discuss the issues. It's far too easy to forget that we all share a fundamental and common bond in our ability to invoke ethereal prestidigitation. To quote the song, "From a Distance" -- "For a moment we must be instruments, marching in a common band" and that is surely how we must seem from outside ham radio. From a distance, does it really matter whether we prefer code or phone or data? Does it really matter if we were drawn to ham radio from a love of technology, an appreciation of operating abilities, or to fill a need for personal challenge and enjoyment? Not as long as we can all roll up our sleeve, wave the magic wand, and pull some Radio Magic out of our hat. 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/ Windows is a trademark of the Microsoft Corporation
