Contester's Rate Sheet for August 25, 2004

***********************
Contester's Rate Sheet
25 August 2004
***********************

Edited by Ward Silver N0AX

SUMMARY
o OH & KH6 QSO Parties and All-Asian DX Phone
o Southeastern VHF Society - VHF Fall Sprints
o New products from DX Engineering and Vibroplex (100th Bug
Anniversary!)
o ARRL DX 2004 Web Results now available
o Drilling small enclosures
o Improving the Ten-Tec Orion
o Race Day

BULLETINS
o No bulletins this issue.

BUSTED QSOS
o Logs are now accepted via email to tentencontest@alltel.net for
10-10 contests. (Thanks, Steve N0WY and Jon NJ7I)

ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICES FOR 25 AUGUST TO 7 SEPTEMBER 2004

Logs are due for the following contests:

August 31 - Portugal Day Contest, email to: (none), paper logs and
diskettes to: REP Award/Contest Manager, PO Box 2483, 1112 Lisboa
Codex, Portugal 

August 31 - Venezuelan Ind. Day Contest, email to:
contestyv@cantv.net, paper logs and diskettes to: Radio Club
Venezolano, Concurso Independencia de Venezuela, PO Box 2285, Caracas
1010-A, Venezuela 

August 31 - European HF Championship, email to: euhfc@hamradio.si,
paper logs and diskettes to: Slovenia Contest Club, Saveljska 50, 1113
Ljubljana, Slovenia 

August 31 - National Lighthouse Weekend QSO Contest, email to: (none),
paper logs and diskettes to: Dave Ruch, NF0J, PO Box 20696,
Bloomington, MN 55420-0696, USA 

September 1 - ANARTS WW RTTY Contest, email to:
ctdavies@bigpond.net.au, paper logs and diskettes to: Contest Manager
ANARTS, PO Box 93, Toongabbie, NSW 2146, Australia 

September 1 - CQ Worldwide VHF Contest, email to: cqvhf@cqww.com,
paper logs and diskettes to: CQ VHF Contest, 25 Newbridge Road,
Hicksville, NY 11801, USA 

September 1 - RSGB IOTA Contest, email to: iota.logs@rsgbhfcc.org,
paper logs and diskettes to: RSGB IOTA Contest, PO Box 9, Potters Bar,
Herts EN6 3RH, England 

September 4 - TARA Grid Dip Shindig, submit scores on-line at
http://www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_grid_score.html 

September 7 - ARRL UHF Contest, email to: AugustUHF@arrl.org, paper
logs and diskettes to: August UHF Contest, ARRL Contest Branch, 225
Main St., Newington, CT 06111, 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

Ohio QSO Party--CW/SSB--sponsored by the Mad River Radio Club, 1600Z
Aug 28-0400Z Aug 29. Frequencies (MHz): CW -- 3.545, 7.045, 14.045,
21.045, 28.045; SSB -- 3.850, 7.225, 14.250, 21.300, and 28.450.
Categories: SO, MM, Mobile and Rover. Exchange: Serial Number and Ohio
county, state or province, DX stations send "DX". QSO Points: CW--2
pts, SSB--1 pt. Score: QSO points x OH counties (OH station count
states, provinces, and OH counties) counted once per mode. For more
information: http://www.oqp.us/. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
logs@oqp.us or to Ohio QSO Party c/o Jim Stahl K8MR, 30499 Jackson
Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022-1730.

TOEC WW Grid Contest--CW--sponsored by the Top of Europe Contesters
(TOEC), 1200Z Aug 28-1200Z Aug 29. Frequencies: 160-10 meters.
Categories: SO (no packet) -AB, -SB, Low Power (<100W, AB only), MS
(10 min band change rule), MM, Mobile (SOAB) -- work mobiles from each
grid field (i.e. -- JP, KO, EM). Exchange: RST + grid square,
i.e.--JP73 (log must show all grid fields activated). QSO Points: own
continent -- 1 pt, other cont--3 pts, QSOs with mobiles--3 pts. Score:
QSO points × two-letter grid fields. For more information:
http://www.qsl.net/toec/contest.htm. Logs due 30 days after the
contest to TOEC.contest@pobox.com or to TOEC, Box 178, SE-83122
Ostersund, Sweden. 

Hawaii QSO Party--CW/Phone/RTTY/PSK31--sponsored by the Koolau ARC,
0700Z Aug 28-2200Z Aug 29. Frequencies: 160-10 meters. Categories:
SOAB and MS (single or mixed-mode), MM (mixed-mode only). Spotting
nets and packet allowed in all classes. Exchange: RS(T) and SPC,
maritime region (1-3), or HI county. QSO Points: 20-15-10 meters,
Phone--1 pt, CW/Digital--2 pts; 40 meters, Phone--2 pts, CW/Digital 4
pts; 80 meters, Phone--4 pts, CW/Digital--8 pts; 160 meters, Phone 8
pts, CW/Digital 16 pts. Score is total points plus 150 pts for QSO
with KH6J. For more information: http://www.karc.us/hi_qso_party.html.
Logs due 30 days after contest to kh6j@karc.us or Hawaii QSO Party, PO
Box 8960788, Wahiawa, HI 96786-0788. 

YO-DX Contest--CW/SSB--sponsored by the Romanian Amateur Radio
Federation (RARF), 1200Z Aug 28 - 1200Z Aug 29. Frequencies: 80-10
meters. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MS. Exchange: RST and serial number,
YO stations send county abbreviation. QSO Points: different country
own continent--2 pts, different continent--4 pts, YO stations--8 pts.
Score: QSO points x YO counties and DXCC entities counted once per
band. For more information:
http://www.hamradio.ro/contests/yodx_eng.htm.
Logs due 30 days after the contest to yodx_contest@hamradio.ro or YO
DX HF Contest, PO Box 22-50, 71100 Bucharest, Romania. 

SARL HF DX Contest--CW--sponsored by the Bloemfontein Radio Amateur
Club from 1330Z -- 1730Z Aug 29. Frequencies: 80 -- 20 meters.
Categories: SOAB, MS. Exchange: RS(T) + serial number. QSO Points: SSB
-- 1 pt, CW -- 2 pts. Total score: QSO points + ZS call areas and
South African countries (see Web site). For more information:
http://www.sarl.org.za/public/contests/contestrules.asp#HFCWPHONE.
Logs due 14 days after the contest to admin@sarl.org.za or PO Box
1721, Strubensvallei 1735, Republic of South Africa. 

SCC RTTY Championship, sponsored by the Slovenian Contest Club, 1200Z
Aug 28-1159Z Aug 29. Frequencies: 80-10 meters. Categories: SOAB-HP,
SOAB-LP, SOAB-Assisted, MS. Exchange: RST and 4-digit year first
licensed. QSO Points: own country--1 pt, different country same
continent and between W, VE, VK, ZL, ZS, JA, PY call areas, LU
provinces, and UA9/0 oblasts--2 pts, different continent--3 pts.
Score: QSO points x different years from all bands. For more
information: http://lea.hamradio.si/~scc/rtty/htmlrules.htm. Logs due
Sep 15 to rtty@hamradio.si (Cabrillo format preferred) or on diskette
to Slovenia Contest Club, Saveljska 50, 1113 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

All-Asian DX Contest--Phone, sponsored by the Japan Amateur Radio
League from 0000Z Sep 4 - 2400Z Sep 5. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters,
incl. 10-min. band change rule. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MO, Low Power
(Asian stations only), Junior (JA stations <20 years), Senior (JA
stations >70 years). Exchange: RS(T) and a two digit number denoting
the operator's age. YL stations may send 00. QSO Points for non-Asian
stations: 40 - 15 meters - 1 pt, 80 and 10 meters - 2 pts, 160 meters
- 3 pts. Score: QSO pts × Asian prefixes (WPX rules). For more
information and Asian station QSO points:
http://www.jarl.or.jp/English/4_Library/A-4-3_Contests/2004AA_Rule.htm.
Logs due Oct 31 to aaph@jarl.or.jp or JARL, All Asian DX Contest,
170-8073, Japan.

IARU Region 1 Field Day--SSB--sponsored by IARU Societies, 1300Z Sep 4
- 1300Z Sep 5 (See June QST, p 98) Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters.
Categories: SOAB (LP, QRP), MS (HP, LP). Exchange: RST and serial
number. QSO Points: non-EU to EU - 3 pts, with portable EU stations -
4 pts. Score: QSO points x DXCC and WAE entities counted once/band.
For more information: http://www.iaru.org/ or IARU Region 1 society Web
sites. Send logs to the appropriate national societies (NA
hams to RAC or ARRL).

DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest--Digital Modes--sponsored by the
Deutsche Amateur Radio Committee, 1100Z - 1700Z Sep 5. Frequencies
(MHz): 28.050 - 28.150 on RTTY, Pactor PSK31, Amtor, Clover.
Categories: SO, SWL. Stations may be worked on each mode, but count
for multipliers only once. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO Points:
1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO Points x WAE countries + DXCC entities + W/VE/JA
districts. For more information:
http://www.darc.de/referate/hf/contest/. Logs due 4 weeks after the
contest to df5bx@darc.de or Werner Ludwig, DF5BX, PO Box 1270, D-49110
Georgsmarienhuette, Germany.

MI QRP Labor Day CW Sprint, 2300Z Sep 6 - 0300Z Sep 7. Frequencies:
160 - 6-meters. Categories: SOAB with classes A (<250 mW), B (<1 W), C
(<5 W), D (>5W). Exchange: RST, S/P/C, 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 S/P/C 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@arrl.net or L. T. Switzer, N8CQA, 427 Jeffrey Ave., Royal
Oak, MI 48073-2521, USA.

VHF CONTESTS

VHF Fall Sprints--CW/Phone/Digital--sponsored by the Southeastern VHF
Society as follows: 144 MHz--7 - 11 PM local Sep 20; 222 MHz--7-11 PM
Sep 28; 432 MHz--7-11 PM Oct 6; Microwave--902 MHz and higher--6 AM --
1 PM Oct 16; 50 MHz--2300Z Oct 23 - 0300Z Oct 24. Fixed and Rover
categories. Exchange: Grid Square. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score is QSO
Points x Grid Squares, score each sprint separately. Rovers all grids
worked from each grid. For more information:
http://svhfs.org/fall_sprint_rules.htm. Logs must be emailed or
postmarked within four weeks of the contest. 144 MHz logs to
ottf@wbia.net or Ottmar Fiebel W4WSR , PO Box 957, Hayesville, NC
28904. 222 MHz logs to k4sz@arrl.net or Bob Lear K4SZ, PO Box 1269,
Dahlonega, GA 30533. 432 MHz logs to w4kxy@arrl.net or Jim Worsham
W4KXY, 1915 Oak Wind Lane, Buford, GA 30519-6766. Microwave logs to
rover@wireco.net or Greg Robinson KB4NVD, 208 Dogwood Acres Rd,
Hampton, TN 37658-3348. 50 MHz logs to wa4njp@bellsouth.net or Ray
Rector WA4NJP, 3493 Holly Springs Rd, Gillsville, GA 30534.

NEWS AND PRESS RELEASES

DX Engineering announces their new RR8-HD remote antenna switching
system that has a number of new features unavailable on competitive
units.  For example, it has a plug-in control line connector so you
don't have to take the unit apart on the tower to connect and
disconnect it.  The antenna port selections are configurable for
stacking and phasing, as well as grounding or leaving open the unused
ports. The RR8-HD has built-in lightning protection and unterminated
port-to-port isolation is more than 70 dB at 30 MHz, Inexpensive CAT
5-style control cable can be used, too.  It looks like someone was
paying attention to existing products and decided to go them one
better.  List price is just under $250.

Vibroplex is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the patent for the
Original Bug (August 9, 1904) with the release of the 100th
Anniversary Special Edition Bug.  The black powder coated base
duplicates the smooth but "weathered" look of the early cast bases and
includes distinctive gold pin striping and gold leaf designs in each
corner. They are also announcing the new Chrome Warrior, a deluxe
version of the popular Code Warrior Jr. featuring a brushed chrome
base with polished brass upper parts and clear paddles.  The 100th
Anniversary bug lists at $199.95 and the Chrome Warrior at $139.95. 
Photos of these beauties should soon be available on the Vibroplex Web
site (http://www.vibroplex.com/). 

The Central Texas DX & Contest Club has been publishing information on
the tower and antenna ordinances of local municipalities as a service
to members and anyone thinking of moving into the area.  Since there
can be significant variability of tower regulations from one
municipality to the next, the CTDCC Web site
(http://www.ctdxcc.org/localregs/) is pretty handy. (Thanks, Ken
WM5R)

Marlin P. Jones has an August special on a coaxial crimping tool kit
for $39.95 (http://www.mpja.com/productview.asp?product=14667+TL).  It
crimps just about everything you could consider coax.  I doubt that
it's production quality at this price, but if you have been holding
out for a low-priced occasional-use tool, this may be it.  There is an
additional discount for orders of five or more, so this would be a
good club purchase.

Has your antenna's resonant frequency been creeping downwards for no
apparent reason? Have you been feeling a little tired lately? Maybe
you're just red-shifted. Here's an interesting, non-spoof story about
a gradual change in the speed of light -
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39733
(Thanks, Harold W4MMC)

For NA Sprint aficionados, the next pair of Sprints is coming up in
September.  How about trying for some additional participation? 
George K5TR reminds us that there are plenty of "how-to" and
information links on the Web about the Sprints.  W4AN's "CW Sprinting
- Beginner's Guide" is available at
http://www.contesting.com/articles/198. The Sprint Survival Web Page
by N6TR can be found at http://n6tr.jzap.com/sprint.html.  There's
even a practice audio at
http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr/audio/sprint_practice/.  Rules, records, and
scores are on the sponsoring National Contest Journal's Web page at
http://www.ncjweb.com/.  How about sending these links and
encouragement to get on the air to your local associates?

Thomas KN4LF is the moderator of a new propagation reflector that has
been created on
http://www.contesting.com/.  Sign up at
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/propagation.  You can
also sign up by sending an email to propagation-request@contesting.com
with "subscribe" in the subject line or message body.  You can also
use the Web site to sign up for other mailing lists such as
cq-contest@contesting.com, dx-news@njdxa.org, or rtty@contesting.com.

Nick VK1AA/2 announces the formation of the nation-wide VK Contest
Club. The club is looking for VK full members and Associated Members -
everybody else who enjoys contesting. The club will offer an
unmoderated email reflector, Web forums,  and live monthly meetings
with an Echolink conference.  Check it out at http://www.vkcc.com/ and
good luck to the VKCC - we hope to hear more from Down Under in the
upcoming contests.

If you haven't seen the movie of soldering in space aboard the
International Space Station, check it out -
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/16aug_solder.htm?list610324.
(Thanks, Rick K7LOG)

In case you were wondering where the name Cabrillo comes from, the
Cabrillo College is in Aptos, CA where N5KO (the developer of the
Cabrillo spec) lives.  Cabrillo was an early Spanish explorer of the
New World - http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/cabrillo.html.  No
word on who checked his logs.

RESULTS AND RECORDS

The ARRL DX Phone 2004 results writeup compiled by your editor are now
available at http://www.arrl.org/contests/results.  I'm pleased (and
thankful) to report that this year we have regional analysis of all
ARRL Divisions (two are still under construction, but are promised
soon) two continents, and the Caribbean.  Plus, there are some lively
new maps and a pair of great sidebar stories. Thanks to all the
contributing writers - be sure to say thanks.

The Top 200 Claimed scores for CQ 160 CW and SSB have been posted to
the CQ magazine Web page - http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/.  Select
the information center to find contests and awards.  Selecting the CQ
WW 160 Contests gets you to the high claimed scores in PDF (Adobe)
format. If you feel your score is missing or wrong please send an
e-mail to k4jrb@juno.com. (Thanks, Dave K4JRB)

For the second straight year, the Tennessee Contest Group has won the
Non-California club competition in the King of State QSO Parties, the
CQP. The Northern California Contest Club began sponsoring the club
award in 2002. The TCG has managed to claim the trophy both years so
far. Be sure to mark your calendars for the 2004 CQP on October 2,
2004. (Thanks, Marc W6ZZZ)

The results of the 2004 TAC Sprint and Soapbox are now available at
http://www.n3epa.org/. The club is considering changes in contest date
and rules, so please make comments via the Web site. (Thanks, Ron
N3EPA)

TECHNICAL

When starting a rebuilding project for a basket case R7000, I put out
a call for help about what was "inside the box" that matches the
antenna to 50-ohm coax.  Right away I got a response from John EI7BA. 
He has done the work on this network and made it available on his Web
site at http://www.iol.ie/~bravo/.  Quite the homebrewer, there are
several other interesting projects described there - a homebrew
crank-up/tilt-over tower, a hex beam, info on low-band verticals, and
more.  Worth the browse!

From the ARRL Propagation Bulletin on 30 July, an interesting
Macromedia Flash movie introducing HF propagation by AE4RV is posted
at http://www.ae4rv.com/tn/propflash.htm. (Thanks, Tad K7RA and Mike
KC1SX)

Can't find the data sheet for that digital or analog IC?  Try the
Univ. of WA Electrical Engineering Department's resource page at
http://www.ee.washington.edu/stores/. Along with links to data sheets,
there is a circuits archive, too.

The simplest of projects still requires some kind of enclosure and the
drilling thereof often reduces the most elegant of electronics to a
grubby, gougy mess.  A recent discussion on the QRP-L mailing list
debated the merits of how best to deal with flimsy metal boxes, such
as the popular metal mint tins.  The best combination was to fill the
enclosure with water (or immerse it) and freeze it.  The ice supports
the wall against the pressure of the drill.  A Unibit (a stepped drill
bit available at a variety of hardware emporia) also got high marks as
not tearing the metal as regular fluted bits tended to do.

Paul WN7T reports that the best lubricant for sliding contacts in
edge-wound roller inductors seems to be Molybdenum disulfide applied
as a slurry solution in a very light film.  It's a dry-lubricating
film that does not attract dust and bonds to the metal substrate and
with intrinsic metal-like conductivity.  He found the product at the
Rose Mill Company's Bemol Lubricants
http://metalshopper.websitecandy.com/category.asp?category=19.

A very interesting report of improving receiver performance of the
Ten-Tec Orion was made available at
http://users.vnet.net/btippett/inrad_.htm by Bill W4ZV.  A narrow
roofing filter - soon to be available from International Radio - made
dramatic improvements in the receiver's linearity at very close signal
spacings down to 1 kHz.  CW Sweepstakes, here we come!

CONVERSATION

Race Day

Today was spent with the local radio club providing communications
support for a triathlon.  This was definitely a win-win for both the
club members and the race organizers since everything went quite
smoothly.  The organizers got terrific race status update information
and our members, many of whom were unlicensed at this time last year,
racked up some excellent experience that will be invaluable under more
stressful conditions.

As we reported on all the competitors streaming by on foot and pedal
power, I got a chance to look at the racers and how they competed with
each other.  Clearly, there were experts in all age classes.  The
first racer through the course was about 15 years old and I can tell
you she was going a lot faster and breathing a lot easier than I
usually am when I round those same corners.  Yikes!  There were also
some huff-and-puff folks a little closer to my level composing the
slower echelon.  So far, it looked not too different than ham radio
contesting.

After two fairly serious races and a break for some awards, it was
time for the afternoon junior race for kids through age thirteen. 
They competed on an attenuated version of the same course with fewer
hills.  They were divided into three groups by age.  When they passed
my new course station, it was clear that some were competitive within
their groups, but most were on their first or second triathlon. 
Here's where radio and racing start to diverge.

Most of our contests are intentionally national or larger affairs and
the sponsors do their best to attract the top contesters.  The bigger
it is the better!  Those big contests are a lot of fun...IF you can
handle them.  If you can't, they are pretty intimidating.  I
continually encourage folks to give them a try - and they do - but too
often come back shaking their heads, saying, "I'm not going down in
THERE!"

Obviously, just telling 'em it's great fun and tossing them to the
lions isn't a high-success strategy.  What I think we need to do is to
take a three-fold approach with some clues from other more popular
sports.

One - Publicize or create smaller events.  There are lots and lots of
smaller contests such as most of the state QSO parties, second-tier
national DX contests, specialty events, and so forth.  The pace and
intensity of these events is orders of magnitudes easier to deal with.
 Get notices of these events in club newsletters, on Web sites, and on
email reflectors.  Stress their friendly, casual nature.  Give
examples of how to operate in the contest (not everybody is born with
a microphone in one hand and key in the other) and how to submit a
log.  Show how easy it is to put out a score on 3830.  Then distribute
the reported scores within your club or over the same sites on which
you publicized the event.  Timely feedback is important to hold
interest.

Two - Emphasize a more localized, reasonable scope of competition. 
If, when I started playing baseball, Lou Brock and Bob Gibson were
within ten miles of the field, I would have been too intimidated to
show up.  (Bob Gibson had that effect on major leaguers, too, but I
digress...)  Sponsor local club or school-to-school challenges.  Post
a local score total from competitors in the area.  Have a rookie or
"minor league" section.  Don't embarrass people because they aren't
instantly competitive on a high level.  Present modest, accomplishable
goals for a contest-within-a-contest.  Reward modest, but consistent,
performance over the course of a year.  As the operators improve, they
will naturally gravitate toward more intense competition without being
pushed.

Three - train, guide, and mentor.  Be a contest Elmer.  Have an open
house multi-op.  Have a competition for the "Best Hour" by one of your
visitors.  Give a talk to a local club about how to interface a
computer and radio, showing how to use one of the freeware versions of
a contest logging program.  The word "free" will draw hams like flies.
 As you build a stable of operators, let them be the teacher - the
students will relate to them better than you, Mr. Big Gun Contester. 
Sponsor a parent-child or "buddy up" weekend for one of the less
intense contests and take lots of pictures.  Let scores be secondary.
(Blasphemy!)

Back to the race.  The younger racers knew they were rank beginners,
but they weren't getting pounded by their older peers, either.  What
brought them to the course was open doors and a sense that they were
competing with peers.  They'll be back and getting better every time. 
We can learn from that example by spending some of our considerable
energy and talent to make our sport a little more accessible to the
casual contester.

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