Contester's Rate Sheet for November 17, 2004

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Contester's Rate Sheet
17 November 2004
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Edited by Ward Silver N0AX

SUMMARY
o Another One-Two Punch - ARRL Phone Sweepstakes and CQ WW SSB
o NCJ News by K9LA
o Listen to the Sounds of Spark
o IOTA, EU Sprint, LZ DX, and IN QSO Party Results
o Quieting PC Power Supplies and Polishing Plastic
o Jam Jar Magnetometers
o Read The ... Rules!

BULLETINS
o No bulletins this issue.

BUSTED QSOS
o A golden issue last time!

ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICES FOR 17 NOVEMBER TO 30 NOVEMBER 2004

Logs are due for the following contests:

November 20 - Worked All Germany Contest, email to: wag@dxhf.darc.de,
paper logs and diskettes to: WAG Contest Manager, PO Box 12 09 37,
D-01010 Dresden, Germany

November 20 - 50 MHz Fall Sprint, email to: wa4njp@bellsouth.net,
paper logs and diskettes to: Ray Rector WA4NJP, 3493 Holly Springs Rd,
Gillsville, GA 30534, USA 

November 23 - ARCI Fall QSO Party, email to: wb5khc@2hams.net, paper
logs and diskettes to: Tom Owens, WB5KHC, Attn: Fall QSO Party, 1916
Addington St, Irving, TX 75062-3505, USA 

November 23 - FISTS Coast to Coast Contest ,   E-mail log summary to:
fistsc2c@yahoo.com, paper logs and diskettes to: (none)

November 28 - SARL Field Day Contest, email to: admin@sarl.org.za,
paper logs and diskettes to: Field Day Contest, Box 1721,
Strubensvallei 1735, South Africa 

November 30 - Makrothen RTTY Contest, email to: tmc-rtty@arcor.de,
paper logs and diskettes to: (none)

November 30 - JARTS WW RTTY Contest, email to: jarts2004@edsoftz.com,
paper logs and diskettes to: (none) 

November 30 - W/VE Islands QSO Party, email to: wa4ja@arrl.net, paper
logs and diskettes to: John Almon, WA4JA, 105 Flintlock Dr, Franklin,
TN 37064-2351, USA 

Logs for the Worked All Germany Contest 2004 will be accepted through
20 Nov at wag@dxhf.darc.de or you can upload your log and comments on
the homepage at
http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/fgdcg.htm. (Thanks, Klaus DL1DTL)

The following contests are scheduled:

Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the contest
rules summaries:
SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multi-Op - 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

ARRL November Sweepstakes--Phone, from 2100Z Nov 6 to 0300Z Nov 8.
Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters, work stations only once. Categories:
SOAB-LP (A), HP (B), QRP (Q), SO-Unlimited (U), MS (M), School Club
(S). Exchange: Serial number, Category (precedence), Call, Check (last
two digits of first year licensed), and ARRL section. QSO Points: 2
pts/QSO. Score: QSO points x sections (counted only once). For more
information: http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms. Logs due 22 Dec to
ssphone@arrl.org or to November SS Phone, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111.

North American Collegiate ARC Championship - Phone. This is a
competition based on Sweepstakes results between club stations at
institutions of higher education beyond the high school level. Clubs
enter Sweepstakes in any of the valid entry categories. Separate
champions will be determined for CW, Phone and Combined scores. For
more information: http://www.collegiatechampionship.org/.

LZ DX Contest--CW/SSB, sponsored by the Bulgarian Federation of Radio
Amateurs from 1200Z Nov 20-1200Z Nov 21. Frequencies: 80-10-meters
with 10-minute mode change rule. Categories: SOAB (CW, Phone, Mixed),
SOAB-QRP Mixed, SOSB-Mixed, MS-Mixed, SWL. Exchange: RST + ITU zone or
2-letter LZ district. QSO Points: same continent--1 pt, different
cont--3 pts, LZ station--10 pts. Score: QSO points x ITU zones + LZ
districts counted once per band. For more information:
http://www.qsl.net/lz1fw/contest. Logs due 30 days after the contest
to lzdxc@yahoo.com or BFRA, PO Box 830, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria.

RSGB 1.8 MHz Contest--CW, from 2100 Nov 20 to 0100Z Nov 21.
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
2nd160.logs@rsgbhfcc.org or RSGB--G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor Road,
Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7AF, England.

CQ WW DX Contest--CW, from 0000Z Nov 27 to 2400Z Nov 28. Frequencies:
160-10 meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP >100W, LP, QRP <5W), MS,
M2, MM. MS have 10 minute rule. Exchange RS(T) and CQ zone. QSO
Points: same cont--1 pts (NA stations count 2 pts), diff cont--3 pts.
Stations in the same country may be worked for zone credit only.
Score: QSO points x CQ Zones + DXCC entities and WAE countries counted
once per band. For more information: http://www.cqww.com/. Logs due 15
Jan 2005 to cw@cqww.com or to CQ Magazine, 25 Newbridge Rd,
Hicksville, NY 11801.

VHF CONTESTS

No VHF contests are scheduled.

NEWS AND PRESS RELEASES

NCJ News, by National Contest Journal Editor, Carl K9LA - The
November/December NCJ offered several interesting regular columns.
K9PG, in his NCJ Profiles column, profiled Paul N4PN. In his CTT&T
column, Gary W9XT solicited comments about single band contests
efforts. Saving money through planning was the topic for Paul K5AF's
Contesting on a Budget column. The NAQP RTTY Rover effort of WA9ALS
and WD9GMK was related in John WA9ALS's RTTY contesting column. And
Jon N0JK talked about aurora in the VHF contests, including contest
tips, in his VHF-UHF Contesting column. Articles tentatively planned
for the January/February 2005 NCJ include the M8C effort in the 2004
IOTA Contest, several antenna articles (a tri-band 40m/80m/160m beam,
a study of elevated radials leading up to a comparison of elevated
radials versus buried radials, and Antenna Interactions Part 7), and
results from the September 2004 CW and SSB Sprints and the March 2004
RTTY Sprint.

While visiting W1AW during the CW Sweepstakes weekend (you should do
it at least once) and admiring "Old Betsy", the Old Man's spark
transmitter, I wondered what it sounded like.  Here's an opportunity
to find out for yourself: "At
http://www.lakeerieba.com/HobartSparkXmtr/HobartSparkXmtr.htm is an
MP3 file of a 78-RPM phonograph recording, made in 1938, of a
rotary-gap spark TX (already an antique in 1938) and two vacuum-tube
TXs.  There is some voice narration, some in the 1938 recording and
some added in a 1965 transcription, but mostly the stories are told in
Morse code by the operator(s) hand-keying the TXs.  Both the audio
recording and the fist of the op keying the spark TX are imperfect;
but, if you're a CW op, you'll probably enjoy listening to this. It's
less than ten minutes long and the quality is poor at first, but
improves." (Thanks, Chuck W1HIS)

Kimberly KA3SEQ reports for users of N3FJP logging software, "We have
just completed the first edition of a manual created primarily by
users of Amateur Contact Log.  It is called 'The Definitive Guide to
Amateur Contact Log.'  If you would like to download the manual, it is
available in either MS Word 2003 or PDF format at 
http://n3fjp.ky1v.com/."

Jack Ganssle N3ALO of Embedded Systems Programming magazine has
written a timely article on RF spectrum preservation at
http://www.embedded.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=52600715. Jack is
both a writer and editor for the magazine and the author of several
embedded systems development related books. This is particularly good
article because it addresses lowering noise where it's easiest and
least expensive - at the source. (Thanks, Michael N9BDF)

Hrle 9A6XX has been selected to become the fourth member of the EU
Sprint Gang. He will take the place of Ben, DL6RAI. "Hrle is part of
the "engine" of WWYC - World Wide Young Contesters and this nice group
of young people always supported the EU Sprint so we thought that they
should have one of them among the four EU Sprint Managers." (Thanks,
EU Sprint Gang G4BUO, I2UIY, OK2FD & now 9A6XX)

Fabio I4UFH announces the EZMaster, an interface for PCs and radios. 
It is a phone, CW, RTTY, and digital mode interface with an internal
DVK, CW keyer and SO2R audio/mike switch all controlled with
USB/COM/Parallel ports.  It also controls antenna switches and has
RS-232 outputs for devices controlled by serial ports.  EZMaster is
compatible with all the logging software packages available.  Take a
look at this powerful controller at http://www.hamradiosolutions.com/.

RESULTS AND RECORDS

IOTA Contest Manager Don G3XTT reports that the 2004 IOTA Contest
Results are now on the RSGB HFCC Web page at http://www.rsgbhfcc.org/
along with Soapbox and photos. The list of trophy winners will be
posted soon. If you spot any errors, please let Don know right away so
that the printed version can be correct in the February RadCom (RSGB
magazine).

Paolo I2UIY, EU Sprint Manager, announces that the results of the Eu
Sprint Contest - Fall SSB (held on October 2, 2004) have just been
released. You can find the UBN reports on the new Eu Sprint web page
at http://www.qsl.net/eusprint.  Congrats to Ton ES5TV on a solid
first-place finish.

The 2004 Indiana QSO Party results have been posted on the INQP Web
site, http://www.hdxcc.org/inqp/scores.html. In-state and out-of-state
single-op winners are N9RV and K4BAI.  Where have I heard those calls
before? (Thanks, Tim N9LF)

The LZ DX Contests 2003 results and FAQs are available at the LZDXC
Web site http://www.qsl.net/lz1fw/contest.  The 2004 LX DX Contest
runs this weekend. (Thanks,  Wally LZ2CJ)

Dan N1ND reminds all of us "to post your contest stories and photos to
the ARRL Online Soapbox at http://www.arrl.org/contests/soapbox/. I
think I speak for all of the authors doing our write-ups when I say we
find your comments on propagation and stories about your participation
valuable when preparing our articles for QST and the ARRL Web.  This
is also the easiest way to get a photo considered for inclusion with
the QST articles. We are also always looking for interesting material
that could be incorporated into a side-bar, as well as persons in
various regions of the country to assist with doing "Regional Reports"
on the contests.  If you are interested in assisting with regional
write-ups, just drop me a note and I will get the information to the
appropriate author."

TECHNICAL

Here are a couple of interesting Web links to sites about building
one-turn transmitting loops.  These are sometimes useful in restricted
circumstances as antennas that don't need an extensive ground system,
although there are still ground losses due to the proximity of the
antenna and ground. http://home.datacomm.ch/hb9abx/loop1-e.htm,
http://www.standpipe.com/w2bri/, and http://www.kr1st.com/magloop.htm
both have detailed instructions.
http://www.iri.tudelft.nl/~geurink/magnloop.htm has a number of good
links.  AA5TB is frequently mentioned as having a good site on the
subject, but the links are currently down, so his site may be moving.
(Thanks, Stan AK0B)

Jim N5IB writes, "With the large solar flare recently rekindling
interest in things solar, do a Web search for "jam jar magnetometer."
You will find several articles showing how very common materials can
be used to make an extremely sensitive detector of the direction (not
intensity) of the Earth's magnetic field. It is sensitive enough to
detect some disturbances associated with big flares and aurora
events."

A free reference on the use and selection of ferrite materials is
available from Fair-Rite Materials at http://www.fair-rite.com/.  Click
on the big, red "Catalog" and download it - more than 160 pages
including reference tables and technical articles.  Good stuff! 
(Thanks, Jim K9YC)

A discussion on eliminating noise caused by cheap PC supplies led back
to an article by John W0UN -
http://dayton.akorn.net/pipermail/rfi/1998-May/000195.html.  By
replacing the ac power cord connector with a filtered variety, John
had great success in turning noise generators into docile
shack-friendly beasts. (Thanks, Bill W4ZV and John W0UN)

Floyd K8AC reports success in removing scratches on plastic parts and
meter faces with "Mother's brand 'Mag and Aluminum Polish', available
at auto parts stores.  It's a white paste that does an amazing job on
meter faces and other shiny plastic parts. You can also use it to
restore the sheen to small metal parts, such as screw heads.  I find
that a back and forth linear polishing motion works much better than a
circular motion and doesn't leave noticeable marks.  I strongly advise
you to resist the urge to use any sort of power equipment when doing
this job.  The surface may heat up too much and permanently damage the
plastic." Randy N1KWF uses Maguire's Plastic Polish, also an auto
parts store item.  Bob W9GE recommends an eyeglass cleaner called
"Plexus" and reminds us that a wiping or rubbing action can build up a
significant station charge. Others have used toothpaste as the
cleaning agent, since it often contains a mild abrasive.  Deep
scratches in thermoplastic materials sometimes respond to the very
cautious use of a heat gun, but as Aunt Lexie used to say, "There's
kindy a knack to it" and you can easily overheat and ruin the part.

CONVERSATION

Read The ... Rules!

Man, oh, man, it sure is contest season, isn't it? (All the sufferin'
spouses nod their heads vigorously in the up and down direction.)
Beginning in September, the fall weekends pile up with "majors,"
peaking in the seven-week period between CQ WW SSB and ARRL 10-Meter. 
Like a miniature baby boom, thirty days later the log submissions peak
in the sponsor's post and email.  Then it's time for the log checking
to begin.  Or is it?

Well, not really, because first they have to process all of the logs
that were submitted.  Piece of cake, right?  Let's listen in as the
contest manager gets started..."I'll just open up this email
attachment and...what format is this in?  The subject just says
'Contest Log,' so whose log is this?  Sheesh.  Maybe I'll start with
the paper logs.  R-r-r-r-i-i-p-p-p-p-p!  Oh, no - they didn't include
a summary sheet.  I'll have to count the mults by hand.  Oops, the
abbreviations are non-standard.  Sigh.  Honey, where's the aspirin?"

Speaking as one who handles some of a state QSO party's logs and who
occasionally trangresses in his own submissions, I can tell you that
many of us - prepare yourself - do not read or follow the log
submission instructions.  Until you actually work on a contest
committee, you won't understand the magnitude of the problem, but I
can assure you that handling the log submissions is a major drain on
time, energy, and enthusiasm.  Ever wonder why it takes so long to get
results and certificates done?  It starts with the excessive amount of
time it takes to get the discrepant log data into a checkable format.

Some of the big contest sponsors have robot software that only accepts
logs that have the correct format and all of the necessary
identification data.  Before a standard log format (Cabrillo) was
developed a few years ago, the really big contests were drowning in
log format problems.  Sweepstakes logs were submitted in over 80
different formats.  Yes, 80, and that's only the electronic logs!  How
much time do you think it took to get all of those handled correctly
and ready for the log checkers?  If any QSOs were lost (or heaven
forbid, a whole log) you can bet that angry phone calls and emails
started flying, as well.  While there was a lot of squawking about
Cabrillo at first, the robot log submission process has done away with
a lot of eror-prone drudgery.

But what of the so-called "minors?" The state QSO parties, smaller DX
contests, specialty mode or band contests, etc. most likely don't have
the resources for robot log submission.  They may not have the tools
to process Cabrillo format logs.  They depend on the entrants
providing logs in a format they can process manually and generally
spell this out in their rules.  Yet many logs are submitted in wildly
varying formats, without summaries or other supporting documentation,
and occasionally very poorly identified.  If contesters want the
smaller contests to prosper, then they're going to have to minimize
the burden on the sponsors.

First - you, the contester, need to pay attention to what the sponsor
asks for in the rules for log submission.  If they say "ASCII text",
then send them a text-only file.  Don't send your CT BIN file or an
XLS spreadsheet.  If they require a summary sheet, be sure to fill one
out and send it. If you've written your own logging software, bully
for you, but be sure its output is usable by the contest sponsors and
includes all of the required information.

Identify your submissions.  If you send the log by email, and most do,
be sure the subject line of the email message includes the contest
name and your call.  If the contest covers more than one mode (such as
Sweepstakes), include the mode in the message.  For example, "N0AX CW
Sweepstakes Log".  It is depressing to look at an Inbox full of
messages titled "Contest Log."

Should you send Cabrillo?  Unless the sponsors request Cabrillo or say
that they accept it, don't send your log in Cabrillo format.  Why not?
 Because Cabrillo does not identify new multipliers, manually scoring
logs becomes a royal pain.  Most logging software has the option of
generating logs in several different common formats and one will
surely indicate each new multiplier.

Be extra sure that your log includes all of the required information
with each QSO, including your complete exchange. If standard
abbreviations are offered for counties or regions, use them!  If the
sponsor has a standard summary sheet form, use it! If there is an
on-line log submission form or Web page, use it!  If there are
different types of multipliers or bonus points, be sure they're
tallied separately as the scoring rules require.

Now sponsors, you also have an obligation to make your log submission
rules and requirements crystal clear.  If you don't tell entrants what
you want, you surely can't complain when you get a heap of logs in
wildly divergent formats.  Your rules don't have to be full of
legalese, but they need to be clear.  Have someone relatively
unfamiliar with your contest read them and tell you what they think
would be an acceptable log.  You might be surprised!  Ask yourself how
different kinds of logs should be submitted - paper, diskette, email. 
Have someone go through the process and see if it works.  Save the
committee hours and hours of unnecessary labor by spending a little
time up front on the log submission rules.

There's another guy or gal just like you handling those precious logs.
They'd rather be on the air, just like you! You'll make the sponsor's
job easier (which leads to quicker reporting) and reduce the effort
required to check your log (which leads to fewer missed mults or
bonuses and to higher scores).  Needless to say, all this time saving
leads to more time for contesting! Just put yourself in the "sponsor's
moccasins" for a mile or two before clicking the "Send" button.

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