Contester's Rate Sheet for April 4, 2007
******************************************** CONTESTER'S RATE SHEET 4 April 2007 Edited by Ward Silver N0AX Published by the American Radio Relay League Free to ARRL members - tell your friends! (Subscription info at the end of newsletter) ******************************************** SUMMARY o JIDX CW and QRP ARCI Spring CW QSO Party o GA, MO, MT State QSO Parties o Dayton Contest Action Schedule o JA5BJC & JR2GMC - Silent Keys o OT5A and VK5CRS Contest Videos o Radio Sport Research Project o Electromagnetic Tutorials o Pulling In A 26 Volt Relay o Is Scarborough Fair? NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO o Mark KD4D points to an excellent introductory-level Contesting FAQ at http://www.qsl.net/zs1an/contesting_faq.html just right for newcomers to HF contesting. Mark N7MQ recommends the introduction to contesting by Mark ON4WW at http://www.on4ww.be/ - click on Operating Guide on first page of site. This should also point out just how "world-wide" the HF contesting community can be! BULLETINS o No bulletins in this issue. BUSTED QSOS o A golden issue last time! CONTEST SUMMARY (Rules follow Commentary section) April 7-8 - SP DX Contest - MO QSO Party - QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party - CW - Lighthouse Spring Lights QSO Party - Low Power Spring Sprints - CW - DX YL to NA YL Contest - CW - EA RTTY Contest - VHF Spring Sprints - 144 MHz (Apr 9) April 14-15 - MT QSO Party - GA QSO Party - EU Spring Sprints - CW - Yuri Gagarin DX Contest - CW - DX YL to NA YL Contest - Phone - Japan International DX - CW - PSK31 Flavors Contest - Radio Maritime Day - VHF Spring Sprints - 222 MHz (Apr 17) --o- ooo - --o- ooo - --o- ooo - -oo o NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST - oooo o o-o o- - o ooo oooo o o - -o- Thanks to Tim K3LR for this comprehensive schedule of contest-related activities at the rapidly-approaching Dayton Hamvention 2007. (Details of many "alternate" Dayton activities can be found at http://hamvention.org/alternate.htm) May 16 - Wednesday night - Contest Super Suite at the Crowne Plaza opens for the first of 4 nights, hosted by Contest University (http://www.contestuniversity.com/). Details are here >> http://hamvention.org/alternate.htm May 17 - Thursday all day at the Crowne Plaza - Contest University at and the Contest Super Suite at the Crowne Plaza hosted by The Mad River Radio Club (MRRC), Frankford Radio Club (FRC) and North Coast Contesters (NCC) with a midnight pizza party sponsored by K8CC and K3LR. May 18 - Friday - Antenna Forum at HARA Arena Room #1 from 2:30 - 4:45 PM. Moderated by K3LR, speakers include W6NL, WA3FET, K3LR, N9NB, and N6BV. This is followed by the Contest Super Suite at the Crowne Plaza with a midnight pizza party sponsored by the Potomac Valley Radio Club (PVRC). May 19 - Saturday - Contest Forum at HARA Arena Room #1 from 11:15 AM - 1:45 PM. Moderated by K1DG, the forum features PY5EG, K5ZD, K4BAI, NF4A, N6AA, E21EIC, and K3LR (he's everywhere!) This is followed by more fun at the Crowne Plaza as the 15th Annual Dayton Contest Dinner (http://www.contestdinner.com/) is hosted by North Coast Contesters and the final Contest Super Suite midnight pizza party sponsored by the Yankee Clipper Contest Club (YCCC). (And you thought you were going to lose weight at Dayton?) Regarding entering location in Logbook of the World (see the 3/21 issue), former LOTW manager Wayne N7NG notes that a log that has been submitted without the necessary location information (or with incorrect information) may be "edited" by first editing the appropriate location file in the TQSL program (run TQSL and select the Station tab, then edit the location information) and then resubmitting the EXACT SAME LOG FILE, this time signed by the edited certificate/location file. Each QSO that has the EXACT SAME date, time, band mode and call sign will replace the original entry, but with the edited location information. Do not change any of the QSO information to avoid creating duplicate QSOs. If the log was submitted with the wrong DXCC entity, that can also be changed, but it requires a new certificate. In the spirit of encouraging more contest participation from Japan, the JARL has a number of interesting awards and contests. Many active contesters may be tantalizingly close to qualifying already. For example, the WAJA Award (tinyurl.com/27o937) is given for confirming contacts in all 47 prefectures in Japan. Browse the rules for all JARL awards (http://tinyurl.com/2bnjys) for more good ideas. (Thanks, Bill W4ZV) Along with award qualifications comes word of a postage increase from Neil W3ZQI. "US Postal rates are going up May 14 - (http://tinyurl.com/22uo6k) and QSL card seekers are urged to begin including the higher rate of US postage in their SASEs now to accommodate the queues of QSL managers. $.01 and $.02 stamps are currently available while the US "Forever" stamp is due in April." Here's another good reason to keep your CTY files updated via http://ad1c.com/ - the Danish National IT and Telecom Agency has issued the first new call signs based on unused prefix allocations for Denmark (OZ, OU, OV, 5P and 5Q), Faro Islands (OY and OW) and Greenland (OX and XP). (Thanks, Scott W4PA) Speaking of keeping up to date, N3FJP (http://www.n3fjp.com/) has released version 1.9 of his Florida QSO Party Log software. This version supports the new "DC" multiplier. This year's first issue of the Contest Club of Finland's "PileUp!" (in English) is available in PDF format (http://tinyurl.com/22xhfg). It's a 6 Mbyte file and there are also supplementary audio files at http://tinyurl.com/27yfrw and http://tinyurl.com/24cv6t. (Thanks, Ilkka OH1WZ) George N8RBS notes that his club (http://dale.pages.web.com/id6.html) includes future contest schedules, bands, exchanges, etc as a regular feature in the club newsletter. "Will this help ease the newcomers into HF? Will any of them get hot on the trail in contesting? We don't know for sure, but without knowing what is available to them, and how to get involved, they probably would not. We're just hoping to show the way. If we can help get them through their first contact on the air and through their first contest without getting into trouble then we have accomplished our mission - to be a little bit better operator, have a lot more fun with radio, and hopefully make a contester or two along the way." Tatsuro JA5BJC, owner of one of the biggest Japanese Multi/Multi stations, passed away on the morning of April 1. Tatsuro's station was a beacon from Japan on all bands featuring top JA contesters. If the band was open to JA, then JA5BJC was in the log. His signal will be sorely missed. Another well-known JA contest and DX operator, Masa AH0K/JR2GMC died on 26 March. Masa had been very active as a key member of JA2YKA in 1980's then with KH0AM in 1990. Masa was also a member of the JIDX Contest Committee. (Thanks, Tack JE1CKA) URL of the Week - You think you have tough operating conditions? Read about Mitch YI9TU/K7TUT's adventures in the desert of Iraq with low-power CW operating. His article can be read in the latest edition of the K9YA Telegraph, downloadable at http://www.k9ya.org/index_telegraph.htm or by subscription at http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/k9ya_telegraph. oooo o -o-- -o-- o- o-oo o-oo SIGHTS AND SOUNDS o-- o- - -o-o oooo - oooo oo ooo Rick NQ4I is building a nice Web site (http://nq4i.com/) about very active multi-operator station. Watch for frequent additions as it grows and gets better. Take a look at this very professional video of the OT5A Club superstation's CQ WPX operation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3LX3dfg0Wg The setup is in the World War I "Fort of Lier"! It is a permanent club location, but has the feel of Field Day. (Thanks, Tim K6GEP) Igor UA9CDC has just published (http://ua9cdc.narod.ru/) audio files recorded during his guest operation from VK5CRS (http://www.coastalradio.org.uk/vk5crs.htm) in RDXC. It was a really new experience operating CW in the contest with a SSB filter! The radio was an IC751A and 160m RX antenna was 300-meter Beverage. oo-o oo -o -oo -o-- --- oo- o-o RESULTS AND RECORDS -o-o o- o-oo o-oo oooo o o-o o NCJ Contest Results The NAQP RTTY Sprint preliminary results are now available on the NCJ Web site at http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintrttyprelim.php Let Ed know (rttysprintmgr@ncjweb.com) if you'd like a copy of your LCR (Log Check Report). The write-up and more detail on the event will be in an upcoming issue of NCJ, so if you have questions on the preliminary results, drop him a line ASAP in case corrections are needed. (Thanks, Ed W0YK) The results of the CQ WPX Contest 2006 are now available online at http://www.cqwpx.com/results.htm (Thanks Randy, K5ZD) Results for the 2006 Florida QSO Party have been published at http://www.floridaqsoparty.org/results/fqp2006.pdf (Thanks, Ron WD4AHZ) Radio Sport Canada announces the Radio Sport Research Project (http://www.radiosport.ca/rsrp/) - a project to provide the international radio sport community with open-source tools, techniques and data that will help individual contestants explore amateur radio contesting. The first activity in the project builds on the outstanding efforts of the dedicated contesters who constructed and maintain the contest scores database (http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr/scoredb/). Radio Sport Canada is constructing a user-friendly interface to provide contesters with graphical and tabular views of the contest score data. New views will be added and old views updated as they are developed. Please refer to the FAQ for details on how to contribute to the contest score database and the Radio Sport Research Project. (Thanks, Sylvan VE5ZX) oooo o -o-- -o-- --- oo- OPERATING TIP o-- o- -o- o oo- o--o What's the best way to quickly determine the country of an unusual contest call sign? Start by making sure your logging program has the very latest CTY files from AD1C. (http://www.ad1c.com/) Jim often includes one-time calls in the list that count for a specific country. Then review NS3K's DXpedition list (www.ng3k.com) and watch the DX reflectors right up until contest time to see if any of the expeditions announce their calls. Sometimes they don't know their contest call until they get to the PT&T office. Then ASK the station what country they're in if there is any ambiguity. oo oo-o oo - ooo -o --- - -ooo o-o --- -o- o TECHNICAL TIPS AND INFORMATION -o-- --- oo- o-o o -o --- - - o-o -o-- oo -o --o If you teach licensing classes or need an occasional refresher on the fine points of electromagnetism, the tutorials at http://tinyurl.com/3yt892 will definitely help. (Thanks, Tim W7TRH) Since Microsoft no longer supports Win2K, 98 or ME, the new US Daylight Savings Time isn't handled properly by those versions of Windows. IntelliAdmin has written a patch (http://tinyurl.com/sfp88) for the US time zones. This is NOT official Microsoft software. (Thanks, Bill KA8VIT) Jim AD1C shows us how to avoid publishing email addresses directly by using QRZ.com. "Replace AD1C with the person's callsign in the following hyperlink: http://www.qrz.com/p/email.pl?callsign=AD1C By clicking on the linked-to call, you'll be directed to the page on QRZ.com with the graphical E-mail address." Surplus vacuum relays are often available at quite a savings, but require 26 Vdc to operate. Tom W8JI suggests a simple solution to using these relays in the usual 12-volt environment of ham radio - connect a simple, cheap, common "wall wart" 12 Vdc supply in series with the normal 12 volt supply. If you have a 24 Vdc supply, Tom cautions that running relays at low voltage (that still allows transfer) slows down pull-in times. Of course the release time speeds up! Paul W5DM recommends Tony K1KP's circuit at (http://www.k6xx.com/radio/fastrely.html) and Thomas AC7A recommends PE1MWB's circuit (http://tinyurl.com/2snzuf) to address this problem. Tom also notes that placing a "kickback" or "backpulse" diode across the coil (needed to clamp the inductive transient when coil current is interrupted) slows down release time as well. Antenna and tower-building season is under way - how about some super cutters? These are highly recommended for cutting Phillystran guy material and other such stuff - http://tinyurl.com/23zn8u (Thanks, Mark N5OT) An EMI-fighting product called "ScotchTint(TM) Shielding Window Film" is available in rolls 100 ft long by 40 or 60 inches wide. You can apply it yourself to a plain glass window; it attenuates visible light by 3 dB; and it attenuates RF by 24 dB at 30 MHz or 1 GHz. This and a variety of similar products are for sale at http://www.lessemf.com/plastic.html Be sure to specify conductive adhesive when ordering. (Thanks, Chuck W1HIS and Tom K1KI) TECHNICAL URL OF THE WEEK -- Doc KD4E relays the URLs for a helpful pair of Web sites regarding mobile installations: http://k0bg.com/beads.html and http://members.cox.net/nx7u/mobile/noise.htm With mobile season coming up, his "timing" is excellent. o- -o-o -o-o oo- o-o o- -o-o -o-- oo ooo o--- --- -ooo CONVERSATION --- -o o oo -o -o-o --- -o - o ooo - oo -o --o Is Scarborough Fair? With apologies to Simon and Garfunkel, mangled by Dr. Beldar (thanks to Mike Stein WB9NOO for the suggestion) Is the reef called Scarborough fair? 'Cause I didn't work it last time Remember Okino-Tori-Shima It once was a country of mine Tell them to file complete paper work Stamped and sealed and notary signed With claims of ownership settled To pass the DXCC line Tell them it must be an acre of land Or it can't make minimum size No scaffold legs can in the salt sea stand Then 'twill count a country of mine Tell them it must be a big expedition Working code, phone, RTTY No cards, Logbook of the World Keep the logs uploaded on-line Is the reef called Scarborough fair? 'Cause I didn't work it last time Remember Okino-Tori-Shima It once was a country of mine 73, Ward N0AX -o-o --o- - o ooo - -o-o --o- - o ooo - CONTESTS -- 4 APRIL THROUGH 17 APRIL 2007 -o-o --o- - o ooo - -o-o --o- - o ooo - 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 (>100 W); LP - Low Power; QRP (5W or less) HF CONTESTS SP DX Contest--CW/SSB, sponsored by the PZK Polish Amateur Radio Union and the SP DX Club from 1500Z Apr 7 - 1500Z Apr 8. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters, according to the IARU Region I band plan, no crossmode QSOs. Categories: "SOAB-HP/LP (SSB, CW, Mixed), SOAB-QRP Mixed, SOSB (CW, SSB), MS Mixed, SWL Mixed. Use of packet/internet etc. allowed in all categories. Exchange: RS(T) and serial number or Polish province. QSO Points: 3 pts for each SP contact, SP stations count 3 pts outside EU, 1 pt for EU (no pts for SP-SP QSOs). Score is QSO points x provinces (counted once per band and mode) or DXCC entities (for Polish stations). For more information: http://www.conteStspdxc.org.pl/en/index.php. Logs due Apr 30 to spdxc-logs@pzk.org.pl (Cabrillo format preferred) or to Polski Zwiazek Krotkofalowcow, SPDX Contest Committee, PO Box 320, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland. Missouri QSO Party--CW/SSB, sponsored by the Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society of St Louis (BEARS) from 1800Z Apr 7 - 0500Z Apr 8 and 1800Z - 2400Z Apr 8. Frequencies (MHz): CW--40 kHz from band edge and 1.810; Phone--1.850, 3.980, 7.280, 14.280, 21.380, 28.310 kHz, work MO stations once per band and mode. Categories: Fixed, MO Mobile, MO Rover. Exchange: RST, serial number, and MO county or S/P/C. QSO Points: CW--2 pts, Phone--1 pt. Score: MO stations--QSO Points x States + Provinces + MO counties + 1 for DX; non-MO stations--QSO Points x MO counties. Multipliers count only once. QSO with W0MA counts 100 QSO points one time. For more information: http://www.qsl.net/w0ma. Logs due 30 days after the contest to moqso@charter.net or n0aj@arrl.net or James L Kinser N0AJ, 2147 Encino Drive, Florissant, MO 63031-7627. QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party--CW, sponsored by the QRP ARCI, from 1200Z Apr 7 - 2400Z Apr 8, work 24 hours max. Frequencies (MHz): 1.810, 3.560, 3.710, 7.040, 14.060, 21.060, 28.060. 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 S/P/C x Power Multiplier (< 55 mW x 20, <250 mW ×15, <1 W ×10, <5 W output ×7, >5 W ×1). For more information: http://www.qrparci.org/. Submit entry via contest Web site. Logs due 8 May to contest@qrparci.org or ARCI Fall QSO Party, c/o Jeff Hetherington VA3JFF, 139 Elizabeth St W, Welland, Ontario, Canada L3C 4M3. Lighthouse Spring Lites QSO Party--all modes, sponsored by the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society from 0001Z Apr 7 - 2359Z Apr 15. Frequencies (MHz): CW--1.830, 3.530, 7.030, 14.030, 21.030, 28.030; SSB--1.970, 3.970, 7.270, 14.270, 21.370, 28.370. Exchange: ARLHS member/lighthouse number or serial number, name, and S/P/C. Score: 1 pt/QSO, plus 2 pts for ARLHS member, plus 3 pts for lighthouse. For more information: http://arlhs.com/. Logs due May 31 to Dave Ruch, NF0J, PO Box 20696, Bloomington, MN 55420-0696. Low Power Spring Sprint--CW, sponsored by the Slovak Amateur Radio Association (SARA) from 1400Z -- 2000Z Apr 9. 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 Radioklub OM3KFV, PO Box 3, 038 61 Vrutky, Slovakia DX YL to North American YL Contest--CW, sponsored by YLRL from 1400Z Apr 3 - 0200Z Apr 5, work 24 hours max. (Phone--Apr 10-12) Frequencies: all HF bands. Exchange: RST, serial number and ARRL Section, province, or DXCC entity. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO Points x S/P/C counted only once x 1.5 (<100 W CW, 200 W SSB) For more information: http://www.ylrl.org/. Logs due 30 days after the contest to kc4iyd@yahoo.com or Nancy Rabel Hall KC4IYD, PO Box 775, North Olmsted, OH 44070. EA RTTY Contest, sponsored by the Unión de Radioaficianados Españoles (URE.) from 1600Z Apr 7 - 1600Z Apr 8. Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters, according to IARU band plan. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MOAB, SWL. Exchange: RST and serial number or EA Province. QSO Points: 10 - 20 meters: own continent--1 pt, diff cont--2 pts; 40 and 80 meters: own cont--3 pts, diff cont--6 pts. Score is QSO points x DXCC entities + EA provinces + W/VE/JA/VK call areas counted once per band. If operating portable, sign /call area. For more information: http://www.rttycontesting.com/rules/earttyrules2007.pdf. Logs due May 11 to rttycontest@ure.es as ASCII text or Cabrillo format or EA RTTY Contest, PO Box 220, E - 28080 Madrid, Spain. Montana QSO Party--Phone/CW/Digital--sponsored by the Flathead Valley Amateur Radio Club from 2300Z Apr 13 through 2300Z Apr 15. Frequencies: 160 meters-70 cm. Categories: Fixed and Mobile/Portable. Repeaters and IRLP are permitted. Exchange: RST and S/P/C or MT county. Work mobiles in each county. Score: QSOs × S/P/C + MT counties (counted only once). 100 point bonus for national or state park. 10 point bonus for mobile stations on a lake or river shoreline - specify location. For more information: http://www.fvarc.org/. Logs due May 31 to normsclassicradio@yahoo.com (Cabrillo format) or Norm Palin K7NCR, 68 Silver Leaf Dr, Kalispell, MT 59901. Georgia QSO Party--CW/SSB, sponsored by SECC and SEDXC from 1800Z Apr 14 - 0359Z Apr 15 and 1400Z - 2359Z Apr 15. Frequencies: 80-10 meters. Categories: SOAB, MS, MM, Rover, Novice/Tech; HP, LP (<150 W), QRP; CW/SSB/Mixed. Rovers must activate at least two GA counties, no county line QSOs. Exchange RST and GA county or S/P/C. QSO points: SSB--1 pt, CW--2 pts. Score: QSO points × GA counties (GA station use states and provinces) counted only once per band and mode. For more information: http://gqp.contesting.com/. Logs are due May 15 to gqp@iham.us or mail to John Laney, K4BAI, PO Box 421, Columbus, GA 31902-0421. EU Spring Sprints--CW, managed by G4BUO from 1600Z - 1959Z Apr 14 (SSB, Apr 21--managed by 9A6XX). Frequencies (MHz): SSB--3.730, 7.050, 14.250; CW--3.550, 7.025, 14.040. SO category only (results list LP with *), 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.eusprint.com/. Logs due 15 days after the contest to eusprint@kkn.net (ASCII format) or (CW) Dave Lawley G4BUO, Carramore, Coldharbour Road, Penshurst, Kent, TN11 8EX, England, UK or (SSB) Hrvoje Horvat 9A6XX, 25 Rujan 4, HR-52000 Pazin, Croatia. Yuri Gagarin DX Contest--CW, sponsored by Patriot from 2100Z Apr 14 - 2100Z Apr 15. Frequencies: 160-10 meters and Amateur Satellites. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MO (10 minute rule), SWL. Exchange: RST + ITU Zone. QSO Points: own country--1 pt, same continent--2 pts, diff cont--3 pts. Score: QSO Points x ITU zones from all bands. For more information: http://www.srr.su/. Logs due May 9 to gc@qStru or GC Contest Committee, PO Box 2020, Moscow, 101000, Russia. DX YL to North American YL Contest--Phone, Apr 10-12 (see Apr 3-5) Japan International DX Contest (JIDX)--CW, sponsored by Five-Nine Magazine from 0700Z Apr 14 to 1300Z Apr 15. (Phone--Nov 10-11) Frequencies: 160--10 meters. C15ategories: SOAB and SOSB (HP, LP), MO, Maritime Mobile, self-spotting prohibited in all categories. Exchange: RST + JA prefecture number or CQ Zone. QSO Points: 160 meters--4 pts; 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://jidx.org/. Logs due May 31 to jidx-cw@jidx.org or JIDX "PHONE/CW" Contest, c/o Five-Nine Magazine, PO Box 59, Kamata, Tokyo, 144-8691 Japan. PSK31 Flavors Contest--PSK31 and variants, sponsored by the PODXS 070 Club from 1200 - 1800 local time 14 April 2007. Frequencies (MHz): 14.070-14.080 only. Categories: SO (QRP, LP, MP). Exchange: S/P/C and name or 070 number. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO for each PSK variant used. Score: QSO pts x S/P/C + PSK variants uses. For more information: http://harvey.licht.home.sprynet.com/PSKFlavors/2007/2007RulesPoSthtm. Logs due May 14 to pskflavors@excite.com. Radio Maritime Day--CW, from 1200Z Apr 14 - 1200Z Apr 15 (note silent periods). Frequencies (MHz): 1.824, 3.520, 7.020, 14.052, 21.052, 28.052. Categories: Coastal Station (LP, HP), SO & MO (LP only; Radio Officers and Radio Amateurs). Exchange: RST + call sign of last assignment or serial number. QSO Points: QSO with Coastal Stn--5 pts, Ship Call to Ship Call--3 pts, Ship Call to Amateur--2 pts, Amateur to Amateur--1 pt. Score: QSO Points x Country Flags (counted once only). For more information: http://www.radiomaritimeday.org/. See Web site for log submission requirements. VHF+ CONTESTS VHF & Up Spring Sprints--CW/SSB, sponsored by John Kalenowsky, K9JK, and Steve Gilmore, W4SHG. 144 MHz--7-11 PM local time, Apr 9; 222 MHz--7-11 PM local time, Apr 17. Categories: Fixed and Rover. Exchange: Grid Square. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO Points x Grid Squares. For complete information: http://www.sysadnet.com/vhfsprintrules.htm. Logs in Cabrillo format (see Web site for due dates) via b4h.net/cabforms, to springvhfsprints@sysadnet.com or Spring Sprints, c/o Steve Gilmore W4SHG, 11 Ryan Way, Stafford, VA 22554. -oo --- -o - -- oo ooo ooo -o-- --- oo- o-o LOG DUE DATES - 4 APRIL THROUGH 17 APRIL 2007 o-oo --- --o -oo o o- -oo o-oo oo -o o ooo April 4 - ARS Spartan Sprint, email logs to: hjohnc@adelphia.net, post log summary at: http://www.arsqrp.com/ars/ss_log.html, paper logs and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at: http://www.arsqrp.com/ars/pages/spartan_sprints/ss_rules_new.html April 4 - Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, email logs to: krs@model.poltava.ua, paper logs and diskettes to: George Ignatov (UT1HT), PO Box 87, Kremenchug-21 39621, Ukraine. Find rules at: http://www.ucc.zp.ua/rtty2007rules_eng.htm April 7 - Pesky Texan Armadillo Chase, email logs to: ptac2007@sbcglobal.net, paper logs and diskettes to: David Zatopek, KT5V, 8427 Vista View Drive, Dallas, TX 75243, USA. Find rules at: http://www.w5usj.com/CONTEST_DETAILS_2007.html April 8 - High Speed Club CW Contest, email logs to: hsccontest@googlemail.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Lutz Schroer, DL3BZZ, HSC Contest Manager, Am Niederfeld 6, 35066 Frankenberg, Germany. Find rules at: http://www.fmcnet.de/hsc/en/contests.html April 8 - UBA Spring Contest, 6m, email logs to: ubaspring@uba.be, paper logs and diskettes to: Frans Nevelsteen, ON6KN, Mgr Cruysberghslaan 43, B-2450 Meerhout, Belgium. Find rules at: http://www.uba.be/hf_contests/rules/uba_spring_en_2007.pdf April 9 - SOC Marathon Sprint, email logs to: n4bp@arrl.net, paper logs and diskettes to: Bob Patten, N4BP, 2841 NW 112 Terrace, Plantation, FL 33323, USA. Find rules at: http://www.qsl.net/soc/070310.htm April 10 - Idaho QSO Party, email logs to: NT4TT@MSN.COM, paper logs and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at: http://www.nt4tt.com/main_page_link/rules.htm April 11 - RSGB Commonwealth Contest, email logs to: commonwealth.contest@rsgbhfcc.org, paper logs and diskettes to: RSGB-G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7AF, England. Find rules at: http://www.contesting.co.uk/hfcc/rules/rberu.shtml April 11 - Wisconsin QSO Party, email logs to: k9kr@powercom.net, paper logs and diskettes to: Wisconsin QSO Party, West Allis Radio Amateur Club, PO Box 1072, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA. Find rules at: http://www.warac.org/wqp/2007/07rules.htm April 11 - NSARA Contest, email logs to: mthomas@bwr.eastlink.ca, paper logs and diskettes to: Martin Thomas, VE1AUZ, R.R.#1 Bridgewater, Lun.Co.,Nova Scotia, Canada. Find rules at: http://nsara.ve1cfy.net/ April 15 - Virginia QSO Party, email logs to: nq4k@arrl.net, paper logs and diskettes to: VA QSO Party, Call Box 599, Sterling, VA 20167, USA. Find rules at: http://www.qsl.net/sterling/VA_QSO_Party/2007_VQP_Rules.html April 15 - UBA Spring Contest, 2m, email logs to: ubaspring@uba.be, paper logs and diskettes to: Frans Nevelsteen, ON6KN, Mgr Cruysberghslaan 43, B-2450 Meerhout, Belgium. Find rules at: http://www.uba.be/hf_contests/rules/uba_spring_en_2007.pdf April 17 - RSGB RoPoCo 1, email logs to: ropoco1.logs@rsgbhfcc.org, paper logs and diskettes to: RSGB G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7AF, England. Find rules at: http://www.contesting.co.uk/hfcc/rules/rropoco.shtml April 17 - 9K 15-Meter Contest, email logs to: 9k2rr@9kcc.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Faisal N Al-Ajmi, 9K2RR, POBox 1124, Alfarwanya 80000, Kuwait. Find rules at: http://www.qsl.net/9kcc/9KCCRule.htm ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION The Contester's Rate Sheet wishes to acknowledge information from the following sources: WA7BNM's Contest Calendar Web page - <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal> SM3CER's Web site - <http://www.sk3bg.se/contest> ARRL members may subscribe at no cost by editing their Member Data Page as described at <http://www.arrl.org/contests/rate-sheet>. Excel and Windows are trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation