Contester's Rate Sheet for February 20, 2008
******************************************** CONTESTER'S RATE SHEET 20 February 2008 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 Talk Till Ya Drop - ARRL DX Phone o Digital Delights - NA QSO Party, Open Ukraine, DARC Corona o CQ 160 & ARRL CAC Leadership Changes o VHF Weak Signal Group, Four Days In May, TAPR Conference o Silent Keys - K5WP and AC6V o Updated SO2R Web Page by K8ND o WA1ZMS Sets Another Record o Tribander TLC and Google Sketchup o Have a Good Time! NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO o If you tried the ARRL DX CW, give the Phone version a try. Remember that you can't work mainland US and VE stations, but KL7 and KH6 count as DX multipliers in this one. BULLETINS o Until the DXCC Desk rules on the matter, YU8/YT8 QSOs still count for Yugoslavia. Don't count YU8/YT8 QSOs as a multiplier in the ARRL DX contest until a ruling has been posted. If those QSOs will result in a new multiplier, it will be correctly noted by the log checking software. BUSTED QSOS o Several pointed me to the correct URL for TK5EP's "soft-start" circuit: <http://tk5ep.free.fr/tech/PA2m/datas/HV%20supply.gif>. Merci beaucoups. CONTEST SUMMARY (Rules follow Commentary section) February 23-24 - CQC Winter QSO Party - CQ WW 160 Meter SSB - UBA Contest, CW - REF Contest, Phone - Mississippi QSO Party - North American QSO Party, Digital - North Carolina QSO Party - High Speed CW Contest March 1-2 - ARRL DX Contest, Phone - Open Ukraine RTTY Championship - DARC 10-Meter Digital Corona --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- From John Dorr, K1AR - "I am writing to inform you of a significant change in the CQ WW 160M Contest. Effective immediately, Dave Thompson, K4JRB, is retiring from his leadership position as contest director. Taking over the reigns will be Andy Blank, N2NT. Dave has been director of CQ's 160M contest for 16 years, stepping up and taking charge after former director, Don McClennon, N4IN (formerly W3EIS and W3IN), passed away. During Dave's watch, the contest has grown by over 300% in terms of entries, but more importantly has become one of contesting's top tier competitions. The task of contest director is a tiring and sometimes thankless job. Over the years, Dave has performed his job with quiet reserve and a smile on his face. His reliability in delivering the results to CQ and to the contest community at large will always be appreciated. As we move forward, Andy, N2NT, has some big shoes to fill. However, his contesting experience and organizational skills will prevail--we can all count on it. I encourage you to take the time to thank Dave for his faithful, 16 years of service. We wish both Dave and Andy the best. Dave will continue to support the contest behind the scenes as the transition to Andy takes place. In the meantime, I want to personally thank Dave for his commitment and dedication to our sport. Well done, OM, 73" The ARRL Contest Advisory Committee (CAC) has a new seat in the Chair - Dick Green WC1M, New England Division representative. Dick has accepted the position following the end of the two-year term of outgoing Chair, Ward Silver N0AX, Northwestern Division representative. Please congratulate Dick on accepting the position! If you don't know your CAC representative, check the list at <http://www.arrl.org/contests/cac.html>. They are there to hear from you. Tony WA8RJF, Tom WA8WZG and the VHF Weak Signal Group would like to invite all Weak Signal VHF, UHF and Microwave enthusiasts to the 15th Annual VHF Weak Signal Group banquet to be held on Friday evening May 16th - at the Holiday Inn Dayton North, 2301 Wagner Ford Road, Dayton OH 45415. Reservations are required. Cost per person is $35.00 and includes dinner and prize ticket. Seating is limited to 125 and spouses are welcome to join us and are eligible for the prize drawing. For tickets please send $35.00 per person and an SASE to: Tony Emanuele WA8RJF, 7156 Kory Court, Concord, Ohio 44077-2221. Please include the names and calls of all attendees as well as an email address. For more information contact Tony at wa8rjf@arrl.net. Steve G4GLF reports that the Four Days in May Web site <http://fdim.qrparci.org/> is open and ready for business. This event runs on Thursday before the Dayton Hamvention and includes a lot of topics that QRP contesters will find interesting. Thomas KN4LF has founded a new radiowave propagation email reflector, "LF/MF/HF/VHF Frequency Radiowave Propagation". You can sign up at <http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/kn4lf>. It is hosted by Risto Kotolampi W6RK founder of the HC-DX website and more. This reflector is a vehicle for hams and SWL's to be able to ask questions about and become better educated concerning solar, space and geomagnetic weather, as well as radiowave propagation. Posts on any topic that involves Radiowave Propagation from DC to daylight are welcome. He will also be posting the free KN4LF Daily LF/MF/HF/6M Frequency Radiowave Propagation Forecast here. The Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corporation (TAPR) has announced that the 2008 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference will take place September 26-28 at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, near O'Hare airport. The conference is an international forum for radio amateurs to meet, publish their work and present new ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and software advances, theories, experimental results and practical applications. Forums will feature the latest developments in Amateur Radio digital communications, as well as demonstrations of emerging digital technology. More information is available on the ARRL/TAPR DCC Web site, http://www.tapr.org/dcc.html Two Silent Keys to report. First, Lanny K5WP - a long time member of the Lone Star DX Association and an active amateur radio contester, he was also an ARRL Volunteer Counsel with particular expertise in PRB-1. Many Texas hams owe him a debt of gratitude for his efforts on their behalf. Second, Rod AC6V, whose great Web site <http://www.ac6v.com/> is the "Google" of Ham Radio, passed away, as well. Both of these gentlemen contributed a lot to amateur radio. (Thanks, Tom WW5L and Dennis N6KI) The next issue of "PileUP!" by Contesting Club - Finland (CCF) will see daylight around March 15. Please send any contributions you might have to oh1wz@sral.fi. (Thanks, Ilkka OH1WZ) In the 15 February edition of the ARRL Propagation Bulletin <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/2008-arlp007.html>, editor Tad K7RA follows up on a rather alarming article suggesting another Maunder Minimum <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maunder_minimum> is imminent. Tad finds that while conditions may be execrable, our purgatory isn't expected to be perdurable, pestiferous prognostications to the contrary. It won't be long before the thoughts of radiosport turn to Moscow in 2010 for the World Radiosport Team Championship. In the meantime, Carl N4AA sent a link to "Russian Phrases for Amateur Radio", created in the 1980's by W6JHK to help radio colleagues communicate citizen to citizen across political borders and help build a world beyond war. The 20-page booklet and audio pronunciation examples are now offered on-line <http://traubman.igc.org/russian.htm> and free of charge by the author. URL of the Week - Those that dawdle amongst the illustrations in math books will enjoy the Exhibition of Mathematical Art <http://www.bridgesmathart.org/art-exhibits/jmm08>. It's not all cardioids and limacons, either, Bub! There is some amazing beauty that arises from the simplest of equations married to the imagination of the human mind! oooo o -o-- -o-- o- o-oo o-oo SIGHTS AND SOUNDS o-- o- - -o-o oooo - oooo oo ooo Aficionados of historic QST style should be thrilled to learn that the "Gil Cartoon Book", out of print for years, is once again available from the ARRL Bookstore <http://www.arrl.org/catalog> - select "What's New" to find it. Phil Gildersleeve W1CJD's cartoons certainly captured the spirit of ham radio - if we ever had a Norman Rockwell, he was it. Jeff K8ND reports, "I've cleaned up the SO2R Resources Web page <http://www.k8nd.com/Radio/SO2R/K8ND_SO2R.htm> and made it quicker to load and more user friendly. Photos have been presented as thumbnails, and large photos and links to more information (where known) available by clicking. There are currently 73 station operating desks represented. Additional photos are welcomed, 800x600 sized images are preferred. For those of you that participated in the Freeze Your Butt Off (FYBO) contest (http://www.azscqrpions.org/FYBO2008.htm) you can find more fun with QRP in the field at <http://n7un.blogspot.com/> or with John N0HJ and his QRP pack animals <http://www.angelfire.com/planet/goatman>. Speaking of freezing - bundle up before you watch some ham radio from the coldest places on the planet at <http://www.waponline.it/Default.aspx?tabid=138>. (Thanks, Tim K3LR) John K6MM has a nice online QSL menagerie, searchable by prefix at <http://www.k6mm.com/pages/gallery-prefix.html> and by DXCC Entity at <http://www.k6mm.com/pages/gallery-entity.html>. There are over 1,000 QSL cards, including many from DXpeditions during the last 12 months. (Thanks, Bob N6TV) oo-o oo -o -oo -o-- --- oo- o-o RESULTS AND RECORDS -o-o o- o-oo o-oo oooo o o-o o All 2007 ARRL DX award certificates have been mailed. Thanks again to all the envelope stuffers! Final totals for 2007 Sweepstakes pins and mugs have been determined and the orders have been placed, including extras to help cover the inevitable late requests. They should be in stock in about 3 weeks and we will begin sending them out upon their arrival. The ARRL had the pleasure of hosting the Yankee Clipper Contest Club on Feb 9. About 70 YCCC members were in attendance. (Thanks, Sean KX9X, ARRL Contest Branch Manager) In the February 2008 edition of the Mt Airy VHF Club's "Cheese Bits", Brian WA1ZMS reports on his single QSO during the ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes. And a World DX record-breaker, too, covering 114.4 km on the 241 GHz band! The QSO between WA1ZMS/4 and W4WWQ/4 used CW. (The former DX record was 79km.) Way to go, Brian! The current Digests of 3830 Soapbox comments at <http://www.eskimo.com/~mwdink/3830> now include: ARRL DX CW Soapbox Feb 17 2008.txt CQWW WPX RTTY Soapbox Feb 17 2008.txt CQ160 CW Soapbox Feb 17 2008.txt (Thanks, Dink N7WA) And the next time you encounter someone that thinks radiosport is strange, point them in the direction of "Speedcabling" at <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7240939.stm>. (Thanks, Bob N6TV) oooo o -o-- -o-- --- oo- OPERATING TIP o-- o- -o- o oo- o--o Many new contesters, HF or VHF+, are looking for those elusive secrets of the Big Guns that will magically propel them into the Top Ten boxes. What is it that makes these stations stand out? George K5TR contributes a few simple observations: - They stay in the chair. - They tune the bands. - They move or switch between antennas for different directions. - They call a lot of CQs. - They have better antennas and signals. - They have operated many many contests and learned from their experiences and gained knowledge of callsigns and operating habits of the other stations. - Much of what they have learned has become second nature to them. Don't be seduced by the latest gadget or short-change the honing of your own skills in favor of relying on the Internet. If the magic of radio happens between the headphones, the achievement of that magic must be done there, too. 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 I asked a leading question about methods of waterproofing coax pigtails for outdoors connections. I got many useful suggestions, for which the ham radio community is known. Mark K6UFO says "pigtails require barrier waterproofing to the open end and connector "after the fact" by sticky mastics like rubber tape or "coax seal" or liquid applications to flow in/on like liquid electrical tape, Scotchkote, non-conductive silcone sealant or dielectric grease as described at <http://tinyurl.com/yvf85v> or <http://www.paigewire.com/wireconnectors.htm>. More information is available from the experts at <http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3Melectrical>, an interesting article "WATERPROOFING 101" at <http://www.directivesystems.com/waterproofing%20tips.htm>, and a nice set of pictures at <http://www.groundcontrol.com/galileo/ch3-waterproofing.htm>." At the risk of doing a little self-promotion, your editor is pleased as punch to tell you about the ARRL's release of the "Hands-On Radio Anthology", a collection of the first 61 experiments from the QST column. The book is available via the ARRL Bookstore at <http://www.arrl.org/catalog> by selecting "What's New". Nelson KU0A recommends another coax connector sealing option -- ComfortSeal Rope Caulk manufactured by Dennis & Company for coax connectors and coax pass-throughs. It's hydrophobic, easy to work at temperature ranges above 50 degrees F, won't stick to your fingers, is easy to remove after years of service. Nelson finds it at home supply stores. If you're confronted with an old tribander that needs some TLC, you should browse through this project of refurbishing a TA-33 that had been on the ground 15 years. The photos and text <http://www.mindspring.com/~vibroplex/FD/fd1.html> show one group's step-by-step restoration of the beam including cleaning the aluminum tubing/trap covers, etc. Nice job, including putting up the tower! (Thanks, Derek WB0TUA) I'm sure we've all imagined using a balloon antenna on Top Band. George K8GG points us to the Web site of Hans, PA1HR who used such an antenna for 160 meters in the Dutch PACC-Contest. You can see the antenna at <http://www.remeeus.eu/> by clicking on "Ballonantenne:". The feed line is window line and the balloons are each about 1.5 meters diameter - 5 feet. The antenna is about 82 meters tall with an end feed at the bottom. The long-out-of-print, highly-recommended, and hard-to-find "Radio Antenna Engineering Handbook" by Edmund Laport is now available from the print-on-demand publisher LuLu (http://www.lulu.com/> for under $20 -- almost 600 pages! Other downloadable versions (not printed and bound) are available on-line from other sources. (Thanks, Warren KH6WM) Bob W6RJC sent this handy link on the right way to do things with the standard international (SI) units - <http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/correct.htm>. This should make your technical documents look better by avoiding grammatical errors. Paul WA1GHZ reports (also in the Feb 2008 issue of "Cheese Bits" referenced above) that all of his QEX articles on microwave operating and technical topics are now available on-line at <http://www.w1ghz.org/10g/QEX_articles.htm>. If you have an antenna analyzer that displays reactance, but without a positive or negative sign, Bob N7XY handed out a handy and simple tip: "Change the frequency slightly. If the reactance goes up with frequency, it is inductive. If it goes down, it is capacitive." Digital communications often uses "quadrature" modulation and demodulation. For the technical among us, RF Design magazine has published a tutorial on the subject at <http://tinyurl.com/yv76ht>. (Thanks, Steve NU5D) Words to live by on the tower on in the electrical box - "safety", "quality of work" and "quantity of work" in that order. (Tnanks, John KE7JGB) TECHNICAL URL OF THE WEEK -- While there are many excellent CAD (Computer-Aided Drafting) programs out there, many of us just need a convenient way to make a few straight line and shape drawings on a computer. Terry KK6T recommends Google Sketchup <http://sketchup.google.com/> as easy to learn and it's free. Another of Google's many useful service applications. 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 Have A Good Time! By now you've heard an earful or more from the irascible operators that slogged through the solar-ly mimimal conditions on the HF bands during the ARRL DX CW contest last weekend. Your editor was amongst those a-laboring, holding down one end of 15 meter duties at K3LR with N6MJ. As Dan and I struggled through the ennui of 200-and-change QSOs at one of radiosport's premier stations, I was tempted at times to question my sanity! But why didn't we just pack it in and wait for the sunspots? Well, it's too much fun to go to Tim's and slug it out with the crew, that's why! As the 3830 post-contest report <http://tinyurl.com/2y7jbj> should indicate, the team pulled together. Led by station-master Tim's positive mien and drive, it was just too much fun not to have a good time. Even on a dead band, as 10 meter scouts N3GJ and N3SD can attest, every weekend has its moments! You don't have to be operating at a huge multi-multi to have a good time, either. Just put together a crew, keep the filaments on, and enjoy operating for the sine qua non of radio; the thrill of the hunt in the magical land of radio. Listen to the world turning as only HF operators can. Somebody will do something amazing, you'll work something unexpected, at some point a joke will be made and take over the conversation for the weekend. When confronted with aberrant conditions, there's no sense in caterwauling - extemporize! Just do the best you can with what you've got. Leave as little on the table as possible. Learn for yourself and congratulate others on their successes. Help the neophyte learn the ropes. Take a moment to just listen to the canorous tones of a particularly good signal or to the rhythmic excellence of a top operator. Consider why bean-less chili is preferred at team stations. Like fishing is not always about fishing, team operating is not always just about operating. Wherever you finish in the results and whether the station is grand or modest, you will find it time well-spent, especially the next time you find yourself "in the chair" at home by yourself or with your compadres, spinning the dials and heating the antennas. -o-o --o- - o ooo - -o-o --o- - o ooo - CONTESTS -- 20 FEBRUARY THROUGH 4 MARCH 2008 -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) An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format is available at <http://www.arrl.org/contest>. HF CONTESTS CQC Winter QSO Party, Phone, CW, 2200Z Feb 23 - 0359Z Feb 24, Frequencies: 160-10, CW 1.825,3.56,3.71,7.04,7.11,14.06,21.06,21.11,28.06,28.11; Exchange: RST, S/P/C, name, CQC nr or power, Logs due: 30 days, Web site: http://www.cqc.org/ CQ WW 160 Meter SSB, 0000Z Feb 23 - 2400Z Feb 24, Frequencies: 160, Exchange: RST and S/P/C, Logs due: 31-Mar, Web site: http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/ UBA Contest, CW, 1300Z Feb 23 -- 1300Z Feb 24, Frequencies: 80-10, Exchange: RST, serial, and ON province, Logs due: 30 days, Web site: http://www.uba.be/ REF Contest, Phone, 0600Z Feb 23 -- 1800Z Feb 24, Frequencies: 80-10, Exchange: RS, serial, and F dept, Logs due: 30 days, Web site: http://www.ref-union.org/concours Mississippi QSO Party, Phone, CW, 1500Z Feb 23 - 0300Z Feb 24, Frequencies: 80-10, 50-432, CW 3.545,7.045,14.045,21.045, 28.045; Phone 3.857,3.862,3.867,7.238,14.275,21.375,28.375; VHF 50.130,144.220,146.55,446.00, Exchange: RS(T) and MS county or S/P/C, Logs due: 31 days, For more information: w5xx@vicksburg.com North American QSO Party, Digital, 1800Z Feb 23 - 0600Z Feb 24, Frequencies: 80-10, Exchange: Name and S/P/C, Logs due: 14 days, Web site: http://www.ncjweb.com/ North Carolina QSO Party, Phone, CW, 1700Z Feb 24 -- 0300Z Feb 25, Frequencies: 80-10, CW 3.54,3.74,7.04,7.14,14.04,21.04,21.14,28.04,28.14, Phone 3.86,7.26,14.26,21.36,28.36, Exchange: RS(T) and NC county or S/P/C, Logs due: 1-Apr, Web site: http://www.w4nc.com/ High Speed CW Contest, CW, 0900Z - 1100Z and 1500Z - 1700Z Feb 24, Frequencies: 80-10, Exchange: RST and HSC nr or NM, Logs due: 6 weeks, For more information: hsccontest@gmail.com ARRL International DX, Phone, 0000Z Mar 1 - 2400Z Mar 2, Frequencies: 1.8-28, Exchange: RS and state, province, or power, Logs due: 1-Apr, Web site: http://www.arrl.org/contest Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, 2200Z Mar 1 - 1200Z Mar 2, Frequencies: 1.8-28, Exchange: Regional abbreviation and serial, Logs due: 2-Apr, Web site: http://www.ucc.zp.ua/ DARC 10-Meter Digital "Corona", 1100Z Mar 1 - 1700Z Mar 1, Frequencies: 28, Web site: http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/cqdlcont/fgdcc.htm VHF+ CONTESTS No VHF+ contests are scheduled. -oo --- -o - -- oo ooo ooo -o-- --- oo- o-o LOG DUE DATES - 20 FEBRUARY THROUGH 4 MARCH 2008 o-oo --- --o -oo o o- -oo o-oo oo -o o ooo February 20 - ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes, email logs to: JanuaryVHF@arrl.org, paper logs and diskettes to: January VHF, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111, USA. Find rules at: http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2008/jan-vhf-ss.html February 25 - RSGB 1st 1.8 MHz Contest, CW, email logs to: 1st160.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/2008/r18mhz.shtml February 25 - Run for the Bacon QRP Contest, email logs to: (none), Upload log at: http://www.gentzow.com/fpqrp/autolog.php, paper logs and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at: http://www.gentzow.com/fpqrp/fpqrprun.php February 26 - REF Contest, CW, email logs to: cdfcw@ref-union.org, paper logs and diskettes to: F6CTT, Joseph Cornee, 31, rue des EcoButs, 44230 St Sebastien Sur Loire, France. Find rules at: http://concours.ref-union.org/reglements/actuels/reg_cdfhf_fr_0610.pdf February 26 - UBA DX Contest, SSB, email logs to: ubassb@uba.be, paper logs and diskettes to: Francis Bauweraerts, ON6LY, Lokerenstraat 110 bus 5, B-2300 Turnhout, Belgium. Find rules at: http://www.uba.be/hf_contests/pdf/ubatest_dx.pdf February 28 - CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW, email logs to: 160cw@kkn.net, paper logs and diskettes to: CQ 160-Meter Contest, 25 Newbridge Road, Hicksville, NY 11801, USA. Find rules at: http://cq-amateur-radio.com/NEW160_CntRules_200810207.pdf February 28 - AGCW Straight Key Party, email logs to: htp@agcw.de, paper logs and diskettes to: Friedrich W. Fabri, DF1OY, Moselstrasse 17b, D-63322 Roedermark-Urberach, Germany. Find rules at: http://www.agcw.org/agcw-con/2007/Englisch/htp_e.htm February 29 - SPAR Winter Field Day, email logs to: winterfd@spar-hams.org, paper logs and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at: http://www.spar-hams.org/contests/winterfd/index.php?pg=2 March 1 - BARTG RTTY Sprint, email logs to: ska@bartg.demon.co.uk, paper logs and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at: http://www.bartg.org.uk/contests/08sprintrules.htm March 1 - Feld Hell Sprint, email logs to: (none), post log summary at: http://www.wa6l.com/contests/autolog.html, paper logs and diskettes to: John Graf, WA6L, 23085 Old Ranch Rd, Alpine, CA 91901, USA. Find rules at: http://feldhellclub.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=71 March 1 - Vermont QSO Party, email logs to: tinker@madriver.com, paper logs and diskettes to: Allen Tinker, W1AAT, Vermont QSO Party Coordinator, PO Box 888, Waitsfield, VT 05673, USA. Find rules at: http://www.w1bd.org/ March 1 - YL-ISSB QSO Party, SSB, email logs to: ve1jim@ns.sympatico.ca, paper logs and diskettes to: Jim Flowers, VE1JIM, 13 Rufus Ave, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3N 2L4, Canada. Find rules at: http://www.ylsystem.org/qsoparty/qsodates.htm March 1 - YL-ISSB QSO Party, CW/RTTY, email logs to: ve1jim@ns.sympatico.ca, paper logs and diskettes to: Jim Flowers, VE1JIM, 13 Rufus Ave, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3N 2L4, Canada. Find rules at: http://www.ylsystem.org/qsoparty/qsodates.htm March 3 - ARCI Fireside SSB Sprint, email logs to: contest@qrparci.org, paper logs and diskettes to: Jeff Hetherington, VA3JFF, 139 Elizabeth St W, Welland, Ontario L3C 4M3, Canada. Find rules at: http://www.qrparci.org/ March 3 - FYBO Winter QRP Sprint, post log summary at: http://www.azscqrpions.org/FYBO_Entry_Form_Instructions.htm, paper logs and diskettes to: Mike Baker, K7DD, Attn: FYBO, 8845 W. Diana Ave, Peoria AZ 85345, USA. Find rules at: http://www.azscqrpions.org/FYBO2008.htm March 4 - Mexico RTTY International Contest, email logs to: xe1j@ucol.mx, paper logs and diskettes to: Jose Levy, XE1J, Dirección de Concursos FMRE, Clavel 333, Colima, Col. 28030, Mexico. Find rules at: http://www.fmre.org.mx/concursos/2008/rtty/rules-rtty-2008-english.doc 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>. Copyright 2008 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved Windows and Vista are trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation