 December 8, 2021 Editor: Paul Bourque, N1SFE | |
IN THIS ISSUE
NEW HF OPERATORS -- THINGS TO DO The ARRL 10-Meter Contest is this weekend, starting on Saturday, December 11, at 0000 UTC (Friday evening in the US and Canada). Stations may operate CW, phone, or mixed CW and phone modes. The contest concludes at 2359Z on December 12. For complete rules, scoring and exchange information, visit www.arrl.org/10-meter. --- The RAC Canada Winter Contest 0000 - 2359 UTC, December 18. Each December, Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) sponsors the Canada Winter Contest. Amateurs all over the world are invited to participate. The contest is CW and phone only, on HF bands (WARC bands excluded) and 6 and 2 meters. Stations in Canada send RS(T) and province or territory. VE0s and stations outside Canada send RS(T) and a serial number. See complete contest rules at www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/CanadaWinterContestRules2021_English.pdf for more information. --- If you're new to CW operating, The ARRL Rookie Roundup (CW) is December 19, 1800 - 2359 UTC. The objective is to encourage newly licensed operators to operate on the HF bands and experience competitive amateur radio operating. A Rookie is defined has having been first licensed in the current calendar year or the previous three calendar years (2021, 2020, 2019, or 2018), regardless of license class. If you were licensed earlier, you can also qualify as a Rookie if you haven't made any contest contacts on CW before this Rookie Roundup. Rookies will attempt to make as many contacts as possible during this 6-hour event. Rookies work everyone, and non-Rookies work only Rookies. Stations exchange each other's call signs, first names, a two-digit year, and state (US or Mexican), Canadian province, or "DX." If you're a Rookie, send the last two digits of the year of your first contact in your exchange. If you've never made any contest contacts using CW, or if you're a non-Rookie, send the last two digits of the current year in your exchange. Full rules for the event are at www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup. BULLETINS Pete, N4ZR, has announced that the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) team is planning to release a new version of the pattern file that Skimmer Server uses to validate call signs that it copies to be as up to date as possible by the time of the ARRL CW DX Contest. Why is this important? Depending on how familiar the pattern of the call sign is, Skimsrv will require fewer or more repetitions before it recognizes it as a valid call sign. With the proliferation of single-letter suffixes in contest calls, the system needs to be kept as up-to-date as possible. If you are aware of a callsign pattern that is not in the current list, please drop Pete a note and let him know. If you're anticipating a change, such as a new set of single-letter suffixes or a new alternate prefix (like VL plus single-letter suffixes in VK, for example), we want to make sure it is included, but not unless it will be in effect before February of next year, and only if you have authoritative information. Send an email to Pete at pete.n4zr@gmail.com with as much detail as you can, if you have any changes that need to be made. CONTEST SUMMARY Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section December 9 December 10 December 11
December 12 December 13 December 14 December 15 December 16 December 17
December 18
December 19 December 20 December 21 December 22 NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST On December 12, ARRL and the RSGB will jointly sponsor the 160-Meter Transatlantic Centenary QSO Party. This 6-hour event will run from 0200 to 0800 UTC or until the band closes at sunrise. The event coincides with the 100th anniversary of the successful Second Transatlantic Tests. Participating stations will operate only on CW, trying to contact the two official call sign activations, W1AW and GB2ZE. The exchange is call sign and signal report. During the QSO Party, ARRL will activate W1AW from Newington, Connecticut. RSGB will activate GB2ZE with help from a team of stations, including members of the GMDX Group of Scotland sharing the operating duties. GB2ZE commemorates the call sign of Paul Godley, 2ZE, who was sent by ARRL to the UK to lead the second Transatlantic Test in December 1921. For additional details, visit www.arrl.org/transatlantic or rsgb.org/main/activity/transatlantic-tests. For updates on these events and other special events commemorating the Transatlantic Tests Centenary, see the ARRL News. WORD TO THE WISE Multi-Channel Decoder A device such as CW Skimmer software that provides information about the identity and frequency of contest station transmissions. Software that displays multiple decoded signals at the same time is considered to be a multi-channel decoder. SIGHTS AND SOUNDS If you've ever worked EF8R in the Canary Islands during a contest, and want to know more about that big signal you're hearing, check out the YouTube video they shared about the station. They've got quite the impressive setup! RESULTS AND RECORDS The results from the October ARRL School Club Roundup (SCR) are available at contests.arrl.org. Click on "School Club Roundup, October" on the left side menu and then "Scores" to view the results. The October event saw participation from 63 stations, making 8,324 contacts. SCR is co-sponsored by ARRL and the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club. The next SCR is February 14-18 2022. --- CQ WW Contest Director John, K1AR, announced that the raw scores for the 2021 CQ WW CW contest are now available at https://cqww.com/raw.htm?mode=cw. John also extends his thanks to the CQWW Contest Committee members responsible for the compilation of the raw scores. --- Jim, W6US, shared that the results of the 2021 Nevada QSO Party are now posted on the website at http://nvqso.com/2021-results/. "We had a good turnout and all of the counties except Lincoln were activated. There were a number of expeditions out into the rural areas that made lots of contacts. One expedition was sitting on the only 4 county point in the state and they were quite successful in giving out lots of contacts. The biggest operation was a multi-op CW only at the W7RN contest location in Storey County. Thanks to all those hams that made contacts with the stations in Nevada. 73, Jim Shepherd, W6US." --- The results for the Two-Meter Classic Sprint have been published on the FWRC website at fwrc.info/2021/11/30/two-meter-classic-sprint-september-and-october-results/. The November/December results will be published after final scores are tallied following the December sprint. (Thanks to Jim, AC9EZ) --- The Scandanavian Activity Contest Committee has announced that the SAC SSB 2021 preliminary scores are now available at www.sactest.net/blog/sac-ssb-2021-preliminary-results/. The committee also noted that the CW scores have been updated with new results for the Multi Single participants after corrections were made. Please check your category, score and LCR and let them know if anything looks wrong. Send an email to support@sactest.net if you have any questions or corrections. OPERATING TIP Ward, N0AX, offers some advice for Technician-class licensees operating SSB in the ARRL 10-Meter Contest this weekend.
"10 meters is a big band -- if there is enough solar flux, you may find stations spread out from 28.300 to well above 28.500 kHz! (Remember that Technician privileges do not span the entire 10-Meter phone band so make sure that you're operating within your license class privileges. -ed) Tuning across that much spectrum can be tedious so the natural response might be to set your transceiver's tuning rate (also called "tuning step") to move in steps of up to 1 kHz. This will definitely move you across the band quickly but most of the stations you hear will not be operating right on the 1 kHz boundaries and won't sound right. (Neither will you!) Similarly, if you use the spots from the various networks, those frequencies are approximate, so you won't land right on the station's operating frequency either. Here's a good compromise: set your radio so that the tuning rate is about 2.5 to 3 kHz per turn of the "Big Knob" - your main VFO. That will get you from station to station quickly, but you'll still be off-frequency most of the time. Remember -- it's you that will be off-frequency, not the CQing station! So turn on both RIT and XIT (also called "Clarifier") and use that knob as a "fine tune" control. Step one -- tune the main VFO or click on a spot. Step two -- adjust RIT/XIT for the right voice pitch. That will move you around the band efficiently and get you right on-frequency for the CQing station, which helps everybody make lots of contacts. Enjoy the contest!" CONVERSATION In my first issue as editor, I had asked readers what they'd like to see more of in the Contest Update, and I also included an open call to contest clubs asking what they were doing to encourage contest participation from their members, as well as what they're doing to attract new members and contesters. I'm hoping to highlight those clubs' activities in the coming months. If you'd like to let the contesting community know about your club's activities, please send me an email at contest-update@arrl.org or n1sfe@arrl.org. I'd love to hear from your club! Until next time, keep working that DX! Remember to send contesting-related stories, book reviews, tips, techniques, press releases, errata, schematics, club information, pictures, stories, blog links, and predictions to contest-update@arrl.org. CONTESTS December 9, 2021 -- December 22, 2021 An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral is available as a PDF. Check the sponsors' website for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions. HF CONTESTS CWops Mini-CWT Test, Dec 9, 0300z to Dec 9, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 11. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Dec 9, 0700z to Dec 9, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 11. RTTYOPS Weeksprint, Dec 9, 1700z to Dec 9, 1900z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs due: Dec 16. NCCC RTTY Sprint, Dec 10, 0145z to Dec 10, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Dec 12. QRP Fox Hunt, Dec 10, 0200z to Dec 10, 0330z; CW; Bands: 20; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: Dec 11. NCCC Sprint, Dec 10, 0230z to Dec 10, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Dec 12. K1USN Slow Speed Test, Dec 10, 2000z to Dec 10, 2100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 12. ARRL 10-Meter Contest, Dec 11, 0000z to Dec 12, 2359z; CW, Phone; Bands: 10; W/VE: RST + State/Province, XE: RST + State, DX: RST + Serial No., MM: RST + ITU Region; Logs due: Dec 19. PODXS 070 Club Triple Play Low Band Sprint, Dec 11, 0000z to Dec 13, 2359z; PSK31; Bands: 160, 80, 40; RST + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 20. TRC Digi Contest, Dec 11, 0600z to Dec 12, 1800z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; TRC Members: RST + Serial No. + "TRC", non-TRC Members: RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Dec 19. SKCC Weekend Sprintathon, Dec 11, 1200z to Dec 12, 2359z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE"); Logs due: Dec 19. ARI 40/80 Contest, Dec 11, 1300z to Dec 12, 1300z; Phone, CW, Digital; Bands: 80, 40; RS(T) + 2-letter province car code; Logs due: Dec 19. International Naval Contest, Dec 11, 1600z to Dec 12, 1559z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Naval Club Member: RS(T) + Club + Member No., non-Naval Club Member: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: Dec 31. QRP ARCI Holiday Spirits Homebrew Sprint, Dec 12, 2000z to Dec 12, 2300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + (state/province/country) + (ARCI number/power); Logs due: Dec 23. CQC Great Colorado Snowshoe Run, Dec 12, 2100z to Dec 12, 2259z; CW; Bands: 20; RST + (state/province/country); Logs due: Jan 11. K1USN Slow Speed Test, Dec 13, 0000z to Dec 13, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 15. 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint, Dec 13, 0100z to Dec 13, 0300z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: RS(T) + (State/Province/Country) + Member No., Non-member: RS(T) + (State/Province/Country) + Power; Logs due: Dec 15. OK1WC Memorial (MWC), Dec 13, 1630z to Dec 13, 1729z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Dec 17. Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Dec 14, 0100z to Dec 14, 0159z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RS + age group (OM, YL, Youth YL or Youth); Logs due: Dec 15. RTTYOPS Weeksprint, Dec 14, 1700z to Dec 14, 1900z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs due: Dec 21. QRP Fox Hunt, Dec 15, 0200z to Dec 15, 0330z; CW; Bands: 20; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: Dec 16. Phone Weekly Test- Fray, Dec 15, 0230z to Dec 15, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: Dec 17. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Dec 15, 1300z to Dec 15, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 18. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Dec 15, 1900z to Dec 15, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 18. Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest, Dec 16, 0000z to Dec 17, 0300z; CW; Bands: 20; Maximum 13 wpm, RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (Member No./power); Logs due: Dec 23. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Dec 16, 0300z to Dec 16, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 18. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Dec 16, 0700z to Dec 16, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 18. RTTYOPS Weeksprint, Dec 16, 1700z to Dec 16, 1900z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs due: Dec 23. NCCC RTTY Sprint, Dec 17, 0145z to Dec 17, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Dec 19. QRP Fox Hunt, Dec 17, 0200z to Dec 17, 0330z; CW; Bands: 20; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: Dec 18. NCCC Sprint, Dec 17, 0230z to Dec 17, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Dec 19. AGB-Party Contest, Dec 17, 1600z to Dec 17, 1700z; CW, SSB, Digital; Bands: 80, 40; AGB Member: RST + QSO No. + Member No., non-Member: RST + QSO No.; Logs due: Jan 15. Russian 160-Meter Contest, Dec 17, 1800z to Dec 17, 2200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160; Rus: RS(T) + Oblast code, non-Rus: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: Dec 28. K1USN Slow Speed Test, Dec 17, 2000z to Dec 17, 2100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 19. Feld Hell Sprint, Dec 18, 0000z to Dec 18, 2359z; Feld Hell; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; (see rules); Logs due: Dec 22. OK DX RTTY Contest, Dec 18, 0000z to Dec 18, 2359z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + CQ Zone; Logs due: Dec 25. RAC Winter Contest, Dec 18, 0000z to Dec 18, 2359z; CW, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2; VE: RS(T) + (province/territory), non-VE and VE0: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: Jan 31. Padang DX Contest, Dec 18, 1200z to Dec 19, 1159z; SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RS + Serial No.; Logs due: Dec 26. Croatian CW Contest, Dec 18, 1400z to Dec 19, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Dec 27. Stew Perry Topband Challenge, Dec 18, 1500z to Dec 19, 1500z; CW; Bands: 160; 4-Character grid square; Logs due: Jan 2. ARRL Rookie Roundup, CW, Dec 19, 1800z to Dec 19, 2359z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; NA: Name + 2-digit year first licensed + (state/province/XE area/DX); Logs due: Dec 22. Run for the Bacon QRP Contest, Dec 19, 2300z to Dec 20, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + (state/province/country) + (Member No./power); Logs due: Dec 26. K1USN Slow Speed Test, Dec 20, 0000z to Dec 20, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 22. OK1WC Memorial (MWC), Dec 20, 1630z to Dec 20, 1729z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Dec 24. Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Dec 21, 0100z to Dec 21, 0159z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RS + age group (OM, YL, Youth YL or Youth); Logs due: Dec 22. RTTYOPS Weeksprint, Dec 21, 1700z to Dec 21, 1900z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs due: Dec 28. SKCC Sprint, Dec 22, 0000z to Dec 22, 0200z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE"); Logs due: Dec 24. NAQCC CW Sprint, Dec 22, 0130z to Dec 22, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20; RST + (state/province/country) + (NAQCC No./power); Logs due: Dec 26. Phone Weekly Test- Fray, Dec 22, 0230z to Dec 22, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: Dec 24. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Dec 22, 1300z to Dec 22, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 25. CWops Mini-CWT Test, Dec 22, 1900z to Dec 22, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Dec 25. VHF+ CONTESTS ARRL EME Contest, Dec 18, 0000z to Dec 19, 2359z; CW, Phone, Digital; Bands: 50 MHz and up; Signal report; Logs due: Jan 18. See also: Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, RAC Winter Contest LOG DUE DATES December 9 December 10 December 11 December 12
December 13 December 14 December 15
December 16 December 17 December 18 December 19
December 20 December 21 December 22 ARRL INFORMATION Click here to advertise in this newsletter, space subject to availability. Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information ARRL membership includes a choice of one print magazine: QST, the monthly membership journal, or On the Air, ARRL's new bimonthly publication for beginner and intermediate hams. All ARRL members can access all four ARRL magazines -- QST, On the Air, NCJ, and QEX - digitally. Subscribe to NCJ - the National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. Subscribe to QEX - A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL members: Subscribe to The ARRL Letter (weekly digest of news and information), the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news), Division and Section news -- and much more! ARRL offers a wide array of products to enhance your enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Visit the site often for new publications, specials and sales. Donate to the fund of your choice -- support programs not funded by member dues! Reprint permission can be obtained by sending email to permission@arrl.org with a description of the material and the reprint publication. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest Calendar; Rick Lindquist, WW1ME; Pete Smith, N4ZR; and Ward Silver, N0AX. | |
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