Contester's Rate Sheet for February 22, 2006
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CONTESTER'S RATE SHEET
22 February 2006
Edited by Ward Silver N0AX
Published by the American Radio Relay League
Free to ARRL members!
(Subscription info at the end of newsletter)
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SUMMARY
o ARRL DX SSB Completes the One-Two Punch
o Digital Dustups - NAQP RTTY, DARC Corona, Ukraine RTTY
o Antique Recording Technology
o 40 Winks In A Cup
o NRAU Baltic Contest Publishes UBN Reports
o W3LPL's Coax Comparisons
o Crimp-On Connector Tutorial by VE7BZ
o The Lights Are On, But Nobody's Home
BULLETINS
o No bulletins this issue
BUSTED QSOS
o Sputnik - 1957, not 1959 - I was two, thus the hazy memory.
o If a long URL doesn't load properly, check the link for wraparound
to a new line.
-oo --- -o - -- oo ooo ooo -o-- --- oo- o-o
LOG DUE DATES - 21 FEBRUARY TO 7 MARCH 2006
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February 22 - ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes, email logs to:
JanuaryVHF@arrl.org, logs and diskettes to: January VHF, ARRL, 225
Main St, Newington, CT 06111, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2006/jan-vhf-ss.html
February 27 - Run for the Bacon QRP Contest, email logs to:
W2LJ@arrl.net, upload log at: http://partsandkits.com/fp/autolog.asp,
logs and diskettes to: Larry Makoski W2LJ, 327 Clinton Place, South
Plainfield, NJ 07080, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.fpqrp.com/fpqrprun.html
February 27 - RSGB 1st 1.8 MHz Contest, CW, email logs to:
1st160.logs@rsgbhfcc.org, 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/r18mhz.shtml
February 27 - SARL Field Day Contest, email logs to:
hfcontests@netactive.co.za, logs and diskettes to: Field Day Contest,
Bloemfontein Radio Amateur Club, PO Box 12104, Brandhof, 9324, South
Africa. Find rules at:
http://www.sarl.org.za/public/contests/SARL_Contest_Manual.pdf
February 28 - Hunting Lions in the Air Contest, email logs to:
rad.handfield-jones@pixie.co.za, logs and diskettes to: The HLITA
Contest Committee, Lions Club of Midrand, PO Box 1548, Halfway House
1685, South Africa. Find rules at:
http://www.sarl.org.za/public/contests/lionita.asp
February 28 - CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW, email logs to: 160cw@kkn.net,
logs and diskettes to: CQ 160-Meter Contest, 25 Newbridge Road,
Hicksville, NY 11801, USA. Find rules at:
http://cq-amateur-radio.com/160ContestRules122705NEW.pdf
February 28 - REF Contest, CW, email logs to: cdfcw@ref-union.org,
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_0503.pdf
February 28 - UBA DX Contest, SSB, email logs to: ubassb@uba.be, logs
and diskettes to: Carine Ramon, ON7LX, Bruggesteenweg 77, B-8755
Ruiselede, Belgium. Find rules at:
http://www.uba.be/hf_contests/rules/ubatestworld_en.html
February 28 - AGCW Straight Key Party, email logs to: htp@agcw.de,
logs and diskettes to: Friedrich W. Fabri DF1OY, Moselstrasse 17b,
D-63322 Roedermark-Urberach, Germany. Find rules at:
http://www.agcw.de/english/contest/htp_e.htm
March 1 - Vermont QSO Party, email logs to: tinker@madriver.com, logs
and diskettes to: Allen Tinker, W1AAT, Vermont QSO Party Coordinator,
PO Box 888, Waitsfield, VT 05673, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.ranv.org/vtqso.html
March 1 - BARTG RTTY Sprint, email logs to: ska@bartg.demon.co.uk,
logs and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at:
http://www.bartg.demon.co.uk/Contests/06_sprint_rules.htm
March 5 - Mexico RTTY International Contest, email logs to:
xe1j@ucol.mx, 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/RULES-RTTY-2006-ENGLISH.htm
March 5 - ARCI Winter Fireside SSB Sprint, email logs to:
contest@qrparci.org, logs and diskettes to: Jeff Hetherington VA3JFF,
139 Elizabeth St W, Welland, Ontario L3C 4M3, Canada. Find rules at:
http://www.qrparci.org/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,/extmode,view/extid,32/
March 6 - FYBO Winter QRP Sprint, email logs to:
azscqrpions@covad.net, logs and diskettes to: John Stevens, Attn:
FYBO, 21457 N 91st Dr, Peoria, AZ 85382, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.azscqrpions.org/FYBO2006_01032006.htm
March 7 - YLRL YL-OM Contest, CW, email logs to: kc4iyd@yahoo.com,
logs and diskettes to: Nancy Rabel Hall, KC4IYD, PO Box 775, North
Olmsted, OH 44070, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.ylrl.org/ylcontests.html
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CONTESTS - 21 FEBRUARY TO 7 MARCH 2006
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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
CQC Winter QSO Party--CW/Phone, sponsored by the Colorado QRP Club
from 2200Z Feb 25 - 0359Z Feb 26. Frequencies (MHz): CW 1.825, 3.560,
3.710, 7.040, 7.110, 14.060, 21.060, 21.110, 28.060, 28.110, SSB
1.910, 3.985, 7.285, 14.285, 21.385, 28.385. Categories are SOAB,
SOSB, SO-Homebrew. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, name, CQC member number or
power output (5W max). QSO Points: CW--CQC member 6 pts, non-member 4
pts, Phone--members 3 pts, non-members 2 pts. Score: QSO Points X
S/P/C (count once per band) X names (one name from each letter of the
alphabet) + 1000 pts for QSO with W0CQC. For more information:
http://www.cqc.org/. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
ki0rb@idcomm.com or CQC Contest, PO Box 17174, Golden, CO 80402-6019.
CQ WW 160-meter Contest--SSB, sponsored by CQ Magazine from 0000Z Feb
25 - 2400Z Feb 26. Exchange: RS and S/P/C. Categories: SO-QRP (<5 W)
-LP(<150 W) -HP, MO categories. Enter as MO if packet or spotting
nets are used. QSO Points: own entity--2 pts, same continent--5 pts,
diff. cont.--10 pts, /MM stations count 5 points, but no multiplier.
Score: QSO points X states + VE call areas + DXCC entities (KH6 and
KL7 count as DXCC only). For more information:
http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/index.html. Logs due by Mar 31 to
160ssb@kkn.net (Cabrillo format only) or CQ 160 Contest, 25 Newbridge
Rd, Hicksville, NY 11801.
UBA Contest--CW, sponsored by the Royal Union of Belgian Amateur
Radio from 1300Z Feb 25 -- 1300Z Feb 26. Frequencies: 80 - 10-meters,
according to the IARU band plan. Categories: SOAB (HP,LP,QRP), SOSB
(HP,LP), MS, packet is allowed for all classes. Exchange: RST and
serial number, ON stations add their province abbr. QSO Points: QSOs
with ON stations--10 pts, with other European Union--3 pts, outside
European Union--1 pt. Score: QSO points X ON provinces + ON prefixes
+ European Union DXCC entities counted once per band. For more
information and a list of EU entities: http://www.uba.be/. Logs due 30
days after the contest to ubassb@uba.be in Cabrillo format or UBA
Contest, Marc Domen ON7SS, Ferdinand Coosemansstraat 32, B-2600
Antwerpen, BELGIUM.
REF French Contest--Phone, sponsored by the Reseau des Emetteurs
Francais from 0600Z Feb 25 -- 1800Z Feb 26. Contact French stations
including Corsica, Overseas Territories, and EU Council station
TP2CE. Frequencies: 80 - 10-meters. Categories: SOAB, MS, and SWL.
Exchange: non-French stations send RST and serial number, French send
RST and department number or prefix. QSO Points: different
continent--3 pts, 1 pt otherwise. Score: QSO points X departments and
prefixes counted once per band. For more information:
http://www.ref-union.org/concours. Logs are due Apr 15 to
cdfssb@ref-union.org or Reseau des Emetteurs Francais, REF Contest,
BP 7429, 37074 Tours Cedex, France.
Mississippi QSO Party--CW/Digital/Phone, sponsored by the Vicksburg
Amateur Radio Club from 1500Z Feb 25 - 0300Z Feb 26. Frequencies
(MHz): CW 3.545, 7.045, 14.045, 21.045, 28.045; Phone 3.862, 7.238,
14.275, 21.375, 28.375; VHF 50.130, 144.220, 146.55, 446.00. Work
stations once per band and mode. Categories: Fixed Station and
Mobile. Mobiles may be worked again as they change counties.
Exchange: RST and MS county or S/P/C. Score: QSOs x MS counties (MS
stations add S/P/C). For more information: w5xx@vicksburg.com. Logs
due March 26 to Vicksburg ARC, 64 Lake Circle Dr, Vicksburg, MS
39180.
North Carolina QSO Party--CW/Phone, sponsored by the Forsyth Amateur
Radio Club from 1700Z Feb 26 -- 0300Z Feb 27. Frequencies (MHz): CW
3.540, 3.740, 7.040, 7.140, 14.040, 21.040, 21.140, 28.040, 28.140,
Phone 3.860, 7.260, 14.260, 21.360, 28.360. Categories: SO, Mobile,
Club, all stations 100W max. output. Mobiles may be worked again as
they change counties. Exchange: RST and NC county, ARRL/RAC section,
or DX prefix. QSO Points: phone--2 pts, CW--3 pts, NC mobile--3 pts
(either mode). Score: NC stations--QSO points x NC counties +
ARRL/RAC sections + 1 DXCC entity, others--QSO points x NC counties
(max 100). 50 bonus points for working Cherokee or Dare counties (150
for working both) and 50 points for working W4NC or W4WS (150 points
for both). Mobiles add 100 bonus points for each NC county activated.
For more information: http://www.w4nc.com/. Logs due April 1 to
henry@summitschool.com or NC QSO PARTY c/o W2DZO, 8812 Merry Hill
Court, Clemmons, NC 27012.
High Speed CW Contest--sponsored by High-Speed CW Club from 0900Z -
1100Z and 1500Z - 1700Z Feb 26. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters.
Categories: SO (150 W max, members and non-members), SO-QRP, SWL.
Exchange: RST and HSC member number or "NM". QSO Points: member--5
pts, non-member--1 pts. Score: QSO points. Logs due 6 weeks after the
contest to hsc-contest@dl3bzz.de or Lutz Schröer DL3BZZ, Am
Niederfeld 6, 35066 Frankenberg / Eder, Germany.
North American QSO Party--RTTY, sponsored by the National Contest
Journal from 1800Z Feb 25 - 0600Z Feb 26. Frequencies: 80 - 10
meters. Categories: SOAB and M2, 100 W power limit, SO operate a
maximum of 10 hours (off times must be at least 30 min). Exchange:
Name and S/P/C. Score: QSOs x States + Province + NA DXCC countries
(counted once per band). Preferred log submission method is via
upload form found at: http://www.ncjweb.com/naqplogsubmit.php. For
information: http://www.ncjweb.com/naqprules.php. Logs due 14 days
after the contest to rttynaqp@ncjweb.com or Shelby Summerville K4WW,
6506 Lantana Ct, Louisville, KY 40229-1544, USA
ARRL International DX Contest--Phone, 0000Z Mar 4 - 2400Z Mar 5.
Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters. Categories: SOSB, SOAB (HP >150W, LP,
QRP <5W), MS, M2, MM. Exchange: RS + State or Province or Power (KH6
and KL7 count as DX). QSO Points: 3 pts/QSO. Score: QSO points x DXCC
entities (DX counts states + provinces). For more information:
http://www.arrl.org/contests. Logs due Apr 4 to dxphone@arrl.org
(Cabrillo format only) or DX PHONE, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT
06111.
DARC 10-Meter Digital "Corona"--RTTY/AMTOR/PACTOR/PSK31/Clover,
sponsored by Deutscher Amateur Radio Club from 1100Z -- 1700Z Mar 4.
Frequencies (MHz): 28.050-28.150, work stations once per mode.
Categories: SO, SWL. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO Points:
1pt/QSO. Score: QSO points x DXCC entities + WAE countries + JA/VE/W
call districts (all counted only once). For more information:
http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/cqdlcont/fgdcc.htm. Logs due 4 weeks
after the contest to dl9gs@darc.de or A.Schlendermann DL9GS, Postfach
102201, D-44807 Bochum, Germany.
Open Ukraine RTTY Championship--sponsored by the Ukrainian Amateur
Radio League (UARL) from 2200Z Mar 4 - 0159Z Mar 5 (Low Bands - 160
and 80 meters - two separate 2 hour periods) and 0800Z - 1159Z Mar 6
(High Bands 40 - 10 meters). Categories: SOAB, SOSB, and MO.
Exchange: Two letter regional abbreviation (see Web site) and serial
number. Start serial numbers over for High Band portion. QSO Points:
2 pts/QSO and 10 pts for each new region. For more information:
http://www.ucc.zp.ua/. Logs due 5 Apr to krs@model.poltava.ua or
George Ignatov UT1HT, PO Box 87, Kremenchug-21, Ukraine, 39621.
Spartan Sprint--CW, sponsored by the Adventure Radio Society from
0200Z -- 0400Z Mar 7 (Monday evening in the U.S. - times will change
during Daylight Savings Time, see Web site). Held on the first Monday
of every month. Frequencies (MHz): 3.560, 7.040, 14.060, 21.060,
28.060 (QRP calling frequencies). Categories: SO. Exchange: RST,
S/P/C, and power output. Score: "Skinny" division--total QSOs / total
station weight, "Tubby" division--total QSOs. For more information:
http://www.ARSqrp.com/. Logs due on Wednesday after the contest at
noon via the ARS Web site.
VHF+ CONTESTS
No VHF+ contests are scheduled.
--o- ooo - --o- ooo - --o- ooo - -oo o
NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST
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ARRL CONTEST NEWS - Two new members of the Contest Advisory Committee
are Al Dewey K0AD from the Dakota Division and Dr. George Wilner
K2ONP from the Hudson Division. Both of these calls should be
familiar to contesters. Thanks for volunteering, gentlemen!
There have been periodic reports of incompatibility between some
paddles and WinKey due to the use of "new" contact materials designed
to reduce oxidation issues. K1EL and microHAM have cooperated to
produce a "paddle processor/debouncer." The debouncer is now
available with two cable versions - terminated in either a 1/4" or
1/8" stereo phone plug. For more information, browse on over to
http://www.microHAM-USA.com/ (Thanks, Joe W4TV)
Here are a pair of new electronics and radio Web sites that you might
want to add to your reading list: Radio-Electronics
(http://www.radio-electronics.com/) covers a lot of topics related to
radio. Electronics and Radio Today (http://www.electronics-radio.com/)
is a new e-zine and still under development.
If you count antique recording technology among your interests,
you'll enjoy browsing Art Shifrin's Web site -
http://www.shifrin.net/default.htm. The pages on old toy trains are
an unexpected bonus!
New Contest Country Files (CTY) are available. You can download them
from http://www.k1ea.com/cty/history.htm#CTY-1601. Please make sure
to follow the installation instructions in README.TXT. (Thanks, Jim
AD1C)
Here's a novel way of grabbing 40 winks:
http://goalsuccess.typepad.com/goaltips/2006/02/how_to_take_a_c.html.
It involves drinking a cup of coffee and immediately taking a
15-minute "Caffeine Nap." Apparently, the coffee and nap sweep your
system clean of the sleepy chemicals. Ohhhh-kay. My question is how
you can get to sleep after the coffee...particularly Seattle-strength
coffee. (Thanks, Bob W5OV)
If you are an ARRL member, the ARRL VEC will renew your license for
you at no charge. The ARRL will send you a reminder as it gets near
your renewal time. This can be done on-line at
http://tinyurl.com/efv6u (Thanks, Dick N6AA)
Having negotiated the airport and transportation systems, you're
finally ready for some rest and relaxation. That might involve a
cold PY807 or two! Here are some important things to know about suds
in the land of the Amazon, courtesy of the following Web page:
http://www.epinions.com/content_4092764292
Bottled beer - Cerveja - sr-VEY-zha
Draft beer - Chope - SHO-pay
Large bottle - Garrafas - ga-RAH-fas
Ice cold - Bem Gelada - bem zh-LA-da
Cheers - Saude - SOU-dey
The bill - A Conta - a-KO-tah
URL OF THE WEEK - Tracking down QSL routes for those special contest
calls can be vexing, but not if you use a Web site like K4UTE's QSL
route directory: http://www.nfdxa.com/K4UTE/K4UTE.HTML. It's very
rarely stumped!
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RESULTS AND RECORDS
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ARRL CONTEST RESULTS NEWS - The combined list of paper and electronic
Logs Received for both the 2005 ARRL 160-Meter and 2006 ARRL RTYY
Roundup contests have been posted at
http://www.arrl.org/contests/claimed. If you find an error in your
listing or yours is not shown please contact N1ND at ARRL HQ. If you
submitted electronically please have your receipt number available.
Certificates for the 2005 August UHF and 10 GHz and Up events were
printed and should be in the mail. (Thanks, Dan N1ND)
Tonno ES5TV reports that the NRAU committee is "happy to announce the
results of NRAU Baltic Contest 2006. There was no big storm this year
like last time and activity was much higher...For the first time in
NRAU Baltic history all the logs of participants with UBN information
are open for everyone to see. Results and UBN reports are available
at http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/res/r06nrau.htm
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TECHNICAL TIPS AND INFORMATION
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In the days of paper logs, we all diligently removed or identified
any duplicate contacts, lest we incur the dreaded penalty for
claiming duplicate QSOs! With the Cabrillo file format, this is no
longer required. You shouldn't have to worry about duplicate QSOs
because the log processing software will remove them before
calculating your score. That also means you can simply work dupes
and not have to send "QSO B4". After all, if someone is working you
a second time, perhaps your original QSO is not in their log, either!
It's easier for everyone to just work all callers (except the
obviously clueless multiple dupe-er). If you are unsure of how the
contest sponsor will handle duplicate QSOs in a Cabrillo-formatted
log, ask them and follow their directions.
An oldie-but-goodie, back in 1995 Frank W3LPL generously compiled and
published a table of coax cable loss vs. frequency performance. You
can find it here: http://www.k1ttt.net/technote/coaxloss.html#tables.
The information is presented in several ways and the frequencies are
those of the ham bands. (Thanks, Gene AD3F)
Another contribution - thanks to Monty N5ESE for trying out several
Web attenuator calculators. The one he likes best is
http://www.daycounter.com/Calculators/PI-T-Pad-Attenuator-Calculator.phtml
because resistor tolerance (1%, 5%, or 10%) is selectable. The
closest standard values are used and a calculation of the resulting
errors is provided.
Pete N4ZR recalls another good, old idea for terminating 3/4"
hardline with a UHF barrel connector, originally contributed by the
late Bill Fisher W4AN. You'll need a 1/2" female water pipe to 1/2"
copper tubing adapter from the plumbing department and an Amphenol
PL-258 barrel connector (the kind that has a snap-ring retainer).
Remove the snap-ring by hacksawing down to the snap-ring groove and
remove the insulator and contacts. Silver-solder the barrel into the
copper tubing end of the adapter, with the cut end inside. Trim the
end of the hardline so that the slightly-spread center contact of the
PL-258 fits over the hardline center conductor with the proper length
to seat in the PL-258. (Some trial and error required.) Solder the
center conductor and contact. Slide the PL-258 insulator onto the
contact and thread the adapter onto the hardline sheath using Noalox
for lubrication, until the contact and insulator are seated in the
PL-258. Dave K1TTT notes that this technique also works with other
hardline sizes and that both adapters and reducers can be used.
While we're on the subject of coax wrangling, here is a great
tutorial on PL-259 crimp-on connectors. Plenty of photos and
detailed instructions make this particularly good:
http://www.bcdxc.org/pl259_crimp_on_connectors.htm (Thanks, Paul
VE7BZ)
TECHNICAL LINK OF THE WEEK - Before you start digging that tower
base...from a Web link provided by Richard NU6T: "Under federal
legislation enacted in 2003 and federal regulations adopted in 2005,
persons planning to dig may dial 811 to reach their states' Dig Safe
or Underground Alert hotlines. The 811 system is to be fully
operational on a national basis by spring 2007." Try this Tiny URL:
http://tinyurl.com/2mmoo for details, state by state. (Thanks, Bob
K0RC)
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CONVERSATION
--o --- o-oo -oo o- - - oooo o o-- o-o - -o-o
The Lights Are On, But Nobody's Home
After this past weekend's ARRL DX CW extravaganza, a local ham said
on our club net, "Gee, all evening I could hear these strong stations
on 80-meters all the way from the East Coast - NH, MA, NJ, NY. Then
tonight, nothing! Like the band is dead!" This was somewhat
tongue-in-cheek, but it's not an uncommon reaction. I also hear this
after the 10-Meter contest during low sunspot years. For months, not
a peep is heard on 10-meters until 0000Z Saturday when the band
springs to life!
Obviously, contesters tend to have good stations and that tends to
open up a band beyond what a more modest station might accomplish.
Nevertheless, the disparity between weekdays and weekends is often
dramatic. New hams (and even long-timers) are prone to ask, "Where
did everybody go?" The bands are obviously wide open, but we're just
not making ourselves heard.
Which leads to the probing question, "When was the last time you
called CQ outside of a contest?" A regular old "come in anybody" CQ
- the kind we used to log a lot of as Novices with a big, old "X" in
the next column of our logbook indicating no response to our puny
signals. To be perfectly honest with you, it's been a while for me.
I'll bet it's been a while for you, too!
Why? Well, partly because contesters tend to spend their weeks
getting ready for the weekends. Also, the Internet and email push a
lot of information to us that we don't have to go trolling for on our
own. Hey, you're reading this instead of putting out a signal,
aren't you? By the time you get done reading the email from a couple
of reflectors, check your favorite Web sites, and scan the spotting
network for any New Ones, your evening is shot!
This isn't some sinister plot or a great moral failing, it's just a
rebalancing of how we "do" ham radio in the Information Age. The
information "about" radio is found on-line and we use it to more
carefully target our on-air activities. Sort of a "just-in-time"
philosophy for ham radio where you only get on the air to make that
particular DX contact or for a weekend of contesting after doing all
the research to make sure the on-air time is spent as efficiently as
possible.
All well and good, but in becoming so successful at doing a
particular thing, we've forgotten how to...yes...goof off on the air
without having a goal in mind. A good portion of what got us on the
air and kept us there as new hams was that "What will I work today?"
feeling you got sitting down in front of the rig waiting for the
tubes to warm up.
New assignment - choose an on-the-air activity that you don't know
what will happen when you do it! Maybe it's as simple as calling CQ
or maybe putting the keyer in beacon mode while you read email. Look
through the QST Special Event listings (or on-line at
http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html) and see if you can find them.
There are lots of things to try out there and who knows, maybe
you'll find somebody tuning around looking for you from across the
continent!
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
SM3CER's Web site - http://www.sk3bg.se/contest
