Contester's Rate Sheet for April 7, 2004
*********************** Contester's Rate Sheet 7 April 2004 *********************** Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX SUMMARY o MI, GA, VE3 QSO Parties, QRP ARCI Spring Contest and VHF Spring Sprints o W4AN and SV1NA are Silent Keys o Ham Radio for Dummies Released o Tower Distribution Team Announced o Electronic Building Tutorials o IOTA Bearing Calculator o Poetry Month BULLETINS o No bulletins in this issue BUSTED QSOS o A golden issue last time. ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 7 APRIL TO 20 APRIL 2004 Logs are due for the following contests: April 7 - Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: George Ignatov, UT1HT, PO Box 87, Kremenchug-21 39621, Ukraine April 10 - Pesky Texan Armadillo Chase, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Bruce Meier, N1LN, 15283 Runnymede St, Conroe, TX 77384, USA April 11 - High Speed Club CW Contest, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Contest Manager, Lutz Schroer, DL3BZZ, Am Niederfeld 6, D-35066 Frankenberg, Germany April 11 - UBA Spring Contest, 6m, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Lode Kenens, ON6KL, Oudestraat 8, B-3560 Lummen, Belgium April 12 - SOC Marathon Sprint, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Bob Patten, N4BP, 2841 NW 112 Terrace, Plantation, FL 33323, USA April 14 - NSARA Contest, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Mr. Tom Goldie, VE1BYO, Antigonish Amateur Radio Club, 18 Ponderosa Drive, Antigonish, NS B2G 2R5, Canada April 14 - Wisconsin QSO Party, email to: (none), paper logs and diskettes to: Wisconsin QSO Party, West Allis Radio Amateur Club, PO Box 1072, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA April 18 - UBA Spring Contest, 2m, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Lode Kenens, ON6KL, Oudestraat 8, B-3560 Lummen, Belgium April 20 - 9K 15-Meter Contest, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Contest Manager, P.O. Box 1124, Alfarwanya 80000, Kuwait April 20 - Spring QRP Homebrewer Sprint, email to: [email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Ken Newman, N2CQ, 81 Holly Drive, Woodbury, NJ 08096, USA The following contests are scheduled: Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the contest rules summaries: SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multiop - 2 Transmitters; MO - Multi-Op; MS - Multi-Op, Single Transmitter; MM - Multi-Op, Multiple Transmitters; AB - All Band; SB - Single Band; S/P/C - State/Province/DXCC Entity; HP - High Power; LP - Low Power; Entity - DXCC Entity HF CONTESTS DX YL to North American YL Contest--CW--sponsored by YLRL from 1400Z Apr 7 - 0200Z Apr 9, work 24 hours max. (Phone--April 14 -- 16) 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 [email protected] or WX4MM, 216 Lee Road 343, Salem, AL 36874. Lighthouse Spring Lites QSO Party - all modes - sponsored by the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society from 0001Z Apr 10 through 2359Z Apr 18. 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 year first licensed, name, and S/P/C. Score: 1 pt/QSO except - 2 pts for ARLHS member, 3 pts for ARLHS lighthouse. For more information: http://arlhs.com/. Logs due May 15 to Dave Ruch, NF0J, PO Box 20696, Bloomington, MN 55420-0696. QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party - CW - sponsored by the QRP ARCI, from 1200Z Apr 10 - 2400Z Apr 11. 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://2hams.net/ARCI/index.htm. Logs due 30 days after contest to [email protected] or Tom Owens, WB5KHC, QRP ARCI Contest Manager, 1916 Addington St, Irving, TX 75062-3505. CIS DX Contest - SSB, sponsored by the Scottish-Russian ARS from 1900Z Apr 10 - 1900Z Apr 11 (CW Dec 5, RTTY Sep 4 - 5) Frequencies: 80 - 10-meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP, LP <100 watts, QRP < 10 watts), MS, MM. Exchange: RST and serial number, CIS stations send CIS region code. QSO Points: Own DXCC entity - 1pt, same continent - 2 pts, different cont - 3 pts, CIS stations - 5 pts. Score: QSO points x CIS regions + DXCC entities on each band. For more information: http://www.srars.org/cisdxc.htm. Logs due 30 days after the contest to [email protected] or Scottish-Russian ARS, PO Box 7469, Glasgow, G42 0YD, Scotland, U.K. EU Spring Sprints - SSB: 10 Apr - managed by G4BUO, CW: 17 Apr - managed by I2UIY, from 1500Z - 1859Z. Frequencies (MHz): SSB - 14.250, 7.050, 3.730, CW - 14.040, 7.025, 3.550. 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.qsl.net/eusprint. Logs due 15 days after the contest to [email protected] (ASCII format) or to (SSB) Dave Lawley, G4BUO, Carramore, Coldharbour Road, Penshurst, Kent, TN11 8EX, England, UK, or (CW) Paolo Cortese, I2UIY, PO Box 14, 27043 Broni (PV), Italy. Japan International DX Contest (JIDX)--CW--sponsored by Five-Nine Magazine from 0700Z Apr 10 -- 1300Z Apr 11. (Phone - Nov 13 - 14) Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP >100W, LP), MO, Maritime Mobile. Exchange: RST + JA prefecture number or CQ Zone. QSO Points: 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://je1cka.jzap.com/jidx. Logs due May 31 to [email protected] or JIDX "PHONE/CW" Contest, c/o Five-Nine Magazine, PO Box 59, Kamata, Tokyo, 144-8691 Japan. Georgia QSO Party - CW/SSB - sponsored by SECC and SEDXC from 1800Z Apr 10 - 0359Z Apr 11 and 1400Z - 2359Z Apr 11, no time limit. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters. Categories: SOAB, MS, MM, Rover, Novice/Tech, HP (>150W), LP, or QRP (<5W). Rovers must activate at least six GA counties. Mobiles and portables must move the complete station including antennas at least 100 yards to change counties - no county line operations. Exchange RST and GA county or S/P/C. QSO Points: SSB - 1 pt, CW - 2 pts. Score: QSO Points x GA counties (GA station use states and provinces) counted only once per band and mode. For more information: http://gqp.contesting.com/. Logs due May 11 to [email protected] or Jeff Clarke KU8E, 98 Mobley Ct, Hamilton, GA 31811. Low Power Spring Sprint - CW - sponsored by the Slovak Amateur Radio Association (SARA) from 1400Z -- 2000Z Apr 12. 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 [email protected] or Radioklub OM3KFV, PO Box 3, 038 61 Vrutky, Slovakia YU DX Contest--CW/SSB--sponsored by SRJ (Amateur Radio Union of Yugoslavia) and YUDXC (YU DX Club) from 1200Z Apr 17 -- 1200Z Apr 18. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters. Categories: SO-CW, SO-SSB, SO-Mixed, MS. Exchange: RST + ITU Zone. QSO Points: with own zone--1 pt, own continent--3 pts, diff cont--5 pts. Score: QSO points x ITU zones + YU prefixes (counted once per band). For more information: http://solair.eunet.yu/~yu1ab/awards/rules.htm. Logs due 30 days after the contest to [email protected] or Savez radio-amatera Jugoslavije, YU DX Contest, PO Box 48, 11001 Beograd, Yugoslavia. Michigan QSO Party - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Mad River Radio Club, from 1600Z Apr 17 - 0400Z Apr 18, no time limit. Bands: 80-10 meters. Frequencies: CW - 45 kHz from band edge, Phone (MHz)--3.850, 7.225, 14.250, 21.300, 28.450. Work stations once per band and mode, MI-to-MI QSOs allowed, mobiles and portables can be worked from each county. Categories: SO, MO, and Mobile. Exchange: serial number and MI county or S/P/C. QSO Points: CW - 2 pts, Phone - 1 pt. Multipliers for MI stations are states, provinces and MI counties; multipliers for non-MI stations are MI counties. Multipliers count once per mode. Score: QSO points x multipliers. For more information: http://www.miqp.org/. Logs due 30 days after the contest to [email protected] or Mad River Radio Club, c/o Dave Pruett, 2727 Harris Rd. Ypsilanti, MI 48198. GACW DX Contest "Mr. Samuel Morse Party" - CW - sponsored by the Grupo Argentino de Radiotelegrafia (GACW) from 1200Z Apr 17 - 1200Z Apr 18. Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters, everyone works everyone format. Categories: SO-SB and SO-AB (HP, LP, and QRP), MS and MM categories, no time limit. MS category subject to 10-min band change rule - see Web site. Exchange: RST and CQ Zone. QSO Points: same continent - 1 point, diff cont - 3 pts, DX-to-South America add 2 points, own country - 0 pts (but counts for zone and country credit). Score is QSO points x DXCC, WAE and GACW countries + CQ Zones from each band. For information and software: http://gacw.no-ip.org/. Logs due May 30 to [email protected] (ASCII text) or GACW DX CONTEST, PO Box 9, B1875ZAA Wilde, Buenos Aires, Argentina. TARA Skirmish - Digital Prefix Contest - sponsored by Troy ARA, 0000z - 2400z Apr 17. Frequencies: 160 - 6 meters, work stations once per band. Categories: High, Low (<100W), Great (<20W), QRP (<5W), SWL. Exchange: Name and Prefix. Score: QSO's x WPX prefixes x power multiplier. (High x0.5, Low x1, Great x2, QRP x3) Multipliers count once per band. For more information: http://www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_dpx_rules.html or [email protected] . Logs due May 15 via the contest score entry form at n2ty.org/seasons/tara_dpx_score.html. Holyland DX Contest - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Israel Amateur Radio Club from 0000Z - 2359Z Apr 17. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters according to IARU Region I band plan, work Israeli stations once per band and mode. Categories: SO (Mixed Mode, CW, SSB), MS, MM, SWL. Exchange RST and serial number or Israel district. QSO Points: 1.8 or 3.5 MHz - 2 pts; other bands 1 pt. Score: QSO Points x districts counted once per band. For more information: http://www.iarc.org/. Logs due 31 May to [email protected] or Contest Manager 4Z4KX , Israel Amateur Radio Club, Box 17600, Tel Aviv, 61176, Israel. ES Open HF Championship - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Estonian Radio Amateurs Union from 0500Z - 0859Z Apr 17. Frequencies: 80 and 40 meters. Categories: SO (SSB, CW, Mixed), MS, SWL. Exchange: RST and serial numbers, Duplicate QSOs allowed once per hour (see Web site). QSO Points: SSB - 1 pt, CW - 2 pts. Score: QSO Points x ES prefixes counted once per band and mode. For more information: http://www.erau.ee/index.php?newlang=eng. Logs due 1 Jun to [email protected] or Toomas Soomets ES5RY, PO Box 177, Tartu, 50002 Estonia. Ontario QSO Party - CW/Phone - sponsored by the Ontario DX Association from 1800Z Apr 17 - 1800Z Apr 18. Frequencies (MHz): SSB - 1.870, 3.735, 3.860, 7.070, 7.260, 14.130, 14.265, 21.260, 28.360; CW - 30 kHz above band edges; VHF-SSB: 50.130, 144.205, 432.105; VHF-FM 52.540, 146.550, 446.1, no repeater QSOs. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP, LP <150W HF & 50W VHF, QRP <5W) in CW, Phone, and Mixed Modes, SO VHF FM QRP (< 5W), MS, SWL, Mobile, Rover. Exchange: RS(T) and S/P/C or Ontario QTH. QSO Points: HF SSB - 1 pt, HF CW - 2 pts, VHF - 5 pts (work stations once per VHF band), 10 bonus pts for each QSO with VE3ODX and VA3RAC. Score is QSO Points x Ontario QTHs (non-VE3 stations) or S/P/C + Ontario QTHs (mults count once per band). For more information: http://www.odxa.on.ca/oqphome.html. Logs due May 31 to [email protected] or Ontario QSO Party, Ontario DX Association, PO Box 161, Station "A", Willowdale, Ontario, M2N 5S8 Canada. EA QRP Contest - CW, sponsored by the EA QRP Club from 1700Z Apr 17 - 1300Z Apr 18. Frequencies: 80 - 10-meters (see Web site for operating periods). Categories: QRP (< 5 W) and QRPp (<1 W). Exchange: RST and EA province or EA QRP number or serial number. QSO Points: QRP - 1 pt, QRPp - 2 pts. Score: QSO points x EA provinces + EA QRP members + DXCC entities on each band. For more information: http://www.eaqrp.com/. Logs due 30 days after the contest to [email protected] or Vocalia de concursos (Concurso CW), PO Box 73, E-46182, La Canada (Valencia), Spain eQSL Spring QSO Party - CW/SSB/Digital - sponsored by eQSL.cc, from 0000Z - 2359Z Apr 17. Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters. Categories: SO (QRP <5W, LP, HP >200W), SWL. Exchange: RS(T) and S/P/C. QSO Points: Digital - 6 pts, CW - 4 pts, SSB - 2 pts. Contacts count only if the other station uploads the logs to eQSL before the log submission deadline. Score: QSO Points x S/P/C counted once per band. For Bonus points and more information: http://eqsl.cc/qslcard/MyAwards.cfm. Logs due 10 May to eQSL.cc. Winners will be announced during Dayton Hamvention 2004. VHF CONTESTS VHF Spring Sprints - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Eastern Tennessee DX Association, 222 MHz - 7-11 PM Apr 13; 432 MHz - 7-11 PM Apr 21; Microwave - 902 MHz and higher - 6 AM -- 1 PM May 1. Fixed and Rover categories. Exchange is Grid Square only, count 1 pt per QSO. Score is QSO Points x Grid Squares, score each sprint separately. Rovers and Microwave sprints total all points and all grids worked from each grid. For more information: http://www.etdxa.org/vhf.htm. Logs must be emailed or postmarked within four weeks of the contest to [email protected] or ETDXA/WU4O Jeff Baker, 2012 Hinds Creek Road, Heiskell, Tennessee 37754. NEWS & PRESS RELEASES "Ham Radio for Dummies" by N0AX will be available from general and ham radio booksellers by 12 April. It's a real, yellow-and-black "for Dummies" book - this is not a late April Fool's article! Aimed at the beginning and prospective ham, it contains 384 pages of material, a tear-out cheat sheet, tons of Web links and references, tables, photos (there's even one of Riley Hollingsworth's station), and graphics. My goal was to write a book that "I wish I'd had when I was just getting started." Your assignment? Get one to a friend or neighbor that is thinking about joining us in our splendid hobby. The well-known Dummies cover and presentation should make them feel right at home. Check it out at your favorite bookseller or at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764559877/102-8264306-2739364?v=glance. Tower builders, take heart! Array Solutions (http://www.arraysolutions.com/) and AN Wireless (http://www.anwireless.com/) are teaming up as the exclusive distributors of Nello Industries (http://www.nelloinc.com/) tower products. Nello is manufacturing their own versions of the Rohn Industries, Inc 25, 45, 55, and 65G tower series and accessories, updated to the latest EIA/TIA standards. Complete tower packages will be available from both distributors. Tim K3LR wants to remind everyone that tickets for the 2004 Dayton Contest Dinner, held on Saturday night (May 15th) are going fast. Contact Craig Clark, K1QX of Radioware and Radio Bookstore at http://www.radio-ware.com/. There you will find all the details on contacting him to place your order. The sad news this week is that Bill Fisher W4AN, top operator, leader of, and contributor to the contest community in many areas died on Sunday, April 4th. Being still in recovery from the passing of K4OJ, this is hard news, personally. Bill was someone we were all very lucky to have in our tribe and we will miss him more than we know. Services will be held this Saturday, 10 Apr, at 10 AM at the L W McDonald & Son Funeral Home & Crematory, 150 Sawnee Dr, Cumming GA 30040, (770) 886-9899. There is no word on memorials, but if you wish, visit http://w4an.qth.com/ to be kept up to date. A European contest stalwart has become a Silent Key this week as well. Many counted on George Graikos SV1NA to put the SV multiplier in our logs and Greece in our DXCC totals. George passed away on 2 April and was a major force in Greek contesting and DXing. We have George, an ex-marine radio officer, to thank for helping many of the Greek amateurs that we hear on the bands every day. (Thanks, Nas SV1UG) RESULTS AND RECORDS 2003 November Sweepstake Pins have been shipped. The contest desk is hip-deep in data entry and managing off-site data base management. (Thanks, Dan N1ND) The results of the 2003 Ohio Bicentennial QSO Party have been posted at http://www.oqp.us/. There are quite a few familiar calls in the winners columns - is yours one of them? (Thanks, Jim K8MR) I missed getting this out last month - sorry about that, Phone Sprinters! The February 2004 SSB Sprint Results are available on the NCJ Web at http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintresults.php. If you would like a copy of your log checking report, please send an e-mail request to: [email protected]. (Thanks, Jim K4MA) TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE Captain Marti Brown KF4TRG sent me a nice note asking for your assistance in keeping clear of the frequencies for maritime service nets, such as 14.300 and 14.313 MHz. In general, I think the contest community does a reasonably good job of avoiding these "well-known" watering holes, but another mention of such things wouldn't hurt as a reminder, especially as the higher bands become less available due to solar conditions. In the late summer and fall contests, the Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz is another good spot to avoid. We're also supposed to be aware of designated emergency communications frequencies, which are available by subscribing to the ARRL email bulletins. Keep an ear out for service activities on the air before hitting the footswitch. Tom N0SS contributes what is probably one of the increasingly-rare instances of an eBay item being accurately and honestly characterized by its seller: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2389286139 I'm sure you've all heard the term "marketing gain" as related to antenna specifications. With a new Miracle Antenna being touted every month, it seems, a story about the nature of Pathological Science is in order, particularly in April. A posting by Dick AF1D pointed me to a talk by Dr. Langmuir on that very subject at http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~ken/Langmuir/langmuir.htm. When you are confronted with "claims of great accuracy" or "fantastic theories contrary to experience," then you might be dealing with Pathological Science. Using a separate receive antenna in a high-power station or doing two-radio operation can lead to receiver damage from strong in-band signals that can't be filtered out. In these cases, a "Front-End Saver" could save your rig. Directions for building one are available on VE3NH's Web site (http://www.isp.ca/ve3nh/prot.htm). You can buy KD9SV's version (see his article in CQ, Feb. 1997, page 32-33) from Radio-Ware Web page at http://www.radio-ware.com/. (Thanks, Don W5FKX) If you've been wondering what BPL sounds like, a sound file from one of the test sites (Penn Yan, NY) is now on-line at http://vhfgroup.rochesterny.org/ in the Downloads section. There is a very large 16 Mbyte version and a smaller low-resolution version. The recording was made during WPX SSB, so you can hear what the effect on the loud contest signals is. Scary. (Thanks, Mark, K2AXX and the Rochester VHF Group) Here are some links that you might find useful in getting someone started building their own electronic equipment: http://dmoz.org/Science/Technology/Electronics/Tutorials/ http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/bjfurman/courses/ME106/mechatronicstutorials.htm This one is on building with Surface Mount Technology parts: http://eeshop.unl.edu/proto.html And for those of you interested in the black art of wire-wrapping: http://wire-wrapping.com/resource/tech_wire.html Tim EI8IC has released an IOTA bearing calculator on his Web site. http://www.qsl.net/ei8ic/iota/iota.php (mirror site at http://www.mapability.com/ei8ic/iota/iota.php) Enter your 6-digit Grid Locator code, and the Web page will generate a short path, long path and distance list from your QTH to each of the current IOTA reference numbers. CONVERSATION Poetry Month April is Poetry Month here in the U.S. of A. Given that I am worn out from the need to write eulogies of late, I make a turn to the versed. This is for Bill and George and OJ and all the others.Lights of our lives that wink out suddenly, never to return... In Consideration Familiarly My climbing belt Jingles leather-heavy at my hips My boots On a rung Pausing I consider the others That rested here During their ascent Up Up And up I consider the hopes For each antenna Hauled high to Windblown perches By many Helping hands I consider the harvest A world signaled By this contraption Of steel Aluminum And sweat Defying gravity and the seasons This tower Steady and strong Like its owner Must now return To earth Dark figure against the sky Alone I lean my brow Against cool Metallic strength Listening For wind strumming the wires For voices working together For unspoken trust For friendship Considering that some day My friends Will do the same For me 73, Ward N0AX ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Contester's Rate Sheet wishes to acknowledge information from the following sources: WA7BNM's Contest Calendar Web page - http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/ ARRL Contest page - http://www.arrl.org/contests/ SM3CER's Web site - http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/
