Contester's Rate Sheet for June 28, 2006

********************************************
          CONTESTER'S RATE SHEET
              28 June 2006

        Edited by Ward Silver N0AX

Published by the American Radio Relay League
           Free to ARRL members!
(Subscription info at the end of newsletter)
********************************************

SUMMARY
o Canada Day, IARU, and WRTC2006 -- An International Festival
o EME Contest Date Swap Redux
o TLF Windows Logging Software by PA0R
o The Final Portuguese Lesson
o 7QP, MO, and OK QSO Party Results
o Tower Safety Tips
o Radio Hospitality

BULLETINS
o No bulletins this issue

BUSTED QSOS
o A golden issue last time!

CONTEST SUMMARY (Rules follow Commentary section)

July 1-2
- Canada Day Contest
- MI QRP July 4th CW Sprint
- Venezuelan Independence Day Contest
- DL-DX-RTTY
- DARC 10-meter Corona
July 8-9
- IARU HF Championship
- World Radiosport Team Championship
- FISTS Summer Sprint
- QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint
- World-Wide Major Six Club Contest

--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-

ARRL CONTEST NEWS 

The dates for the 2304 MHz and Up weekend for the 2006 ARRL
International EME Competition have been changed to September 16/17.
This changes the previously announced dates of September 9/10.  The
change is due to a higher moon declination to permit the northern
latitude stations longer moon access while still providing the same
moon window for the very southern latitude stations. It also avoids a
conflict on 2304 MHz where the EME frequencies are the same as the
weak signal calling frequency of 2304.1 that will be used during the
ARRL September VHF contest. The weeks for the two 50-1295 MHz EME
weekends are unchanged and remain scheduled for October 14/15 and
November 11/12.

Please note that if you have any questions about ARRL contests or
logs, please email them to [email protected] instead of to Dan N1ND. 
He now has different duties at the ARRL as a Regulatory Information
Specialist and is no longer handling contests.

- - - -

If you are a Linux user and RTTY contester, Rein PA0R has written
TLF. It is similar to TR-LOG and also supports RTTY using a modified
version of gmFSK as the RTTY engine.  Rein is currently rewriting TLF
in Perl, using Perl-TK. That version will also support RTTY
contesting.  More information is available at
http://tlf.wikispaces.com/ and
http://home.iae.nl/users/reinc/TLF-0.2.html. (Thanks, Fabian DJ1YFK)

Technical papers are being solicited for presentation at the
Microwave Update 2006 conference in Dayton, Ohio on October 19-22,
and publication in the Conference Proceedings by the ARRL.
Presentation at the conference is not required for publication.
Submission of papers is due by July 31st. To submit your paper or ask
questions contact Gerd Schrick at 937-253-3993 or email him at
[email protected].

For an interesting perspective on early (before 1929) radio licensing
in Australia, there's an interesting article by the late Colin
Mackinnon VK2DYM at http://www.qsl.net/vk2dym/radio/callsigns.htm.
(Thanks, Bob VK2SOB)

Here's a good practice Web site from ON4WW to help with operating
English: http://www.on4ww.be/OperatingPracticeEnglish.html. 
Sometimes I think our native English speakers could use a little
refresher course, as well! (Thanks, Matt WV1K)

While Web surfing, Jim KJ1MBO came across this Web page prepared by a
serious Field Day "junkie". It's never too early to start planning
for next year! http://www.alpinesoft.com/fieldday

Here's a new grid-dip meter by two Peters, DK1HE and DL2MI -
http://www.qrpproject.de/UK/DipItUk.html. It covers 1-42 MHz with a
5-digit display. The meter has several significant improvements over
other widely used meters. This is not your Elmer's grid-dip meter!
(Thanks, Chuck W5USJ)

Just in time for the IARU HF Championship and WRTC-2006, there is a
new release of the Super Check Partial database files available at
http://www.k5zd.com/scp. This set of files was created from 2,899,131
QSOs in 2,445 logs. The full data set contained 111,374 unique calls
resulting in a master.dta file of 39,240 calls after filtering. The
announced WRTC calls have also been added to the master files.
(Thanks, Randy K5ZD)

WRTC2006 NEWS - During the IARU Contest you will be able to follow
the WRTC 2006 Contest standings on the Internet. A demo version is
available now and during the contest it will be live. You will find
the Score Board at http://www.hagasoft.com/. Contest Club Finland
(CCF), thanks a million for your support of the WRTC2006, a special
thanks to Veijo Kontas, OH6KN and Risto Lund, OH3UU. Links to the
Score Board are also available on the WRTC2006 Web site at
http://www.wrtc2006.com/. Thanks for supporting WRTC 2006! (Thanks,
Oms PY5EG)

We've reached the end of the Portuguese lessons as WRTC2006 is just
around the corner.  Remember that there is a whole different world
out there at the other end of your DX QSOs!
Welcome to Brazil - Boa vinda a Brasil
I am glad to be here - Eu estou contente de estar aqui
We had a great visit - N�s tivemos uma visita grande
Thanks for being good hosts - Agradecimentos para ser anfitri�es bons
Goodbye - Adeus

URL OF THE WEEK -- Care to take a look at what makes the big signal
from RU1A?  Dave KM3T sent along this link: http://tinyurl.com/jjoc7.
 No wonder they are audible 24 hours a day!

oo-o oo -o -oo   -o-- --- oo- -o-
RESULTS AND RECORDS
-o-o o- o-oo o-oo    oooo o o-o o

ARRL CONTEST RESULTS NEWS 

Results of the 2005 ARRL 10 Meter Contest are now online at 
http://www.arrl.org/contests/results/2005/10meter.pdf. Not only are
the results available, but The ARRL 10 Meter Contest records have
been updated with data from the 2005 contest.  You can find them
here: http://www.arrl.org/contests. Numerous unclaimed records are no
longer so, including some first-ever entries from new entities.
(Thanks, Ken WM5R)

- - - -

Results for the 2005 Oceania DX Contest are now available on line at
http://www.oceaniadxcontest.com/ . The W4TI Cabrillo Tools log
checking
report for each entry will also be published on the web site in due
course. (Thanks, Brian ZL1AZE and the Oceania DX Contest Committee) 

The first annual 7th Area QSO Party scores have been posted. Go to
http://www.7qp.org/ and click the 2006 Results tab. Certificates to
the winners will be forthcoming now that we are past Field Day.
(Thanks, Dick K4XU)

The results of the 2006 Missouri QSO Party are now available on the
BEARS Web site:
http://www.qsl.net/w0ma/mo_qso_party_results_2006.htm. (Thanks,
George AB0RX)

Scores for this year's running of the Oklahoma QSO Party can be found
at: http://okdxa.org/web/html/06scores.htm. (Thanks on behalf of the
Oklahoma DX Assocation, Jerry K5YAA)

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

With so many of us full-swing, so to speak, into tower and antenna
work, this issue's technical theme is tower-related tips.

Let's begin with a long, but worthy item from Mike K5UO on climbing
belts, somewhat edited. "At HamCom in Plano Texas; a representative
of Pinkerton Sales (http://www.pinkertonsales.com/), representing the
"Ultra-Safe" fall-arrest climbing belt, gave an excellent demo
outside of the convention hall. He would winch up a 220-pound weight
and let it fall in different situations. The message was that
different lanyards (position or fall-arrest) exert dramatic
differences in force to the user when a fall occurs. As I recall
(approximately):
1. Six-foot conventional lanyard: 2500 pounds (ouch!)
2. Six-foot lanyard w/ sewn fold-out layers (shock absorbing): 700
pounds (still "ouch")
3. Six-foot lanyard, now get this, WITH A KNOT IN IT: "0" force; it
broke instantly! (Big ouch!)
At least on two of the ouch's, the user survived. He demonstrated two
types of climbing harnesses:
1. Conventional with nylon straps.
2. A nylon harness with straps that have some very slight stretch to
them. I liked that harness.
He added that any and all harnesses must be tightened "firmly"; not
loose and, of course, not uncomfortably too-tight. Any extreme slack
or sloppiness can be harmful in the event of a fall. He mentioned
that always someone should be present while the climber is working on
the tower and have a plan in the event of a fall. He also demo'd one
little gadget, like a reeled-up harness (see next item) hooked above
your climb that catches you immediately with no drop at all; much, I
think, as a vehicle safety belt does. Gradual movement around the
tower or climbing does not set it off; but "instant thrust" (my
words) does."  Food for thought, Mike!

The catching harness is actually a Self Retracting Lifeline (an
example can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/jnrpj). You can install one
at the top of your tower below the guy points, attach a line to the
hook, then pull it down when you need to climb. You wouldn't want to
leave your lifeline exposed to the elements all the time, hence the
attached line to retrieve it. Granted, these aren't cheap, but
they're less expensive than a week in the hospital or your funeral.
More samples are shown at http://www.rjsafety.com/CS5.html. (Thanks,
Jason KC0ERG)

Steve K7LXC notes that the correct place for a fall-arrest lanyard is
the D-ring between your shoulder blades. That will catch you and hold
you in a benign posture. The D-ring in the front is for when you use
a safety climb cable and slider system with a climbing ladder or
pegs.

A club with a tower-on-a-trailer is the envy of many. Just drive,
crank, and call, right?  Watch the wind load! Jim W6RMK points out
that you may find that a 40-foot mast with a small beam on it has
enough overturning moment in a fairly common storm gust (e.g. 60
mi/hr) that outriggers can't keep the assembly upright. He calculates
that 60 mi/hr and 9 sq ft is a force of 82 pounds at the top of the
mast that works out to 8000 lb-ft on the outriggers.  A 10-ft
outrigger would have to take an 800-pound load, supplied by the
trailer itself or by ballast on the up-wind outrigger. Similar
calculations for a 50-foot mast are shown at
http://home.earthlink.net/~w6rmk/antenna/mastcar.htm.

When Eric W3DQ asked some roofers how to prop a ladder against
gutters without smashing them, he said they place a 2x6 over the
gutter and rest the ladder against that. Simple!

A neat way of automagically storing your coax as you lower your
crank-up tower is to find a washer or dryer tub and set it at the
base of your tower. The natural coil of the coax will cause it to
wrap itself around the inside of the tub when lowering the tower and
unwrap itself effortlessly when raising the tower. (Thanks, Dick
NJ9K)

A text reference on tower safety is "Tower Climbing Safety and
Rescue." This professionally written book is full of accurate, useful
information and is available through the ARRL Products Web site at
http://www.arrl.org/.

o- o-o o    -o-- --- oo-    o- o-oo o-oo   o-o o o- -oo --o--
CONVERSATION
oo-o --- o-o   - oooo o   o-- o-o - --o-o   -o-- o -   oo--oo

Radio Hospitality

In less than a week, XYL Nancy W7FIR and I will haul our suitcases
and my packing cases ("lug"-gage is definitely the right word) to the
airport, boarding a flight for the first leg of our journey to Brazil
and the World Radiosport Team Championship.  At each step, it will
become more and more likely that we will see familiar faces waiting
at airport gates for their flights south.  Many hours and thousands
of miles later we will emerge from the final flight to the sights and
smells and sounds of Florianopolis.

Once on the ground and in the care of our Brazilian hosts, we will
shake off the travel blahs and jet lag to enjoy the fruits of their
months of toil and preparation.  If WRTC2006 is like previous events,
the local hams will go all out to make us welcome and our stay
memorable.  I have no doubt that each competitor and visitor will
make new friends and add a smiling face to PY call signs previously
heard on the air as voices or characters.  As I write, good memories
are surfacing of Seattle, San Francisco, Slovenia, and Helsinki.  I
can feel the handshakes, taste the local food and beers, remember the
jokes and cheers, and hear the contest contacts flowing.

I encourage every ham to make a journey to an event like WRTC,
whether it's a regional convention or specialty gathering or even a
world championship.  You don't have to travel to the ends of the
earth, just get out of your back yard.  Even better, help create such
a gathering! You'll be glad you did, making new friends and
broadening your ham radio horizons. Working with the other members of
the 1990 WRTC Committee marked a turning point in ham radio for me:
from a watch-er, I became a do-er. Think of it as adding a few new
tower sections under your social antenna!

Regardless of whether you travel physically, you can exhibit the
legendary ham hospitality on the air, too. It's easy to forget
sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of making and logging contacts on
busy bands, that each signal you hear comes from another person
operating from that special place at home or on their travels through
the world. At the other end of every contact, near or far, you'll
find another ham whose kindred spirit led them to the same time and
radio place as you.

Take a second to savor that meeting, whether in person or on the air.
Each contact may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the two of
you parting forever with the final "73" and a turn of the dial. Take
care to display that hospitality for which hams are so well known,
the instant bond that we owe to the shared understanding of the magic
of radio.

73, Ward N0AX

-o-o  --o-   - o ooo -   -o-o  --o-   - o ooo -
CONTESTS -- 28 JUNE TO 11 JULY 2006
-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

Canada Day Contest--CW/Phone, sponsored by the Radio Amateurs of
Canada (RAC) from 0000Z - 2359Z Jul 1. Frequencies: 160-10, 6 and 2
meters. Categories: SOAB (HP, LP, QRP, SOSB, MS (LP, HP), MM.
Exchange: VE1-9 send RS(T) and province or territory, VE0 and non-VE
send RS(T) and serial number. QSO Points: VE and VE0s--10 pts,
non-VE--2 pts, RAC official stations (suffix of --RAC)--20 pts.
Score: QSO points x Provinces/Territories counted once per band and
mode. For more information: http://www.rac.ca/service/infocont.htm.
Logs due Jul 31 to  [email protected] or Radio Amateurs of Canada, 720
Belfast Road, Ste 217, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 0Z5 Canada. 

MI QRP July 4th CW Sprint--2300Z Jul 4 - 0300Z Jul 5. Exchange: RST,
S/P/C, and MI-QRP number or power output. QSO Points: MI-QRP
members--5 pts, non-member W/VE--2 pts, DX--4 pts. Score: QSO points
x S/P/C counted once per band. If homebrew RX or TX, multiply by
1.25. If both RX and TX are homebrew, multiply by 1.5. For
information: http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub. Logs to [email protected] or
L. T. Switzer N8CQA, 427 Jeffrey Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48073-2521.

Venezuelan Independence Day Contest--CW/SSB--sponsored by the Radio
Club Venezolano from 0000Z Jul 1 - 2400Z Jul 2. Frequencies; 160-10
meters. Categories: SOAB and  SOSB (CW, SSB, and mixed), MS (mixed
mode). Exchange: RS(T) plus serial number. Work any station--not just
YV. QSO Points: Own country--1 pt, different country, same
continent--3 pts, different cont.--5 pts. Score: QSO Points x YV call
areas + DXCC entities counted once per band. For more information:
http://radioclubvenezolano.org/concurso.htm.  Logs due 31 Aug to
[email protected] or Radio Club Venezolano, Concurso, Independencia
de Venezuela, PO Box 2285, Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela.

DL-DX-RTTY-Contest--RTTY/PSK, sponsored by the DL DX RTTY Contest
Group (DRCG) from 1100Z Jul 1 -1059Z Jul 2. Frequencies: 80-10
meters. Categories: SOAB and SO-Dipole/Ground-Plane (Full-time, 6
Hour), MS. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO Points: own country--5
pts, diff. country--10 pts, diff. continent--15 pts, with DL station
add 3 pts from EU, 5 points elsewhere. Score: QSO Points x DXCC
entities + VK/VE/JA/W call areas from each band. For more
information: http://www.drcg.de/. Logs in Cabrillo format due 10 Aug
to [email protected].

DARC 10-Meter Digital "Corona"--RTTY/AMTOR/PACTOR/PSK31/Clover, 
sponsored by Deutscher Amateur Radio Club from 1100Z - 1700Z Jul 2.
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 [email protected] or A.Schlendermann DL9GS, Postfach
102201, D-44807 Bochum, Germany.

IARU HF World Championship--from 1200Z Jul 8 to 1200Z Jul 9.
Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters, work stations on each mode. Categories:
SO (Phone, CW, Mixed Mode), MS (with 10 minute rule). Exchange: RS(T)
and ITU Zone, HQ stations will send a society abbreviation, such as
"ARRL". (See http://www.arrl.org/contests for a list of prefixes and
zones. A good ITU zone map is available at
http://www.iaru.org/ituzonesc.gif.) QSO Points: own zone and HQ
stations - 1 pt, same zone, different continent - 1 pt, different
zone, same continent - 3 pts, different zone and continent - 5 pts.
Score: QSO points x ITU zones + HQ stations counted once per band.
For more information - http://www.arrl.org/contests. Logs due Aug 8
to [email protected] (Cabrillo format only) via the Web applet at
http://www.b4h.net/cabforms or to IARU HF Championship, IARU
International Secretariat, Box 310905, Newington, CT 06111-0905, USA.

World Radiosport Team Championship--runs concurrently with the IARU
HF Championship.  See http://www.wrtc2006.com/ for information on
special competitions and awards for sending in your log.

FISTS Summer Sprint--CW, from 1700Z - 2100Z Jul 8. Frequencies: 80 -
10 meters, work US/VE stations. Categories: SOAB-QRP (<5W), SOAB-QRO,
Club. Exchange: Name, RST, S/P/C, members send FISTS number,
nonmembers send power output. QSO Points: FISTS members - 5 pts,
nonmembers - 2 pts. Score: QSO points � S/P/C (count each only once).
For more information: http://www.fists.org/. Logs due 30 days after
the contest to [email protected] or Dan Shepherd N8IE, 1900 Pittsfield
St, Kettering, Oh 45420.

QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint--CW, from 2000Z - 2400Z Jul 9 (see
Dec QST, p 86, or www.qrparci.org/contest.htm). Frequencies (MHz):
1.810, 3.560, 7.040, 14.060, 21.060, 28.060. Categories: SOAB, SOSB,
SO20-10, SO160-40, MOAB, DX stations are SOAB only. Exchange: RST,
S/P/C, and Power or QRP ARCI number. QSO Points: members--5 pts,
non-members/different continent--4 pts, non-members/same cont.--2
pts. Score: QSO points x S/P/C (counted once per band) x Power
multiplier (<250mW x 15, 250mW--1W x 10, 1--5W x7, >5W x 1). Add the
following bonus points for each band on which homebrew gear is used;
2000 pts for homebrew transmitter, 3000 pts for homebrew receiver,
5000 pts for homebrew transceiver. For more information:
http://www.qrparci.org/. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
[email protected] or Jeff Hetherington VA3JFF, 139 Elizabeth St W,
Welland, Ontario, Canada L3C 4M3.

VHF+ CONTESTS

World Wide Major Six Club Contest--CW/SSB, sponsored by the Six Meter
World Wide DX Club, from 2300Z Jul 8 - 0300Z Jul 9. Frequencies: 50
MHz only. Categories: SO only. Exchange: Grid Square. QSO Points: own
country - 1 pt, diff. country (incl. KH6 and KL7) - 2 pts. Score: QSO
Points x grid squares (counted only once). For more information:
http://6mt.com/contest.htm. Logs due 30 days after the contest to
[email protected] or to Mike Urich, KA5CVH, Six Club Contest Director,
9807 Oakmont Dr, LaPorte TX 77571.

-oo  --- -o -  -- oo ooo ooo   -o-- --- oo- o-o
LOG DUE DATES - 28 JUNE TO 11 JULY 2006
o-oo  ---  --o     -oo o o- -oo o-oo oo -o o ooo

June 28 - ARCI Hootowl Sprint, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes logs to: ARCI Hoot Owl Sprint, c/o Jeff
Hetherington, VA3JFF, 139 Elizabeth St W, Welland, Ontario L3C 4M3,
Canada. Find rules at: http://www.qrparci.org/.

June 28 - MI QRP Memorial Day CW Sprint, email logs to:
[email protected], paper logs and diskettes logs to: L.T. Switzer,
N8CQA, 427 Jeffrey Avenue, Royal Oak, MI 48073-2521, USA. Find rules
at: http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub/contest.html.

June 30 - US IPARC Annual Contest, CW, email logs to: (none), paper
logs and diskettes logs to: Contest IPARC 2006, 4828 Elm, Newport,
Michigan 48166, USA. Find rules at: http://www.iparc.org/.

June 30 - IARU Region 1 Field Day, CW, email logs to: (see your
national society rules), paper logs and diskettes logs to: Your
national society. Find rules at: Your national society web site.

June 30 - SARL Youth Day, email logs to: (none), paper logs and
diskettes logs to: (none). Find rules at:
http://www.sarl.org.za/public/contests/SARL_Contest_Manual.pdf.

June 30 - SEANET Contest, email logs to: [email protected], paper logs and
diskettes logs to: SEANET CONTEST 2006, Tetsuo Yamamoto, JA3PYC,
3-2-39-1414 Yasunaka-cho, Yao, Osaka, 581-0085, Japan. Find rules at:
http://www.qsl.net/seanet2006/contest.htm.

June 30 - US IPARC Annual Contest, SSB, email logs to: (none), paper
logs and diskettes logs to: Contest IPARC 2006, 4828 Elm, Newport,
Michigan 48166, USA. Find rules at: http://www.iparc.org/.

July 1 - CQ WW WPX Contest, CW, email logs to: [email protected], paper
logs and diskettes logs to: CW WPX Contest, CQ Magazine, 25 Newbridge
Rd, Suite 405, Hicksville NY 11801, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/.

July 1 - CQ-M International DX Contest, email logs to: [email protected] or
[email protected], paper logs and diskettes logs to: CQ-M Contest
Committee, PO Box 25464, Krasnoyarsk 660049, Russia. Find rules at:
http://www.cq-m.andys.ru/2006_ENG.htm.

July 1 - Baltic Contest, email logs to: [email protected], paper logs and
diskettes logs to: Baltic Contest, PO Box 210, LT-44003 Kaunas,
Lithuania. Find rules at:
http://www.lrsf.lt/bcontest/english/rules_html.htm.

July 3 - AGCW VHF/UHF Contest, email logs to: [email protected], paper
logs and diskettes logs to: Manfred Busch, DK7ZH, Ebachstr 13,
D-35716 Dietzhoelztal-Mandeln, Germany. Find rules at:
http://www.agcw.org/agcw-con/2006/Englisch/agcw-dl0_e.htm.

July 7 - Kid's Day Contest, email logs to: (none), paper logs and
diskettes logs to: (see rules). Find rules at:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/kd-rules.html.

July 9 - REF DDFM 6m Contest, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes logs to: F6IIT, Patrick Vermote, 175 chemin
des Meuniers, F-86130 Dissay, France. Find rules at:
http://concours.ref-union.org/reglements/actuels/reg_ddfm50_fr_0603.pdf.

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