Contester's Rate Sheet for April 4, 2007

********************************************
          CONTESTER'S RATE SHEET
               4 April 2007

        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 JIDX CW and QRP ARCI Spring CW QSO Party
o GA, MO, MT State QSO Parties
o Dayton Contest Action Schedule
o JA5BJC & JR2GMC - Silent Keys
o OT5A and VK5CRS Contest Videos
o Radio Sport Research Project
o Electromagnetic Tutorials
o Pulling In A 26 Volt Relay
o Is Scarborough Fair?


NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO
o Mark KD4D points to an excellent introductory-level Contesting FAQ
at http://www.qsl.net/zs1an/contesting_faq.html just right for
newcomers to HF contesting. Mark N7MQ recommends the introduction to
contesting by Mark ON4WW at http://www.on4ww.be/ - click on Operating
Guide on first page of site. This should also point out just how
"world-wide" the HF contesting community can be!

BULLETINS
o No bulletins in this issue.

BUSTED QSOS
o A golden issue last time!

CONTEST SUMMARY (Rules follow Commentary section)

April 7-8
- SP DX Contest
- MO QSO Party
- QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party - CW
- Lighthouse Spring Lights QSO Party
- Low Power Spring Sprints - CW
- DX YL to NA YL Contest - CW
- EA RTTY Contest
- VHF Spring Sprints - 144 MHz (Apr 9)
April 14-15
- MT QSO Party
- GA QSO Party
- EU Spring Sprints - CW
- Yuri Gagarin DX Contest - CW
- DX YL to NA YL Contest - Phone
- Japan International DX - CW
- PSK31 Flavors Contest
- Radio Maritime Day
- VHF Spring Sprints - 222 MHz (Apr 17)

--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-

Thanks to Tim K3LR for this comprehensive schedule of contest-related
activities at the rapidly-approaching Dayton Hamvention 2007.
(Details of many "alternate" Dayton activities can be found at
http://hamvention.org/alternate.htm)

May 16 - Wednesday night - Contest Super Suite at the Crowne Plaza
opens for the first of 4 nights, hosted by Contest University
(http://www.contestuniversity.com/). Details are here >>
http://hamvention.org/alternate.htm

May 17 - Thursday all day at the Crowne Plaza - Contest University at
and the Contest Super Suite at the Crowne Plaza hosted by The Mad
River Radio Club (MRRC), Frankford Radio Club (FRC) and North Coast
Contesters (NCC) with a midnight pizza party sponsored by K8CC and
K3LR.

May 18 - Friday - Antenna Forum at HARA Arena Room #1 from 2:30 -
4:45 PM. Moderated by K3LR, speakers include W6NL, WA3FET, K3LR,
N9NB, and N6BV. This is followed by the Contest Super Suite at the
Crowne Plaza with a midnight pizza party sponsored by the Potomac
Valley Radio Club (PVRC).

May 19 - Saturday - Contest Forum at HARA Arena Room #1 from 11:15 AM
- 1:45 PM. Moderated by K1DG, the forum features PY5EG, K5ZD, K4BAI,
NF4A, N6AA, E21EIC, and K3LR (he's everywhere!) This is followed by
more fun at the Crowne Plaza as the 15th Annual Dayton Contest Dinner
(http://www.contestdinner.com/) is hosted by North Coast Contesters
and the final Contest Super Suite midnight pizza party sponsored by
the Yankee Clipper Contest Club (YCCC). (And you thought you were
going to lose weight at Dayton?)

Regarding entering location in Logbook of the World (see the 3/21
issue), former LOTW manager Wayne N7NG notes that a log that has been
submitted without the necessary location information (or with
incorrect information) may be "edited" by first editing the
appropriate location file in the TQSL program (run TQSL and select
the Station tab, then edit the location information) and then
resubmitting the EXACT SAME LOG FILE, this time signed by the edited
certificate/location file. Each QSO that has the EXACT SAME date,
time, band mode and call sign will replace the original entry, but
with the edited location information.  Do not change any of the QSO
information to avoid creating duplicate QSOs.  If the log was
submitted with the wrong DXCC entity, that can also be changed, but
it requires a new certificate.

In the spirit of encouraging more contest participation from Japan,
the JARL has a number of interesting awards and contests.  Many
active contesters may be tantalizingly close to qualifying already. 
For example, the WAJA Award (tinyurl.com/27o937) is given for
confirming contacts in all 47 prefectures in Japan. Browse the rules
for all JARL awards (http://tinyurl.com/2bnjys) for more good ideas.
(Thanks, Bill W4ZV)

Along with award qualifications comes word of a postage increase from
Neil W3ZQI. "US Postal rates are going up May 14 -
(http://tinyurl.com/22uo6k) and QSL card seekers are urged to begin
including the higher rate of US postage in their SASEs now to
accommodate the queues of QSL managers. $.01 and $.02 stamps are
currently available while the US "Forever" stamp is due in April."

Here's another good reason to keep your CTY files updated via
http://ad1c.com/ - the Danish National IT and Telecom Agency has
issued the first new call signs based on unused prefix allocations
for Denmark (OZ, OU, OV, 5P and 5Q), Faro Islands (OY and OW) and
Greenland (OX and XP). (Thanks, Scott W4PA)

Speaking of keeping up to date, N3FJP (http://www.n3fjp.com/) has
released version 1.9 of his Florida QSO Party Log software. This
version supports the new "DC" multiplier.

This year's first issue of the Contest Club of Finland's "PileUp!"
(in English) is available in PDF format (http://tinyurl.com/22xhfg).
It's a 6 Mbyte file and there are also supplementary audio files at
http://tinyurl.com/27yfrw and http://tinyurl.com/24cv6t. (Thanks,
Ilkka OH1WZ)

George N8RBS notes that his club (http://dale.pages.web.com/id6.html)
includes future contest schedules, bands, exchanges, etc as a regular
feature in the club newsletter. "Will this help ease the newcomers
into HF?  Will any of them get hot on the trail in contesting?  We
don't know for sure, but without knowing what is available to them,
and how to get involved, they probably would not.  We're just hoping
to show the way. If we can help get them through their first contact
on the air and through their first contest without getting into
trouble then we have accomplished our mission - to be a little bit
better operator, have a lot more fun with radio, and hopefully make a
contester or two along the way."

Tatsuro JA5BJC, owner of one of the biggest Japanese Multi/Multi
stations, passed away on the morning of April 1.  Tatsuro's station
was a beacon from Japan on all bands featuring top JA contesters.  If
the band was open to JA, then JA5BJC was in the log.  His signal will
be sorely missed. Another well-known JA contest and DX operator, Masa
AH0K/JR2GMC died on 26 March.  Masa had been very active as a key
member of JA2YKA in 1980's then with KH0AM in 1990.  Masa was also a
member of the JIDX Contest Committee. (Thanks, Tack JE1CKA)

URL of the Week - You think you have tough operating conditions? 
Read about Mitch YI9TU/K7TUT's adventures in the desert of Iraq with
low-power CW operating.  His article can be read in the latest
edition of the K9YA Telegraph, downloadable at
http://www.k9ya.org/index_telegraph.htm or by subscription at 
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/k9ya_telegraph.

oooo  o  -o--     -o-- o- o-oo o-oo
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
o-- o- - -o-o oooo    - oooo oo ooo

Rick NQ4I is building a nice Web site (http://nq4i.com/) about very
active multi-operator station. Watch for frequent additions as it
grows and gets better.

Take a look at this very professional video of the OT5A Club
superstation's CQ WPX operation -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3LX3dfg0Wg  The setup is in the World
War I "Fort of Lier"! It is a permanent club location, but has the
feel of Field Day. (Thanks, Tim K6GEP)

Igor UA9CDC has just published (http://ua9cdc.narod.ru/) audio files
recorded during his guest operation from VK5CRS
(http://www.coastalradio.org.uk/vk5crs.htm) in RDXC. It was a really
new experience operating CW in the contest with a SSB filter! The
radio was an IC751A and 160m RX antenna was 300-meter Beverage.

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

NCJ Contest Results

The NAQP RTTY Sprint preliminary results are now available on the NCJ
Web site at http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintrttyprelim.php  Let Ed know
([email protected]) if you'd like a copy of your LCR (Log
Check Report).  The write-up and more detail on the event will be in
an upcoming issue of NCJ, so if you have questions on the preliminary
results, drop him a line ASAP in case corrections are needed.
(Thanks, Ed W0YK)

The results of the CQ WPX Contest 2006 are now available online at
http://www.cqwpx.com/results.htm (Thanks Randy, K5ZD)

Results for the 2006 Florida QSO Party have been published at 
http://www.floridaqsoparty.org/results/fqp2006.pdf (Thanks, Ron
WD4AHZ)

Radio Sport Canada announces the Radio Sport Research Project
(http://www.radiosport.ca/rsrp/) - a project to provide the
international radio sport community with open-source tools,
techniques and data that will help individual contestants explore
amateur radio contesting.  The first activity in the project builds
on the outstanding efforts of the dedicated contesters who
constructed and maintain the contest scores database
(http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr/scoredb/). Radio Sport Canada is
constructing a user-friendly interface to provide contesters with
graphical and tabular views of the contest score data. New views will
be added and old views updated as they are developed. Please refer to
the FAQ for details on how to contribute to the contest score
database and the Radio Sport Research Project. (Thanks, Sylvan VE5ZX)

oooo o -o--   -o-- --- oo-
OPERATING TIP
o-- o- -o- o      oo- o--o

What's the best way to quickly determine the country of an unusual
contest call sign? Start by making sure your logging program has the
very latest CTY files from AD1C. (http://www.ad1c.com/)  Jim often
includes one-time calls in the list that count for a specific
country. Then review NS3K's DXpedition list (www.ng3k.com) and watch
the DX reflectors right up until contest time to see if any of the
expeditions announce their calls. Sometimes they don't know their
contest call until they get to the PT&T office. Then ASK the station
what country they're in if there is any ambiguity.  

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

If you teach licensing classes or need an occasional refresher on the
fine points of electromagnetism, the tutorials at
http://tinyurl.com/3yt892 will definitely help. (Thanks, Tim W7TRH)

Since Microsoft no longer supports Win2K, 98 or ME, the new US
Daylight Savings Time isn't handled properly by those versions of
Windows. IntelliAdmin has written a patch (http://tinyurl.com/sfp88)
for the US time zones. This is NOT official Microsoft software.
(Thanks, Bill KA8VIT)

Jim AD1C shows us how to avoid publishing email addresses directly by
using QRZ.com. "Replace AD1C with the person's callsign in the
following hyperlink: http://www.qrz.com/p/email.pl?callsign=AD1C  By
clicking on the linked-to call, you'll be directed to the page on
QRZ.com with the graphical E-mail address."

Surplus vacuum relays are often available at quite a savings, but
require 26 Vdc to operate.  Tom W8JI suggests a simple solution to
using these relays in the usual 12-volt environment of ham radio -
connect a simple, cheap, common "wall wart" 12 Vdc supply in series
with the normal 12 volt supply.  If you have a 24 Vdc supply, Tom
cautions that running relays at low voltage (that still allows
transfer) slows down pull-in times. Of course the release time speeds
up!  Paul W5DM recommends Tony K1KP's circuit at
(http://www.k6xx.com/radio/fastrely.html) and Thomas AC7A recommends
PE1MWB's circuit (http://tinyurl.com/2snzuf) to address this problem.
Tom also notes that placing a "kickback" or "backpulse" diode across
the coil (needed to clamp the inductive transient when coil current
is interrupted) slows down release time as well.

Antenna and tower-building season is under way - how about some super
cutters?  These are highly recommended for cutting Phillystran guy
material and other such stuff - http://tinyurl.com/23zn8u  (Thanks,
Mark N5OT)

An EMI-fighting product called "ScotchTint(TM) Shielding Window Film"
is available in rolls 100 ft long by 40 or 60 inches wide.  You can
apply it yourself to a plain glass window; it attenuates visible
light by 3 dB; and it attenuates RF by 24 dB at 30 MHz or 1 GHz. This
and a variety of similar products are for sale at
http://www.lessemf.com/plastic.html  Be sure to specify conductive
adhesive when ordering. (Thanks, Chuck W1HIS and Tom K1KI)

TECHNICAL URL OF THE WEEK -- Doc KD4E relays the URLs for a helpful
pair of Web sites regarding mobile installations:
http://k0bg.com/beads.html and
http://members.cox.net/nx7u/mobile/noise.htm  With mobile season
coming up, his "timing" is excellent.

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

Is Scarborough Fair?

With apologies to Simon and Garfunkel, mangled by Dr. Beldar
(thanks to Mike Stein WB9NOO for the suggestion)

Is the reef called Scarborough fair?
'Cause I didn't work it last time
Remember Okino-Tori-Shima
It once was a country of mine

Tell them to file complete paper work
Stamped and sealed and notary signed
With claims of ownership settled
To pass the DXCC line 

Tell them it must be an acre of land
Or it can't make minimum size
No scaffold legs can in the salt sea stand
Then 'twill count a country of mine

Tell them it must be a big expedition
Working code, phone, RTTY
No cards, Logbook of the World
Keep the logs uploaded on-line

Is the reef called Scarborough fair? 
'Cause I didn't work it last time
Remember Okino-Tori-Shima
It once was a country of mine

73, Ward N0AX

-o-o  --o-  - o ooo - -o-o  --o-  - o ooo -
CONTESTS -- 4 APRIL THROUGH 17 APRIL 2007
-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

SP DX Contest--CW/SSB, sponsored by the PZK Polish Amateur Radio
Union and the SP DX Club from 1500Z Apr 7 - 1500Z Apr 8. Frequencies:
160 -- 10 meters, according to the IARU Region I band plan, no
crossmode QSOs. Categories: "SOAB-HP/LP (SSB, CW, Mixed), SOAB-QRP
Mixed, SOSB (CW, SSB), MS Mixed, SWL Mixed. Use of packet/internet
etc. allowed in all categories. Exchange: RS(T) and serial number or
Polish province. QSO Points: 3 pts for each SP contact, SP stations
count 3 pts outside EU, 1 pt for EU (no pts for SP-SP QSOs). Score is
QSO points x provinces (counted once per band and mode) or DXCC
entities (for Polish stations). For more information:
http://www.conteStspdxc.org.pl/en/index.php. Logs due Apr 30 to
[email protected] (Cabrillo format preferred) or to Polski
Zwiazek Krotkofalowcow, SPDX Contest Committee, PO Box 320, 00-950
Warszawa, Poland.

Missouri QSO Party--CW/SSB, sponsored by the Boeing Employees Amateur
Radio Society of St Louis (BEARS) from 1800Z Apr 7 - 0500Z Apr 8 and
1800Z - 2400Z Apr 8. Frequencies (MHz):  CW--40 kHz from band edge
and 1.810; Phone--1.850, 3.980, 7.280, 14.280, 21.380, 28.310 kHz,
work MO stations once per band and mode. Categories: Fixed, MO
Mobile, MO Rover. Exchange: RST, serial number, and MO county or
S/P/C. QSO Points: CW--2 pts, Phone--1 pt. Score: MO stations--QSO
Points x States + Provinces + MO counties + 1 for DX; non-MO
stations--QSO Points x MO counties. Multipliers count only once. QSO
with W0MA counts 100 QSO points one time. For more information:
http://www.qsl.net/w0ma. Logs due 30 days after the contest to 
[email protected] or [email protected] or James L Kinser N0AJ, 2147
Encino Drive, Florissant, MO 63031-7627.

QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party--CW, sponsored by the QRP ARCI, from 1200Z
Apr 7 - 2400Z Apr 8, work 24 hours max. 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://www.qrparci.org/. Submit entry via contest Web site. Logs due 8
May to [email protected] or ARCI Fall QSO Party, c/o Jeff
Hetherington VA3JFF, 139 Elizabeth St W, Welland, Ontario, Canada L3C
4M3.

Lighthouse Spring Lites QSO Party--all modes, sponsored by the
Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society from 0001Z Apr 7 - 2359Z Apr 15.
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 serial number, name, and S/P/C. Score: 1
pt/QSO, plus 2 pts for ARLHS member, plus 3 pts for lighthouse. For
more information: http://arlhs.com/. Logs due May 31 to Dave Ruch,
NF0J, PO Box 20696, Bloomington, MN 55420-0696.

Low Power Spring Sprint--CW, sponsored by the Slovak Amateur Radio
Association (SARA) from 1400Z -- 2000Z Apr 9. 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

DX YL to North American YL Contest--CW, sponsored by YLRL from 1400Z
Apr 3 - 0200Z Apr 5, work 24 hours max. (Phone--Apr 10-12) 
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 Nancy Rabel Hall KC4IYD, PO Box 775,
North Olmsted, OH 44070.

EA RTTY Contest, sponsored by the Uni�n de Radioaficianados Espa�oles
(URE.) from 1600Z Apr 7 - 1600Z Apr 8. Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters,
according to IARU band plan.  Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MOAB, SWL.
Exchange: RST and serial number or EA Province. QSO Points: 10 - 20
meters: own continent--1 pt, diff cont--2 pts; 40 and 80 meters: own
cont--3 pts, diff cont--6 pts. Score is QSO points x DXCC entities +
EA provinces + W/VE/JA/VK call areas counted once per band. If
operating portable, sign /call area. For more information:
http://www.rttycontesting.com/rules/earttyrules2007.pdf. Logs due May
11 to [email protected] as ASCII text or Cabrillo format or EA RTTY
Contest, PO Box 220, E - 28080 Madrid, Spain.

Montana QSO Party--Phone/CW/Digital--sponsored by the Flathead Valley
Amateur Radio Club from 2300Z Apr 13 through 2300Z Apr 15.
Frequencies: 160 meters-70 cm. Categories: Fixed and Mobile/Portable.
Repeaters and IRLP are permitted. Exchange: RST and S/P/C or MT
county. Work mobiles in each county. Score: QSOs � S/P/C + MT
counties (counted only once). 100 point bonus for national or state
park. 10 point bonus for mobile stations on a lake or river shoreline
- specify location. For more information: http://www.fvarc.org/. Logs
due May 31 to [email protected] (Cabrillo format) or Norm
Palin K7NCR, 68 Silver Leaf Dr, Kalispell, MT 59901.

Georgia QSO Party--CW/SSB, sponsored by SECC and SEDXC from 1800Z Apr
14 - 0359Z Apr 15 and 1400Z - 2359Z Apr 15. Frequencies: 80-10
meters. Categories: SOAB, MS, MM, Rover, Novice/Tech; HP, LP (<150
W), QRP; CW/SSB/Mixed. Rovers must activate at least two GA counties,
no county line QSOs. Exchange RST and GA county or S/P/C. QSO points:
SSB--1 pt, CW--2 pts. Score: QSO points � GA counties (GA station use
states and provinces) counted only once per band and mode. For more
information: http://gqp.contesting.com/. Logs are due May 15 to
[email protected] or mail to John Laney, K4BAI, PO Box 421, Columbus, GA
31902-0421.

EU Spring Sprints--CW, managed by G4BUO from 1600Z - 1959Z Apr 14
(SSB, Apr 21--managed by 9A6XX). Frequencies (MHz): SSB--3.730,
7.050, 14.250; CW--3.550, 7.025, 14.040. 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.eusprint.com/. Logs due 15 days after the
contest to [email protected] (ASCII format) or (CW) Dave Lawley G4BUO,
Carramore, Coldharbour Road, Penshurst, Kent, TN11 8EX, England, UK
or (SSB) Hrvoje Horvat 9A6XX, 25 Rujan 4, HR-52000 Pazin, Croatia.

Yuri Gagarin DX Contest--CW, sponsored by Patriot from 2100Z Apr 14 -
2100Z Apr 15. Frequencies: 160-10 meters and Amateur Satellites.
Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MO (10 minute rule), SWL. Exchange: RST + ITU
Zone. QSO Points: own country--1 pt, same continent--2 pts, diff
cont--3 pts. Score: QSO Points x ITU zones from all bands. For more
information: http://www.srr.su/. Logs due May 9 to gc@qStru or GC
Contest Committee, PO Box 2020, Moscow, 101000, Russia.

DX YL to North American YL Contest--Phone, Apr 10-12 (see Apr 3-5)

Japan International DX Contest (JIDX)--CW, sponsored by Five-Nine
Magazine from 0700Z Apr 14 to 1300Z Apr 15. (Phone--Nov 10-11) 
Frequencies: 160--10 meters. C15ategories: SOAB and SOSB (HP, LP),
MO, Maritime Mobile, self-spotting prohibited in all categories.
Exchange: RST + JA prefecture number or CQ Zone. QSO Points: 160
meters--4 pts; 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://jidx.org/. 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.

PSK31 Flavors Contest--PSK31 and variants, sponsored by the PODXS 070
Club from 1200 - 1800 local time 14 April 2007.  Frequencies (MHz):
14.070-14.080 only. Categories: SO (QRP, LP, MP).  Exchange: S/P/C
and name or 070 number. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO for each PSK variant
used. Score: QSO pts x S/P/C + PSK variants uses. For more
information:
http://harvey.licht.home.sprynet.com/PSKFlavors/2007/2007RulesPoSthtm.
 Logs due May 14 to [email protected].

Radio Maritime Day--CW, from 1200Z Apr 14 - 1200Z Apr 15 (note silent
periods). Frequencies (MHz): 1.824, 3.520, 7.020, 14.052, 21.052,
28.052. Categories: Coastal Station (LP, HP), SO & MO (LP only; Radio
Officers and Radio Amateurs).  Exchange: RST + call sign of last
assignment or serial number. QSO Points: QSO with Coastal Stn--5 pts,
Ship Call to Ship Call--3 pts, Ship Call to Amateur--2 pts, Amateur
to Amateur--1 pt. Score: QSO Points x Country Flags (counted once
only). For more information: http://www.radiomaritimeday.org/. See Web
site for log submission requirements.

VHF+ CONTESTS

VHF & Up Spring Sprints--CW/SSB, sponsored by John Kalenowsky, K9JK,
and Steve Gilmore, W4SHG. 144 MHz--7-11 PM local time, Apr 9; 222
MHz--7-11 PM local time, Apr 17. Categories: Fixed and Rover.
Exchange: Grid Square. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO Points x Grid
Squares. For complete information:
http://www.sysadnet.com/vhfsprintrules.htm. Logs in Cabrillo format
(see Web site for due dates) via b4h.net/cabforms, to
[email protected] or Spring Sprints, c/o Steve Gilmore
W4SHG, 11 Ryan Way, Stafford, VA 22554.

-oo  --- -o - -- oo ooo ooo   -o-- --- oo- o-o
LOG DUE DATES - 4 APRIL THROUGH 17 APRIL 2007
o-oo  --- --o     -oo o o- -oo o-oo oo -o o ooo

April 4 - ARS Spartan Sprint, email logs to: [email protected],
post log summary at: http://www.arsqrp.com/ars/ss_log.html, paper
logs and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at:
http://www.arsqrp.com/ars/pages/spartan_sprints/ss_rules_new.html 

April 4 - Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, email logs to:
[email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: George Ignatov
(UT1HT), PO Box 87, Kremenchug-21 39621, Ukraine. Find rules at:
http://www.ucc.zp.ua/rtty2007rules_eng.htm 

April 7 - Pesky Texan Armadillo Chase, email logs to:
[email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: David Zatopek,
KT5V, 8427 Vista View Drive, Dallas, TX 75243, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.w5usj.com/CONTEST_DETAILS_2007.html 

April 8 - High Speed Club CW Contest, email logs to:
[email protected], paper logs and diskettes to: Lutz Schroer,
DL3BZZ, HSC Contest Manager, Am Niederfeld 6, 35066 Frankenberg,
Germany. Find rules at: http://www.fmcnet.de/hsc/en/contests.html 

April 8 - UBA Spring Contest, 6m, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Frans Nevelsteen, ON6KN, Mgr
Cruysberghslaan 43, B-2450 Meerhout, Belgium. Find rules at:
http://www.uba.be/hf_contests/rules/uba_spring_en_2007.pdf 

April 9 - SOC Marathon Sprint, email logs to: [email protected], paper
logs and diskettes to: Bob Patten, N4BP, 2841 NW 112 Terrace,
Plantation, FL 33323, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.qsl.net/soc/070310.htm 

April 10 - Idaho QSO Party, email logs to: [email protected], paper logs
and diskettes to: (none). Find rules at:
http://www.nt4tt.com/main_page_link/rules.htm 

April 11 - RSGB Commonwealth Contest, email logs to:
[email protected], 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/rberu.shtml 

April 11 - Wisconsin QSO Party, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Wisconsin QSO Party, West Allis Radio
Amateur Club, PO Box 1072, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.warac.org/wqp/2007/07rules.htm 

April 11 - NSARA Contest, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Martin Thomas, VE1AUZ, R.R.#1
Bridgewater, Lun.Co.,Nova Scotia, Canada. Find rules at:
http://nsara.ve1cfy.net/

April 15 - Virginia QSO Party, email logs to: [email protected], paper
logs and diskettes to: VA QSO Party, Call Box 599, Sterling, VA
20167, USA. Find rules at:
http://www.qsl.net/sterling/VA_QSO_Party/2007_VQP_Rules.html 

April 15 - UBA Spring Contest, 2m, email logs to: [email protected],
paper logs and diskettes to: Frans Nevelsteen, ON6KN, Mgr
Cruysberghslaan 43, B-2450 Meerhout, Belgium. Find rules at:
http://www.uba.be/hf_contests/rules/uba_spring_en_2007.pdf 

April 17 - RSGB RoPoCo 1, email logs to: [email protected],
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/rropoco.shtml 

April 17 - 9K 15-Meter Contest, email logs to: [email protected], paper
logs and diskettes to: Faisal N Al-Ajmi, 9K2RR, POBox 1124,
Alfarwanya 80000, Kuwait. Find rules at:
http://www.qsl.net/9kcc/9KCCRule.htm 

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