[Fists] Logging for the WARC Challenge

[Stan Reas]

Dear fellow FISTS members:

As a follow-up to the posting by Kevin, KI4DEF, I thought I'd give some 
information on my
method of logging for the WARC Challenge.

I use an Excel spread sheet with the following columns:

QRG       Date	      Call          FISTS #   IARU 
Grid    Points  Multiplier	New Mult

For the first two days of May my log is:

QRG       Date	      Call          FISTS #   IARU 
Grid    Points  Multiplier	New Mult
18.083    5/1/06     G3CWW      595         IO93            2	            0
18.073    5/1/06     LU6EF         NM        GF05            1            0
10.108    5/1/06     OH0JFP       NM        KP00            1            0
10.107    5/2/06     SJ4C           NM         JO79            1            0
10.102    5/2/06     US0ZZ         NM         KN66           1            0
10.103    5/2/06     ZP6CW      1771        GG14           2            1 
              1
18.075    5/2/06     CO8LY        NM         FL20            1            0
18.085    5/2/06     WA7YYY   1900        CN85            3            0
18.085    5/2/06     WA7UQE   6739        CN85            2            0

NM = Non-Member - 1 point per QSO

FISTS Member = 2 points per QSO
FISTS Club = 3 points per QSO

The QSO with G3CWW was not a new grid - since I had previously worked a 
FISTS member in IO93.

Likewise the QSO's with WA7YYY and WA7UQE was not a new grid - since I had 
previously worked
a FISTS member in CN85.

However, the QSO with FISTS member ZP6CW in grid GG14 was a new one and 
became a new multiplier.

I have the Excel program count the number of entries in the "Call" 
column.  And have the program sum the
numbers in the "Points" column and in the "New Mult" column.  Then it 
calculates my score to date for May.

	Points	X    Multiplier	Score:	
	14	          1	  14	

To double-check the log, I put the quantity of contacts in a table to 
confirm the number of contacts and the points total.

0	Contacts	@	0 point	=	0
5	Contacts	@	1 point	=	5
3	Contacts	@	2 points	=	6
1	Contacts	@	3 points	=	3
9			Total	=	           14

New Grids this Month =   1
                 Total Grids = 74

This then becomes the:					
	"Monthly  Return  WARC  Challenge  from  K4UK"

I will be happy to send a sample of the Excel program to anyone, just send 
me an Email requesting it.

Most guys don't know their IARU Grid, but usually you can find it on 
http://www.qrz.com/ by typing
in the callsign and then clicking on "Detailed Information"

If it's not there, and you have a world atlas and can determine the 
Latitude and Longitude of the station
you contacted you can use http://www.amsat.org/cgi-bin/gridconv and type in 
the Latitude and Longitude.
It will determine the grid square.

The "0 point" contacts are those where I did not get the grid square or was 
unable to determine it from the QTH of the
station contacted.  A typical 0 point QSO was one I had with  9A1CCB in 
Garesnica, Croatia.  I could not find that
town in Croatia, so I couldn't determine his grid square.  Therefore, 0 points.

Echoing what Kevin said, I know you will enjoy operating on the WARC 
bands.  I've had lots of DX contacts and both
30 Meters and 17 Meters.  I've worked fellow FISTS member Larry, VQ9LA on 
Diego Garcia seven times since the
first of the year.

So, if I can help provide you a logging method please let me know.  But do 
send your WARC Challenge log in to Robert,
M0BPT monthly. <m0bpt at blueyonder.co.uk>

Excel logs are fully acceptable to him.

73, Stan - K4UK