[HCRA] ARRL 10M Contest - Just hours away!

[Jim Mullen]

Hey gang,

The ARRL 10M contest is less than 24 hours away. The band has been open and
this promises to be great contest again this year.

Last year we scored over 900K points as a club. Wouldn't it be nice to beat
that this year? All you need to do is operate and turn in your log. What
could be easier or more fun than sitting in a chair, playing radio this
weekend? Shopping? Shoveling the driveway? Doing laundry? I don't think
so!!!

After you work them all, simply mail your log to ARRL or turn it in
electronically. When doing so be sure to list the affiliated club as
"Hampden County Radio Assn." and the club will be able to count your score
toward our total.

The nice thing about this contest is you also get to claim individual credit
for your score! Kind of like having your cake and eating it too. You get
your points and the HCRA gets all the points. Last year many of our members
earned individual certificates for their efforts.

Anyway, just in case you need to review the rules I have copied them at the
bottom of this message. Want a free logging program to do some computer
logging. Here's links to a few good ones:

N1MM Logger. Great, state of the art, windows program. Requires some decent
computing power. Nice program, works well and free:

http://www.n1mm.com/

Want something that will run on an older computer or DOS machine. K1EA's
program CT is now in the public domain and free. It's great, stable program
but without some of the neat windows stuff in MM logger. It's been the
standard among contesters for years.

http://www.k1ea.com

And of course pencil and paper will always do the trick, never require
rebooting and probably won't suffer a hard drive failure! Just don't let the
dog eat your log.

So, have fun in the contest. Work lots of stations, have a ball and send in
your logs when you are done. If you have the time, post your results to the
list. I will put them up on the web page and we can all see how high a score
the HCRA will get.

'73...

Jim, KK1W

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2003 ARRL 10-Meter Contest Rules

General Rules � HF Rules

1. Object: For Amateurs worldwide to exchange QSO information with as many
stations as possible on the 10-meter band.

2. Date and Contest Period: Second full weekend of December. Starts 0000 UTC
Saturday; ends 2400 UTC Sunday (December 13 -- 14, 2003).
2.1. All stations operate no more than 36 hours out of the 48-hour period.
2.2. Listening time counts as operating time.

3. Entry Categories:
3.1. Single Operator: (9 categories)
3.1.1. QRP.
3.1.1.1. Mixed Mode (Phone and CW).
3.1.1.2. Phone only.
3.1.1.3. CW only.
3.1.2. Low Power.
3.1.2.1. Mixed Mode (Phone and CW).
3.1.2.2. Phone only.
3.1.2.3. CW only.
3.1.3. High Power.
3.1.3.1. Mixed Mode (Phone and CW).
3.1.3.2. Phone only.
3.1.3.3. CW only.
3.2. Multioperator, Single Transmitter, mixed mode (only).
3.2.1. Includes single operators using packet or spotting assistance.

4. Contest Exchange:
4.1 W/VE stations (including Hawaii and Alaska) send signal report and state
or province (District of Columbia stations send signal report and DC).
4.1.1. Novice and Technician Plus stations sign /N or /T on CW. If used, you
must indicate /N
or /T on your summary sheet.
4.2. DX stations (including KH2, KP4, etc) transmit signal report and
sequential serial number starting with 001.
4.3. Maritime mobile stations send signal report and ITU Region (1, 2 or 3).

5. Scoring:
5.1. QSO points:
5.1.1. Count two points for each complete two-way phone QSO.
5.1.2. Count four points for each two-way CW QSO.
5.1.3. Count eight points for CW QSOs with US Novice or Technician Plus
stations signing /N or /T (28.1 to 28.3 MHz only).
5.2. Multipliers: (per mode, phone and CW).
5.2.1. Each US state (excluding KH6 and KL7) and the District of Columbia.
5.2.2. Canada [NB (VE1, 9), NS (VE1), QC (VE2), ON (VE3), MB (VE4), SK
(VE5), AB (VE6), BC (VE7), NWT (VE8), NF, (VO1), LB (VO2)], YT (VY1), PEI
(VY2) NU (VY�).
5.2.3. DXCC countries (except the mainland US and Canada). KH6 and KL7
participate and count as DXCC countries.
5.2.4. ITU regions (maritime mobiles only).
5.3. Final Score: Multiply QSO points by total multipliers (the sum of
states/VE provinces/DXCC countries/ITU regions per mode). Example: KA1RWY
works 2245 stations including 1305 phone QSOs, 930 non-Novice CW QSOs, 10
Novice CW QSOs, for a total of 6410 QSO points. She works 49 states, 10
Canadian call areas, 23 DXCC entities and a maritime mobile station in
Region 2 on phone and 30 states, 8 Canadian call areas, and 19 DXCC
countries on CW for a total multiplier of 140. Final score = 6410 (QSO
points) X 140 (multiplier) = 897,400 points.

6. Miscellaneous:
6.1. Single operator mixed-mode and multioperator stations may work stations
once on CW and once on SSB.
6.2. Your call sign must indicate your DXCC country if competing as DX.
(N6TR in Oregon does not send N6TR/7, but K6GSS in Puerto Rico must send
K6GSS/KP4).
6.3. All entrants may transmit only one signal on the air at any given time.
6.4. All CW contacts must take place below 28.3 MHz.

7. Awards: Certificates will be awarded to:
7.1. The highest-scoring single-operator station (in each category) from
each ARRL/RAC Section and DXCC country.
7.2. The top scoring Novice/Technician Plus station (in each category) in
each ARRL Section.
7.3. Top multioperator entries in each ARRL Division, Canada and each
continent.
7.4. Additional certificates will be awarded as participation warrants.

8. Miscellaneous:
8.1. All electronic logs (computer generated) must submit an ASCII text file
of the log information in Cabrillo file format. Paper print outs of the
electronic file are not acceptable substitutes.
8.2. Hand written paper logs are acceptable submissions.
8.3. All entries must be emailed or postmarked by January 14, 2004.
8.4. Email entries only to: 10meter@arrl.org. Submissions require Cabrillo
log file with all required information (including exchange sent, category
entered, power, and ARRL/RAC section - see General Rules for specific file
format).
8.5. Electronic files not in Cabrillo file format may be designated as
checklogs.
8.6. Paper entries should be mailed to 10-Meter Contest, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111.
8.7. Paper entries must be submitted on current ARRL entry forms or an
acceptable facsimile.
8.7.1. Forms are available for downloading at the Contest Branch Homepage at
http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms/
8.7.2. Forms are available for an SASE sent to the Contest Branch.
8.8. See "General Rules for All ARRL Contests" and "General Rules for ARRL
Contests on bands below 30 MHz (HF)" on the ARRL Web.
8.9. General queries should be directed to the Contest Branch at
contests@arrl.org or by calling (860) 594-0232.