[LeArc] ARRL Contest Rate Sheet for April 23, 2003

Wed, 23 Apr 2003 17:29:16 -0500

***********************
Contester's Rate Sheet
23 April 2003
***********************

Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX

SUMMARY
o Only 368 days until the 2004 Florida QSO Party!
o The New England QSO Party runs May 3 -- 4
o Topband Frequency Allocations and a Who's Who
o Rhombics and other Really Big Antennas
o Logging Software -- Who, What, Where?

BULLETINS
o No bulletins this issue

BUSTED QSOS
o A golden issue last time

ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 23 APRIL TO 7 MAY 2003

Logs are due for the following contests:

o April 23 - CLARA and Family HF Contest, email to: [email protected],
paper logs to: Paulette Schouten, VE7VPE, c/o VECTOR, 3301 East
Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 5J3, Canada
=20
o April 27 - EU Spring Sprint, SSB, email to: [email protected], paper
logs to: Dave Lawley, G4BUO, Carramore, Coldharbour Road, Penshurst,
Kent, TN11 8EX, England, UK
=20
o April 30 - YL-ISSB QSO Party, CW/SSB, email to:
[email protected], paper logs to: N4KNF/N4ZGH, 2160 Ivy Street,
Port Charlotte, FL 33952, USA
=20
o April 30 - Oklahoma QSO Party, email to: [email protected], paper logs
to: OKDX Assn, OKQP, PO Box 2591, Claremore, OK 74018-2591, USA
=20
o April 30 - SP DX Contest, email to: [email protected], paper
logs to: Polski Zwiazek Krotkofalowcow, SPDX Contest Committee, PO
Box 320, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
=20
o May 1 - BARTG Spring RTTY Contest, email to: [email protected],
paper logs to: John Barber, GW4SKA, PO Box 611, Cardiff CF2 4UN,
Wales
=20
o May 1 - CQWW WPX Contest, SSB, email to: [email protected], paper logs
to: CQ Magazine, 25 Newbridge Rd., Suite 405, Hicksville, NY 11801,
USA
=20
o May 2 - Russian DX Contest, email to: [email protected], paper
logs to: Russian DX Contest, PO Box 88, 123459 Moscow, Russia
=20
o May 2 - 144 MHz Spring Sprint, email to: [email protected],
paper logs to: 144 MHz Spring Sprint, ETDXA/WU4O, Jeff J. Baker, 8218
Foxworth Trail, Powell, TN 37849, USA
=20
o May 4 - UBA Spring Contest, SSB, email to: [email protected], paper
logs to: Lode Kenens, ON6KL, Oudestraat 8, B-3560 Lummen, Belgium
=20
o May 6 - Missouri QSO Party, email to: [email protected], paper logs to:
James I. Kinser, N0AJ, 2147 Encino Drive, Florissant, MO 63031-7627,
USA
=20
o May 6 - QCWA QSO Party, email to: (none), paper logs to: Dick
Newsome, W0HXL, 2924 North 48th Street, Omaha, NE 68104-3726, USA =20

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

Florida QSO Party - sponsored by the Florida Contest Group from 1600Z
April 26 - 0159Z April 27 and 1200Z - 2159Z April 27, no time limit,
work FL stations. Frequencies (MHz): CW - 35 kHz from band edges
(Novices/Technicians - 10 kHz from segment edge), Phone - 7.260,
14.260, 21.335, and 28.485, no 160 or 80 meters, VHF/UHF. Categories:
SO, MS, MM (one signal per band), Mobile, Novice/Technician, School
Club, SWL, all categories can enter as HP/LP (150W) or QRP (5W) and
Mixed Mode/CW/SSB (except MM and SWL). Exchange: RST and FL county or
SPC. QSO Points: CW - 2 pts, SSB - 1 pt. Score: FL stations - QSO
points x SPC (W/VE/KH6/KL7 do not count as DXCC entities) x power
multiplier; non-FL stations - QSO points x FL counties x power
multiplier. All multipliers count once per mode. Power multiplier -
HP x 1, LP x 2, QRP x 3. For more information --
http://www.qsl.net/fqp. Logs due 27 May to [email protected] (ASCII
text or Cabrillo format) or Florida QSO Party, c/o Ron Wetjen,
WD4AHZ, 5362 Castleman Dr, Sarasota, FL 34232.

Nebraska QSO Party - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Heartland DX
Association 1700Z Apr 26 - 1700Z Apr 27. Frequencies (MHz): 160 - 2
meters; CW - 1.805 and 35 kHz above band edge; Phone - 1.915, 3.865,
7.265, 14.265, 21.365, 28.465, 146.460; Novices/Technicians - 10 kHz
above band edge and 28.465. Categories: SO, MS, Mobile. Work stations
once per band/mode and NE mobile stations can be worked again in each
county. County lines count as one QSO. Exchange: RST and NE county or
SPC. QSO Points: CW - 2 pts, Phone - 1 pt. Score is QSO Points x SPC
for NE stations or NE counties (multipliers count once only) x Power
Multiplier (QRP x 3, LP x 2, HP x 1). For more information -
http://www.qsl.net/hdxa. Logs due May 31 to [email protected] (ASCII text)
or Nebraska QSO Party, PO Box 375, Elkhorn, NE 68022-0375.

Helvetia Contest - CW/SSB/Digital - sponsored by Union of Swiss Short
Wave Amateurs (USKA) from 1300Z Apr 26 -- 1300Z Apr 27. Frequencies:
160 -- 10 meters. Categories: SO-Mixed, SO-QRP, SO-Digital,
MO-Digital, MO-Mixed, SWL. Exchange: RST and serial number (Swiss
stations add canton abbreviation). QSO Points: 3 pts/QSO. Score: QSO
points x Swiss cantons (Swiss stations also count DXCC entities). For
more information - http://www.uska.ch/html/en/index_e.htm. Logs due
31 days after the contest to [email protected] or USKA HF Traffic
Manager, Hermann Stein, HB9CRV, Br=FCelmatten 13, 4410 Liestal BL,
Switzerland.

IPA Contest, sponsored by the International Police Association from
0000Z - 2359Z May 3 (CW), 0000Z - 2359Z May 4 (SSB), each mode is
considered a separate contest.	Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters.=20
Categories: SOAB, MS, SWL.  Exchange: RS(T) and serial number, IPA
stations add "IPA".  QSO Points: Non-IPA -- 1 pt, Non-US IPA -- 2
pts, US IPA -- 5 pts, IPA club -- 10 pts, US stations with 1x1 call
-- 20 pts.  Score is QSO points x US states + IPA stations + 1x1
calls counted only once.  For more information -
http://www.iparc.org.  Logs to [email protected] or to  Alex Dutkewych
N2PIG, PO Box 211, Pulteney NY 14874 -- 0211.

MARAC County Hunters Contest - CW - sponsored by the Mobile Amateur
Radio Awards Club from 0000Z May 3 - 2400Z May 4. Frequencies (MHz):
3.575, 7.050, 14.050, 21.050, 28.050, work fixed stations once/band
and mobiles once for each county and band. Categories: Mobile,
Portable, Fixed. Exchange: RST and county or SPC. County line QSOs
count as one QSO but separate multipliers. QSO Points: Fixed stations
in NA - 1 point, Mobile/Portable - 15 points, DX - 5 pts, one station
must be in a US county. Score is QSO Points =D7 US counties (count only
once). Mobile/Portables sum score from each state. For more
information - http://www.countyhunter.com. Logs due June 10 to
[email protected] or Norm Beavers W3DYA, 3320 McMillan Dr, Tyler, TX
75701-8239.

10-10 International Spring Contest - CW - sponsored by Ten-Ten,
International from 0001Z May 3 - 2400Z May 4, 10-meters only.
Exchange: call/name/state and 10-10 number (if a member). QSO Points:
nonmembers--1 pt, members--2 pts. Score: total points. For more
information -- http://www.ten-ten.org. Logs due May 19 to Steve
Rasmussen, N0WY, #68684, 312 N. 6th Street, Plattsmouth, NE 68048.

Indiana QSO Party - CW/SSB - sponsored by the Hoosier DX and Contest
Club from 1300Z May 3 - 0500Z May 4.  Frequencies (MHz): CW - 1.805
and 40 kHz above the band edge on 80-10 meters, SSB - 1.845, 3.850,
7.230, 14.250, 21.300, 28.450, try 160 at 0200 and 0400Z, no repeater
or crossband QSOs. Categories: SOAB (HP, LP < 100W, QRP < 5W), MS
(incl. use of spotting assistance), Mobile (SO only).  Exchange:
RS(T) + S/P or IN county (DX stations send RS(T) only).  QSO Points:
SSB -- 1 pt, CW -- 2 pts, contact stations once per band/mode and
once per county.  Score is QSO Points x IN counties or S/P/C counted
once per mode. For more information - http://www.hdxcc.org/inqp/.=20
Logs due June 15 to [email protected] (Cabrillo format preferred) or
HDXCC, c/o Mike Goode N9NS, 10340 Broadway, Indianapolis, IN
46280-1344.

ARI International DX Contest - CW/SSB/Digital - sponsored by ARI from
2000Z May 3 - 1959Z May 4.  Frequencies: CW/SSB - 160 - 10 meters;
Digital - 80 - 10 meters, change bands or mode no more than once per
10 min.  Categories: SO-CW, SO-SSB, SO-Digital, SO-Mixed, MS-Mixed,
SO-SWL-Mixed.  Exchange: RST and Italian Province or serial number.=20
QSO Points: own country - 0 pts (mult only), own continent - 1 pt,
different cont. - 3 pts, Italian stations - 10 pts.  Score: QSO
points x Italian Provinces + DXCC entity (except I, IS0, IT9,
IG9/IH9) counted once per band.  For more information -
http://www.ari.it/contest.html. Logs due June 4 (Cabrillo format is
encouraged) to [email protected] (Cabrillo format is encouraged) or
to ARI Contest Manager, I4UFH Fabio Schettino, PO Box 1677, 40100
Bologna, Italy.

New England QSO Party - CW/Phone - 2000Z May 3 - 0500Z May 4 and
1300Z - 2400Z May 4.  New England is ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, and RI.
Frequencies (MHz): CW - 40 kHz above band edge; Novice/Tech - 3.705,
7.130, 21.130, 28.130; SSB - 3.880, 7.280, 14.280, 21.380, 28.380; no
crossmode or crossband QSOs, all CW QSOs in CW band segments.=20
Categories: SOAB (HP, LP, and QRP), MS (includes stations using any
kind of spotting assistance), mobiles use same categories.  Exchange:
RS(T) and S/P (non-US/VE sends "DX") or NE county/state.  Work
stations once per band/mode and mobiles in each county.  County lines
logged as two QSOs.  QSO Points: phone - 1 pt, CW and Digital - 2
pts.  Score: Non-NE stations - QSO points x NE counties; NE stations
- QSO points x S/P/C; mobiles total QSO points from all counties and
count multipliers only once.  For more information -
http://www.neqp.org.  Logs due 30 days after the contest to
[email protected] (Cabrillo format preferred) or NEQP, PO Box 3005,
Framingham MA 01705-3005.=20

VHF CONTESTS

Microwave Spring Sprint, 0600 -- 1300 local, May 3. Fixed and Rover
categories. Exchange is Grid Square only, count 1 pt per QSO. Score:
total all points and all grids worked from each grid (rovers) or on
each band (fixed stations). 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 Jeff J
Baker, 8218 Foxworth Trail, Powell, TN 37849.

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Only eight days remain to get a ticket to the May 2nd NCCC Contest
Dinner at the Visalia DX Convention. No tickets will be sold at the
door. You snooze, you lose. Everyone is welcome! The guest speaker is
Dave Leeson W6NL on the design of the HC8N contest station.  The cost
is $25 for either a steak or chicken meal and tickets may be had via
Tom Taormina K5RC, Productivity Resources, PO Box 1126, Virginia City
NV 89440 or [email protected].

The Florida Contest Group has a new web site for the Florida QSO
Party - http://www.floridaqsoparty.org. The old web site will
continue to work for a while longer but they encourage you to use our
new URL. (Thanks, Mr. FQP - Jim K4OJ)

The Texas QSO Party URL has been reported incorrectly -- the correct
URL is http://www.txqp.org. (Thanks, Dale KG5U)

If you need help finding any of the kites mentioned on G4VGO Web page
mentioned in the last issue, contact Mel Hickman of the American
Kitefliers Association at [email protected].  He can direct you to best
place to buy these kites or direct them to plans for building them.
(Thanks, Mel KK7SR)
=20
An updated Topband Allocations listing has been published at
http://www.topbandradio.mainpage.net These are listings of frequency
allocations on 160-meters around the world.  They're available as
text or as spreadsheet files.  (Thanks, Dennis K0CKD)

Rich KA8OKH offers his excellent listing of state QSO Party Web pages
- http://www.qsl.net/ka8okh. Links for contests during the coming
three months are listed on the home page.  Other state listings are
available via a pull-down menu.  Only a few states are missing their
QSO parties.  You WAS-chasers should definitely bookmark Rich's site.

RESULTS AND RECORDS

The HADX 2003 Contest Claimed Scores are now available at
http://www.mrasz.hu/vbizhir/cw/hadx/hadx2003notha.pdf. (Thanks to the
HA DX Contest Committee)

Not exactly contest results, but since Top Band DX-ing feels like a
contest most of the time, here's a good link to a Web site run by
Nick VK1AA called "Who's Who on TopBand" at http://www.topband.info.=20
The site has propagation information and country totals grouped by
useful geographic regions. Nick also has cleverly listed DX stations
operating from noisy locations as "Noise Fighters'.  There is also a
"Topbander of the Month."

TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE

We are reminded of a good BC-reject filter design that has been in
the ARRL Handbooks since 1985.	The original article was published in
Feb 1978 QST, titled "BC-Band Energy--A Rejection Filter", by Ed
Wetherhold, W3NQN.  The design is compact, using small toroidal
inductors and silver-mica capacitors for receive-only use.  Your
editor built one of these with air-wound coils and heavy-duty
capacitors to use directly in the transmit line. If you decide to
build one of these, you can use AM BC stations as a tune-up signal
source, compressing and expanding the windings of the coils to
achieve maximum rejection near the desired filter trap frequencies.
(Thanks, George K8GG)

Thinking about a serious HF antenna for next fall's big contests?=20
You'll stand out in the pileup with one of these puppies at the other
end of the feed line - http://www.antenna.be/rhr.html.	It might take
some doing to convince the neighbors, though. (Thanks, Bill W4AN)

More in the line of what amateurs can reasonably expect to wish for
(although asking for one of the big ones might soften up your
opposition) are the fabled rhombics.  I bookmarked this site and
sometimes bring it up and sigh wistfully, imagining my QRP totals
rocketing as I switch in "the diamond" -
http://www.mindspring.com/~cummings7/rhombic.html

CONVERSATION

Logging Software -- Who, What, Where?

Instead of editorializing, this issue presents a survey of contest
logging programs -- some well-known, others less so.  The computer
logging revolution began with the release of CT by Ken Wolff K1EA
more than a decade ago. The first program to really utilize the
capabilities of the IBM-PC back in the MS-DOS days, K1EA's creation
was a leader in the explosion of computer interfacing that has taken
contesting to new heights.  It's author received a well-deserved spot
in CQ's Contesting Hall of Fame for it's creation.=20

Along with CT, there are a number of other general-purpose logging
programs and some specialized offerings.  The general-purpose loggers
are often excellent at supporting specialty contests, as well.	Check
out the Web sites for complete details about features.=20

No doubt I will miss a few favorites -- these are only a sample of
what's out there.   Let's begin...

CT - http://www.k1ea.com -  CT has versions that run under Windows
98, -ME, -2000, and --XP, as well as MS-DOS.  There have been several
enhancements to its packet spot interface and SO2R (single-op,
two-radio) functions have been upgraded.  CT also has a novel
"partner mode" that makes multi-op a lot of fun. In the past month,
Ken has decided to make CT a freeware program, as well.

NA - http://www.datomonline.com -- Soon after CT was released, Dave
Pruett K8CC released NA which runs under MS-DOS only.  NA supports
numerous contests by using templates -- 14 templates come with the
program and the user can define custom templates.

TR-LOG - http://www.qth.com/tr -- Breaking with the CT/NA format,
Larry Tyree N6TR created TR-LOG with an eye to minimizing keystrokes
and took a giant step to integrating SO2R functions at the core of
the program.  Running under MS-DOS, TR-LOG supports a large number of
contests "out of the box" and the use of user-settable switches in a
configuration file make it possible to customize many of the program
options to support almost any contest and style of operation.

Writelog for Windows -- http://www.writelog.com - Wayne Wright W5XD
dispensed with MS-DOS entirely, building Writelog as a native Windows
application.  As such, it makes full use of sound cards and network
resources without add-ons or TSR utilities.  Along with logging
features, it has excellent built-in support for RTTY and PSK31 and a
full voice keyer that all use the PC's sound card.

N3FJP's Contest Loggers - http://www.n3fjp.com -- Scott Davis N3FJP
is a very prolific author of logging software with numerous general,
contest, and specialty logging programs available.  Another native to
Windows, the software has full support of LAN functions and Internet
connections to packet.	Each contest is supported by a separate
program.

SD - http://www.ei5di.com -- by Paul O'Kane EI5DI ("Dats a Lot of
Dits!") is a well-known European entry into the logging sweepstakes
and supports a number of contests across the pond.  SD also consists
of separate programs for each contest and the product line offers the
"officially recognized" IOTA Contest logging program.  The SD family
also includes VHF contests and SWL logging software.

N1MM Free Contest Logger - http://pages.cthome.net/n1mm/ - this is an
open-source program running under Windows with a very active user's
group.	RTTY and PSK31 support are built in and the program has a
very nice graphical band-map feature that integrates nicely with
two-radio operations and also offers two-monitor support to make
extra information available on-screen.

VHF Contest Loggers

RoverLog - http://www.2ub.org/roverlog -- aimed specifically at the
special needs of the VHF Rover entrant, Tom Mayo N1MU makes RoverLog
available as free-ware.  It is also an open-source program.  Features
specific to VHF contests, such as schedule management, grid mapping,
and compass displays are built in.

VHF Log by Dave Mascaro W3KM - http://www.qsl.net/w3km -- supports
all of the ARRL VHF and UHF contests and is tailored for the needs of
the VHF contester.  VHF Log is a Windows program.  It also has band
interfacing for transverter control and manages the associated
frequency offsets and calibration.  A voice keyer is also built in.

N3FJP's VHF Contest Log -- see listing above

Specialty Loggers

RTTY by Ray Ortgeisen WF1B - http://www.rttyinfo.net/index.htm -- has
a large following in RTTY contesting circles.  Running under MS-DOS,
this has been the standard for several years.  The site listed above
also lists many other RTTY and digital logging/interface programs.

A collection of loggers that run on palm-top or PDA computers is
listed at
http://www.natworld.com/ars/pages/back_issues/2002_text/0202_text/opt
ions.html.

Most of these programs are written for the MS-DOS or Windows
environment, but users of the Linux operating system or Macintosh
aficionados can find some software for their machines by entering
"contest logging" into one of the Internet search engines and sifting
through the many resulting references.

Wither Logging?

The future for contest logging is bright, if somewhat fractured.  One
intriguing possibility comes, like so many other innovations, via the
Web.  Recently, a Web-based log-entry program (see
http://www.ncjweb.com/manualsprintlog.php) developed by Bruce Horn
WA7BNM allows a casual entrant to enter a paper log electronically,
relaying to the sponsors a Cabrillo-formatted electronic log.  This
surely causes other possibilities to spring to mind. =20

While too sluggish today, can a real-time logging application be far
behind?  And once we have a real-time logger, what's to prevent full
real-time integration with a "back office" server that grabs the QSOs
from contesters as they're made? Contest logging looks an awful lot
like on-line credit-card order processing with each QSO a transaction
that requires authentication and validation.  These functions are
available "off the shelf" only requiring the appropriate user
interface to be constructed. =20

Hmmm.  I log on, run the application, work the contest, and in a few
minutes all of the log checking is complete, the winners announced
with validated scores, and the reflectors immediately fill with
post-contest analysis.	It does give one ideas, doesn't it?

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/

Windows and MS-DOS are trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
THE ARRL CONTEST RATE SHEET is published every other Wednesday (26=20
times each year), by the American Radio Relay League--The National=20
Association For Amateur Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel=20
860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259. Editor: Ward Silver, N0AX.

The ARRL Contest Rate Sheet offers a useful source of timely=20
information for both the active and casual contester. The Rate Sheet=20
includes information about events during the following two-week period,=20
time-sensitive news items, upcoming deadlines, and other news of=20
interest to contesters.

For permission to quote or reprint material from the ARRL Contest Rate=20
Sheet, send a request including the issue date, a description of the=20
material requested, and a description of where you intend to use the=20
reprinted material to the ARRL Editorial & Production Department:=20
[email protected].=20

Editorial questions or comments: Ward Silver, N0AX, [email protected]
Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):=20
[email protected]

The ARRL Contest Rate Sheet is available to ARRL members via email free=20
of charge directly from ARRL HQ. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change=20
your address for e-mail delivery:

ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site,=20
http://www.arrl.org/members/. You'll have an opportunity during=20
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of the ARRL Contest Rate=20
Sheet, W1AW bulletins, and other material. ARRL members may subscribe=20
to the ARRL Contest Rate Sheet by going to the Member Data Page at:=20
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html?modify=3D1 Note that you=20
must be logged in to the site to access this page. Scroll down to the=20
section "Which of the following would you like to receive automatically=20
via email from ARRL?" Check the box for "ARRL Contest Rate Sheet=20
(biweekly contest newsletter)" and you're all set. Past issues of the=20
ARRL Contest Rate Sheet are available at=20
http://www.arrl.org/rate-sheet/. Issues are posted to this page after=20
publication.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D