[PaQSO] PRTC: A Thought for 2004
Ron Notarius WN3VAW
[email protected]
Wed, 15 Oct 2003 19:38:23 -0400
RE: [PaQSO] PRTC: A Thought for 2004Hi Bob,
Thanks for the encouragement. I was beginning to wonder there... <g>
To answer a few points you brought up...
Yes, I have been thinking about this for a long time. The original =
idea, dating back a few years, was to try and get my fellow members of =
the WASH club, and later the WASH and WACOM clubs (now that I'm also =
involved with WACOM) to try and activate some of the rarer counties. =
Now, WASH has been very succesful over the years with our club stations, =
between the "home" station running in either Washington or Allegheny =
counties (for those who for whatever reasons could not travel to one of =
the more distant counties from home base), and from Clarion, =
Somerset/Westmoreland, and this year Fayette Counties. Still, while =
having a M/M activate a county was a good idea, I've always wanted to =
try to do something a touch better. But WASH just doesn't have enough =
active members (in the contest, that is) right now to pull off a large =
group effort in & of itself. So the thought then expanded to recruiting =
some of the other area clubs (WACOM, Skyview, Steel City, North Hills, =
Foothills, and so on) to do the same thing. And if you're going to go =
THAT far, well...=20
The basic concept of the 2 person 1 transmitter team as proposed would =
be a relatively easy way to get a modest portable station up and running =
relatively quickly. Two hams can probably get a dipole or long wire up =
in some trees in a hurry, and most HF verticals can be easily broken =
down into small, easily transportable pieces. One transmitter means not =
having to worry about cross-band QRM, and it simplifies logging (the SN =
problem). No linear means that you don't have to go overboard with =
power, especially if you choose to run off batteries. Not using =
existing stations means that everyone is using similar setups, and no =
one has a built-in advantage from an existing, comfortable, =
ready-to-go-shack (and no tempting extra antennas or linears or packet =
nearby either). Two operators means that one can take a break during =
slower times and still keep on the station on the air, and can make some =
interesting comparisons (especially if one's a good phone op & one's a =
good CW op). Most importantly, as you noticed, this doesn't require =
any changes in the main contest rules. Heck, it doesn't even have to be =
a separate category from Portable in the main contest results.
Now the parallels with, and inspiration from, the various WRTC's is a =
more recent addition to the idea. Remember, part of the purpose of this =
is to attract more contesters to our little endeavor. And that's part =
of what makes the WRTC's so attractive to the participants -- being able =
to pit the teams against each other under similar conditions with =
similar stations, which means that the operators skill and experience =
ought to win out over the latest and greatest radio and antenna =
technology (ie, you can't buy the contest with a superior rig and/or =
antenna). But let's also remember that WRTC is our equivalent of an =
"Olympic" level. What I'm talking about wouldn't be anywhere near that =
lofty. It also means that anyone who wanted to could play -- which =
might attract some who would like to one day be considered good enough =
to be invited to a WRTC. And I think that this could bring out some =
real friendly competition among many contesters out there.
Having modest stations also means that it's not a "given" that every =
county will be EASY to work. Knowing that each county is active is one =
thing (some of us OF's, er, OT's remember when it was RARE that all 67 =
were QRV, even with the mobiles) -- but you still have to work them!
I do feel firmly that some way (as yet unknown) would need to be figured =
out to determine which team would go where. Obviously you don't want to =
find out the week before the 'test that you've been assigned a county =
hundreds of miles away, in which case you choose not to go (and that =
county goes "dark" before the 'test even begins). Just as obviously, =
you don't want 10 or 15 teams all clustered in or near the same state =
park/state gamelands QRM'ing each other, while an adjacent county has =
none. So this would have to be worked on. Possibly ask each team for a =
list of 3 or 4 potential counties of their choice, and then it's up to =
that team to find the appropriate location within it's assigned county =
-- and each county must be assigned once in each "round" before it comes =
up again. (I don't know how likely is that you'd get 67 teams the first =
time out, but you never know)
The more I think about it, the less I like the 1x1 calls. I'm not sure =
you'd WANT to single the PRTC teams out, so perhaps that's better left =
alone. Especially the first time out, the KISS principle should apply =
as much as possible/practical.
And most importantly... if we do this (and it doesn't have to be done by =
NARC, we the Pa QSO community could do it ourselves, remember that), =
publicity is the key. I'd bet that you WOULD attract some decent, good, =
and very good contesters from various parts just for the challenge.
Thoughts?
73, ron wn3vaw
"Gentlemen! You can't fight in here! This is the WAR Room!"
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Bob Crossland=20
To: 'Ron Notarius WN3VAW' ; Pa QSO Party Reflector=20
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 2:33 PM
Subject: RE: [PaQSO] PRTC: A Thought for 2004
If I could make one comment, for now anyway. =20
Ron's idea has no affect on the current rules, scoring guidelines, =
records, etc, etc. This would be a brand new, add-on category, so I =
would think it inappropriate for anyone to suggest "it ain't broke so =
don't fix it".
I personally find this a very, very interesting suggestion. The =
concept of assigning teams to specific locations may be somewhat of a =
challenge, but I think this is a great foundation.
I'm anxious to hear others opinions on this Ron. You've obviously put =
a significant amount of thought into it and, as a true lover of our =
PaQP, I say thanks for the suggestion.
Bob, N3FR=20
-----Original Message-----=20
From: Ron Notarius WN3VAW [mailto:[email protected]]=20
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2003 9:49 PM=20
To: Pa QSO Party Reflector=20
Subject: [PaQSO] PRTC: A Thought for 2004=20
You ever get a feeling that you're on to something and you just can't =
let it=20
go? I've had that feeling ever since I replied to Larry N2OCW a =
little=20
while ago. The germ of the idea was trying to put a 2-person team in =
every=20
county for next year's affair -- and how. I made mention of doing =
something=20
on the lines of a local version of the World Radiosport Team =
Championship=20
(WRTC) competitions that we've seen over the last few years. It's =
been=20
bugging me ever since; can't even enjoy the baseball game, it's =
annoying me=20
so much! <g>.=20
So here's a thought (not so much as suggested rules but a guideline at =
this=20
point in time).=20
What do you think?=20
The Contest Within The Contest: PaQSO [Party] Radio Team Competition =
(PRTC)=20
1. PRTC will take place during and as part of the Pa QSO Party=20
2. All rules of the PaQP will be followed. PRTC teams disqualified =
from=20
PaQP are also disqualified from PRTC=20
3. PRTC stations will consist of:=20
a. 2 person teams (no more, no less) running Portable stations. =
b. Maximum output power 100 Watts (no linears). No QRP =
category.=20
c. Single transmitter only. (Backup equipment is OK, but only =
one=20
transmitter QRV at a time -- and not running the backup transmitter on =
another band to hunt for mults.)=20
d. Simple HF antennas, maximum 3 -- dipoles, longwires, =
beverages,=20
trap verticals (or equivalent). No beams, no log periodics, nothing =
fancy.=20
Teams choosing to run VHF are permitted a single 2 meter VHF antenna, =
70 cm=20
UHF antenna, or 2/70 dual band antenna for contest purposes. V/UHF=20
antennas used for non-contest communicating are excluded from that =
count=20
(ie, you can run a single V/UHF antenna to work contest stations, but =
if you=20
want to turn a beam towards your home repeater to talk to your =
friends, that=20
one doesn't count -- and is a separate antenna system anyway)=20
e. No packet.=20
f. Stations will be "true" portables. Borrowing an existing =
shack=20
from another amateur or a club station or equivalent is NOT permitted. =
Running a mobile station with fixed antennas is not permitted (ie no=20
potential Rovers). The idea is that each team will set up it's =
station from=20
"scratch" and tear it down when their operation is completed.=20
g. To the best of their ability, each station will be =
operational for=20
the entire contest period. This is not to say that the team can't =
take a=20
short break to share a meal, or for related reasons, and it is =
understood=20
that Murphy happens. But the team must be committed to being on the =
air as=20
much as possible during the PaQP operating period.=20
4. Both operators must be licensed amateurs. Both must operate; =
they may=20
take turns operating, or one may log as the other operates, but BOTH =
must=20
participate (no phantom second ops), and for a reasonably significant =
time=20
period (not a token one) -- this is a "team" category! (They would =
not=20
necessarily be FCC licensed, but they must be licensed --and if not by =
the=20
FCC must have permission to operate in the US)=20
5. PRTC teams are only permitted in the 67 Pennsylvania Counties.=20
Stations QRV from outside PA are not eligible for the PRTC.=20
Now that's the raw, basic idea. How far to go with this? Well, that=20
depends (remember, we'd want to keep it "fun" and we'd also want to =
attract=20
all sorts of ops, not just the "power contester" types)=20
a. Charge an entry fee? Only if this goes towards the cost of =
prizes=20
etc. (t-shirts for participants?)=20
b. Pre-register teams?=20
c. Who determines which teams go where... remember, part of the =
idea is=20
to make sure EVERY county is QRV, so you'd want to place one team in =
every=20
county before "doubling up."=20
d. WRTC had a certain number of teams picked from various countries =
and=20
regions of the world, in addition to "at large" teams. Now I wouldn't =
want=20
to go THAT far -- open it to any and all, I say -- but one thought =
would be=20
that the members of each team may have to belong to the same club, or =
be=20
sponsored by that club.=20
e. Do you run with special calls? IE, would you apply for 1x1 =
calls to=20
be used by the teams -- and again, who applies for them and who =
assigns=20
them -- or let each team pick their own call to use? And if they pick =
their=20
own, could they use the call of a club they belong to?=20
Again, I could go into a lot more detail, but not just yet. I'd like =
to=20
hear from some others out there, and if I'm off base, well, it =
wouldn't be=20
the first time. But what a way to attract interest to the contest,=20
especially with the sun spots on their way down!=20
73, ron wn3vaw=20
"Gentlemen! You can't fight in here! This is the WAR Room!"=20
_______________________________________________=20
PaQSO mailing list=20
[email protected]=20
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/paqso=20
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