[PPRAANet] Contesting

Thu Jan 7 18:19:02 EST 2010

1. A. Yes
2. Any.  I feel the contests help me understand the mode better, 
likewise with radio operation
3. A. Yes.  See 2 above, I discovered that I am having RTTY problems.
4.  B, C.  I can not do high power (well my TS-180S is a 150Watt unit so 
in some contests I could)
5.  Plaques are cool.  But I would like to see a second criteria for a 
plaque related to a minimum number of contacts.
6.  I know I am at a disadvantage unless I cut 1,400 feet off the top of 
the hill I'm on the side of.  So even though I can only work East(ish) I 
have had fun.
7.  a and b.
8.  A. (Yes) most definitely
9.  A.  Obviously.  Could we submit into more than one category 
(example: Mixed and SSB)
10. A. acceptable
11. B.  (My two VHF/UHF SSB rigs died over the last 6 months)
12.  B no need. 
13.  A.
14.  A. (Along this line I would like to see EMCOM, Homebrew, 
Antennas...etc as well)

In addition I would like to see PPRAA as a club put together a contest 
station a couple times a year.  Maybe a QSO party or two as a How-To 
session and a world wide as a true effort.  It seems like a club effort 
could be fun. 

For the longest time I was kind of an anti-contest person (over 25-years 
I'd say).  But over the last couple years I have found contests to be 
fun.  Plus they see to be educational with both operating efficiency and 
secondly with rig and transmission performance.  I think the contests 
really teach how to use all these fancy do-dads stuck all over the radio.

Dan - W0RO

Dick-w0raa wrote:
> Greetings and Happy New Year!
>
> As most, if not all, of you know, I have taken over the Contest Awards
> program for PPRAA.
>
> I would like to ask a few Questions, similar to a poll, to determine if the
> program is worth continuing.  I would like to see it become successful
> and have more contest participation from PPRAA membership.  But, as
> it stands right now, there are only a few that have submitted scores.
> To be successful, we need to have more participation.
>
> You may put your answers to the right of the question, or indicate your
> response with a * next to the answer you choose.  Please participate, and
> please sign your call.  If anybody has any questions, you may e-mail me
> or call me on the landline at (719) 520-0288 here in Colorado Springs.
>
> Dick Thompson - W0RAA
> (719) 520-0288
>
> ______________________________________________________
>
> Here we go:
>
> 1.  I am interested in contesting
>      a:     Yes
>      b:     No
>
> 2.  If I were to enter a contest, I would prefer the following mode:
>      a: SSB
>      b: CW
>      c: RTTY
>      d: Digital (Other than RTTY)
>
> 3.  I need help getting setup to operate in a contest.
>      a:      Yes
>      b:      No
>
> 4. I prefer
>     a: High Power (150 Watts or Higher)
>     b: Low Power (5 to 149 Watts)
>     c: QRP (5 Watts or lower)
>
> 5. I would like to see plaques for First Place in a category and a 
> Certificate
>     for 2nd & 3rd place finishes in a category.
>     a: Yes
>     b: No
>
> 6. I would participate in contests, but feel that I need a better station 
> than I
>     currently have. (i.e. Better antennas; amplifier; better rig; etc.) 
> Please explain
>     below:
>
> 7. I would participate if I could operate with another person(s) in a 
> Multi-Single or
>     Multi-Multi contest operation.
>     (Multi-Single: Multi Ops/Single Radio)
>     (Multi-Multi: Multi Ops/Multi Radios)
>     a: Yes
>     b: No
>
> 8. I would like to see an ongoing award (Plaque) for achieving a total of at 
> least
>     One Million points in contests, with no specific time limit restriction 
> placed on
>     achieving the One Million Points.  It could take a month, a year, 5 
> years, or
>     whatever.  All I would need to do is be a paid member and points would 
> start
>     accumulating On January 1, 2010 and the plaque could only be won one 
> time. It
>     would be an award that everybody could win, not just a single 
> individual.
>     a: Yes
>     b: No
>
> 9. When I submit a score I would like to choose the category I entered to be 
> chosen
>     by me and not by the contest award chairman.
>     a: Yes
>     b: No
>
> 10. The score submission months would be November 1 to October 31 of the
>       following year.  Plaques and certificates to be awarded at the PPRAA 
> Christmas/
>       Holiday dinner.
>       a: Acceptable
>       b: Not acceptable
>
> 11. If I were to participate, I would prefer to participate in:
>      a: VHF/UHF (6 Meters Up)
>      b: HF (160, 80, 40, 20, 15 & 10 meters)
>
> 12. I would like somebody to contact me and help me get setup to do some 
> contesting
>      a: Yes
>      b: No
>      My e-mail address is:                              My phone #:
>
> 13. I hold the following Class of License
>      a: Extra
>      b: Advanced
>      c: General
>      d: Tech Plus
>      e: Tech
>      f: Novice
>
> 14. I would be interested in attending meetings that concentrated on just 
> contesting
>      and how to be an effective operator in a contest.
>      a:  Yes
>      b:  No
>
> I hope that the response to this somewhat unprofessional poll will generate 
> some
> interest in local contesting by PPRAA membership.
>
> Suggested contest Categories are:
>
> Multi-Single/Low Power
> Multi-Single/High Power
> Multi-Single/QRP
>
> Single-Op/Low Power
> Single Op/High Power
> Single Op/QRP
>
> We could add Multi/Multi High Power and Multi-Multi/Low Power if there was 
> interest.
>
> Plaques and Certificates would be awarded to participants who put in an 
> honest effort
> to achieve a score.  No Plaques or Certificates would be awarded to 
> participants who
> call a buddy on the landline, make a contact, then enter in a non-sponsored 
> category in
> order to claim a First Place.  If a group or person operates and indicates 
> school category,
> they must operate from the school location with a written permission of the 
> school.
>
> Dan Scott (W0RO) and Galen Steele (AG0A) have said that they would help with
> the running of the PPRAA Contest Program.
>
> We are open to any and all suggestions.  Keep in mind that all of this 
> (Plaques,
> Certificates, etc.) needs to have the blessing of the PPRAA Board.
>
> Please don't hesitate to ask any questions.  If I don't know an answer, I'll 
> make every
> effort to get an answer.  The only dumb question is the one that isn't 
> asked.
>
>  
>
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