[South Florida DX Association] THE ARRL CONTEST RATE SHEET

[Bill Marx]

I went through this weeks Newsletter and inserted some of the more 
interesting things I found in the letter. I think its one of the best 
Newsletters I've seen.
-Bill W2CQ

TECHNICAL URL OF THE WEEK -- It can be a real struggle to find
Microphone Pinouts, so Jim W7DHC's contribution this week is one to
bookmark. It's a Web site
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rg4wpw/date.html) that describes the
proper pinouts for just about any microphone you might have.  It's an
amazing list!

Contesters in call areas 8, 9 and 0 will enjoy Mike K9NW's "Top 5"
records for the CQW W Contests from 1978 to present, covering
virtually all possible categories. Phone records are available at
http://www.w9smc.com/MasterWW-Phone-v2%200.pdf and the CW set will be
available shortly.

Oh, those naughty "Ham Radio Operators"!  Who knows what trouble
we'll cause?  Find out from this jocular video adventure in
overdubbing (http://youtube.com/watch?v=UKd5hupXJVo) on the YouTube
site! (Thanks, Tim K3LR)

High Speed Club CW Contest, sponsored by the Radio Telegraphy High
Speed Club (HSC) from 0900Z - 1100Z and 1500Z - 1700Z Nov 4.
Frequencies: 80-10 meters, 10-30 kHz above band edge. Categories:
SOAB-LP (<150W), SOAB-QRP (<5W), SWL. Exchange: RST + HSC member
number or "NM". QSO Points: HSC member--5 pts, non-member--1 pt.
Score: QSO points. For more information: http://www.dl3bzz.de. Logs
due 6 weeks after the contest to hsc-contest at dl3bzz.de or Lutz
Schröer, DL3BZZ, HSC Contest-Manager, Am Niederfeld 6, 35066
Frankenberg / Eder, Germany.

Here's a step in the right direction for viewing "the state of HF" -
http://lu9da.dyndns.org/www/prop.html by Rick LU9DA plots the
point-to-point paths of spotting network reports.  Each band is
plotted separately.  What do you think it looked like during CQ WW
last weekend? (Thanks, Martin LU5DX)

Bob N6TV reports that a recent presentation on the OH8X/OH8NC super
station, not far from the Arctic Circle, "absolutely boggles the
mind". Such as?  How about a full-sized 3-element, 160 meter Yagi on
a rotating tower with elements made out of very large steel tower
section? Or a full-sized 5- or 6-element 80 meter Yagi, 80 meters
high. (Both scheduled for installation next year.)  The radios will
be state-of-the-art digital designs with DSP to optimize receive and
transmit phasing of the stacked monobanders. Photos
(http://www.radioarkala.com) are available on-line.

CQ WE (Western Electric)--CW/Phone/Digital, from 1900Z Nov 10 - 0500Z
Nov 12. Frequencies: 160 meters-70 cm (no repeater contacts). Contact
as many hams as possible who currently work for, did work for, or are
retired from any part of the pre-divestiture "Bell System" or any
company created from it. Categories: SOAB (Bell and non-Bell).
Exchange: Call, name, Bell location, years of Bell service (non-Bell
send ZZ and 1). QSO points: equal to years of service. Score: sum of
QSO points × unique location codes worked on each mode. For more
information: http://cqwe.cboh.org. Logs due 1 Dec to
cqwe-2007 at cboh.org or Robert Stampfli KD8WK, 9951 Alliston Dr,
Pickerington, OH 43147.

The recent fatal fall from a tower by Greg N5CLM
(http://tinyurl.com/2frh39) is attributed to his not being attached
to the tower when attempting to climb around a guy point.  Many of us
have done that very thing and lived to tell the tale, but really,
with excellent and inexpensive safety harnesses and lanyards so
readily available, is there ANY excuse for not being secured to the
tower AT ALL TIMES?  The answer is, of course, no.  It's so easy and
effective - please be safe, my friends.

Following the tower accident reported above, Frank W3LPL contributes
this important mental checklist item for every time you reposition
yourself on the tower; Am I tied off to safe tower components ONLY?
On most amateur towers that means your positioning lanyard and fall
arrest lanyard must NEVER wrap around or be fastened to ONLY the
horizontal and diagonal structural members.  Horizontal and diagonal
structural members and welds are never safe for fall protection.
They can be weakened or fail from severe weather or tower overloading
and are rarely strong enough to safely arrest a fall.  Your fall
arrest lanyard must have hooks large enough to fasten around your
tower legs. Your positioning lanyard must ALWAYS wrap around at least
one, and preferably two or three tower legs. Never, never, never use
antenna mounts or other tower accessories for positioning or fall
protection anchorages. If you must position yourself above the top of
your tower, the only safe anchorage is the mast, but only if its
man-safe.  If you're not absolutely certain its man safe (including
the mounting of the mast to the tower) don't do it!



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

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

Material from The Contester's Rate Sheet may be republished orreproduced in
whole or in part in any form without additionalpermission. Credit must be
given to The ARRL Contester's RateSheet/American Radio Relay League.
Editorial questions or comments: Ward Silver, N0AX, rate-sheet at arrl.org
Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
rate-sheet-dlvy at arrl.org

The ARRL Contest Rate Sheet is available to ARRL members via email free
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