No subject

Thu Feb 21 15:38:05 EST 2013

of important dates <http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/critdate.htm> relevant 
to computer programs, algorithms, and operating systems - just in case 
you needed something else to worry about!

EDN magazine often reprints popular designs from years past for which a 
need still exists, such as this analog notch filter 
<http://www.edn.com/design/analog/4410461/Filter-quashes-60-Hz-interference> 
to remove 60 Hz interference.

While aimed at the robotics designer, Servo City's selection of small 
aluminum beams <http://www.servocity.com/html/aluminum_beams.html> looks 
like there is lots of potential for building small antennas and other 
jobs around the ham shack.

Pete N4ZR has been busy! "Before last weekend's (ARRL DX) contest, I had 
a chance to experiment a bit with my voice recordings. One of the 
problems I have always had is that when I try to enunciate clearly I 
slow down and the resulting recording lacks the urgency you expect in a 
contest situation. I also notice stations whose recorded and live audio 
don't sound anything alike and wanted to minimize that as much as 
possible." Here is a method 
<http://lists.contesting.com/archives/html/CQ-Contest/2013-03/msg00111.html> 
Pete found of using the Audacity audio software tools 
<http://audacity.sourceforge.net/> to speed up the recording while still 
keeping enunciation crystal clear.

The first electrostatically-driven graphene speaker 
<http://www.technologyreview.com/view/512496/first-graphene-audio-speaker-easily-outperforms-traditional-designs/> 
matches or outperforms commercially available earphones according to 
this article. Lighter is good, particularly on those long contest 
weekends when you're in "iron bottom" mode. (Thanks, Brian K1BRF)

This week's Instructables project for the ham shack is this clever 
adaptation of a stepladder 
<http://www.instructables.com/id/Ladder-Bookshelf/> to form a set of 
shelves for books, parts, or gear. Change that wobbly old ladder into 
furniture!

Many digital contesters are aware of DL4RCK's RCKSkimmer software, which 
allows skimming of RTTY and other digital signals by scanning for them 
with a conventional receiver. Now Wes, WZ7I has come up with an 
ingenious way to generate seven bands of CW spots and two additional 
bands of digital spots, all from a single QS1R receiver. The Reverse 
Beacon Network is <http://reversebeacon.blogspot.com/> ready for digital 
spots - this will definitely increase the number of spots available to 
digital DXers and contesters worldwide. (Thanks, Pete N4ZR)

You think the 20 meter band was crowded during the RTTY Roundup? You are 
right! Jay WS7I grabbed this graphic off the air during the contest.

Technical mavens would do well to check out the project-packed web page 
of Jim VK5TR <http://www.users.on.net/%7Eendsodds/>. I can smell the 
soldering irons heating up now!

*Technical Web Site of the Week* - In searching for WWVB information, 
Jerry WAÃ˜ACF found an interesting NIST publication 
<http://tf.nist.gov/general/pdf/1383.pdf> containing the history of WWV 
and all of its variations and locations. He says, "I thought it was 
interesting to learn that the second WWV time announcer was replaced 
because he didn't sound enough like the first time announcer."

CONVERSATION

I Can Hear You Now!

I mentioned hearing aids and contests previously in the May 11, 2011 
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues?issue=2011-05-11> issue of 
the /Contest Update/. Recently, I upgraded my hearing aids (I wear one 
in each ear) to a pair of ReSound Forza <http://www.future-resound.com/> 
in-the-ear models. These are nice digital aids with some interesting 
features but the one that will interest most of my readers is the 
Bluetooth <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth> wireless capability 
that links the aids to an "audio streamer" which, in turn, plugs into a 
source of stereo audio, such as a TV or...a ham radio! I really liked 
being able to clearly hear the TV audio piped directly into each ear - 
wow, dialogue, who knew? - so the next stop was to the shack to see how 
they sounded on the bands.

I'll bet you wondered just how those little tiny ferrite beads get on 
the wires!

My grand experiment took place during the January CW NAQP with an SO2R 
setup and during casual operating since. Usually, I wear lightweight 
open-air headphones while contesting unless there is a lot of local 
noise that requires noise-cancelling or closed-muff models. In this 
case, I was the only one at home so this was a great opportunity to try 
the hearing aids and the wireless connection.

It worked great! I set up the streaming device and plugged it into the 
headphone jack. To activate the link, I press-and-hold the program 
select button. The linked-up tones sound and - voila! - full ham radio 
audio just if I was wearing headphones. I moved the streamer to my audio 
switchbox and again, audio just as good as headphones. (To be sure, the 
bass registers are not reproduced by the hearing aid with or without the 
Bluetooth link, but this is not an issue copying CW or most SSB.) 
Furthermore, I could get up and wander around without losing the link - 
maximum range is about 15 feet before dropouts start occurring.

So I operated with and without headphones during the contest and found 
the wireless hearing aids to be fine. The only issue I have had with the 
wireless link is that prolonged use drains the small 312-size batteries 
in less than a day. You'll want to put in fresh batteries before the 
contest and have spares on hand for when they run down. Changing both 
batteries takes about 20 seconds if you're in a hurry.

Gary, AB9M experimented with the T-coils intended for picking up 
telephone handset audio. "In many hearing aids the T-coil program has a 
separate profile since normal telephone audio frequencies are from 300 
to 3000 Hz with a 6 dB per octave rising response providing equal 
loudness." Gary's open-style hearing aids don't work well with regular 
T-coils and headsets due to the combination of external sound and the 
inductively-coupled sound.

He recommends instead J-hooks 
<http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/products/earlinks.htm#musicliks%29%20which> 
which provide no external sound, but do inductively couple to the 
T-coils of my hearing aids to produce sounds inside my hearing aids. He 
can now copy CW, chase DX, or participate in an nets, even as net control!

There are a lot of hams with hearing loss - young and old - out there. 
If that's you, there are more and more options available every day as 
hearing aid technology advances. Don't let hearing loss be a reason to 
go QRT.

73, Ward NÃ˜AX

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CONTESTS

*27 March through 9 April*

An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format 
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar> is available. Check the sponsor's 
Web site for information on operating time restrictions and other 
instructions.

*HF CONTESTS*

CQ WPX SSB Contest--Phone, from Mar 30, 0000Z to Mar 31, 2400Z. Bands 
(MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RS and serial. Logs due: Apr 6. Rules 
<http://www.cqwpx.com/rules.htm>

Poisson d'Avril--Phone, CW, Digital, Mixolidian, from Apr 1, 0059Z to 
Apr 1, 2359Z. Bands: 1970s classic rock is preferred, although a little 
jazz is good now and then. Frequencies: operate as long as you can stand 
it. Exchange: all awards are final and cannot be exchanged no matter how 
much you want to - you operated in the contest, didn't you? Logs due: 
they are due mostly to the vast amount of cheating in this contest, 
which is encouraged and often celebrated. Rules 
<http://poissondavril.webs.com/>

Low Power Spring Sprint--CW, from Apr 1, 1400Z to Apr 1, 2000Z . Bands 
(MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RST, grid square, category. Logs due: 30 days. 
Rules <http://www.hamradio.sk/>

ARS Spartan Sprint--CW, from Apr 2, 0200Z to Apr 2, 0400Z. Bands (MHz): 
3.5-28. Monthly on the first Monday evening local time. Exchange: RST, 
S/P/C, and power. Logs due: 2 days. Rules <http://www.arsqrp.blogspot.com/>

OK1WC Memorial Contest--Phone,CW, from Apr 2, 1600Z to Apr 2, 1659Z. 
Bands (MHz): 3.5, 50,144. First through fourth Monday of each month; see 
website for bands. Exchange: RS(T) and serial. Logs due: 7 days. Rules 
<http://www.hamradio.cz/ok1wc>

NS Weekly Sprint--CW, from Apr 5, 0230Z to Apr 5, 0300Z. Bands (MHz): 
1.8-14. Weekly on Thursday evenings local time. Exchange: Serial, name, 
and S/P/C. Logs due: 2 days. Rules <http://www.ncccsprint.com/rules.html>

LZ Open 40 Meter Contest--CW, from Apr 6, 0400Z to Apr 6, 0800Z. Bands 
(MHz): 7. Exchange: 6-digit serial and serial from previous QSO. Logs 
due: 10 days. Rules <http://www.lzopen.com/>

PODXS 31 Flavors Contest--Digital, from Apr 6, 12 Noon to Apr 6, 6 PM. 
Bands (MHz): 14. Frequencies (MHz): 14.070-14.080. Exchange: S/P/C and 
name or 070 number. Logs due: May 8. Rules <http://www.podxs070.com/>

QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party--CW, from Apr 6, 1200Z to Apr 7, 2359Z. Bands 
(MHz): 1.8-28. Frequencies (MHz): QRP calling frequencies. Exchange: 
RST, S/P/C, power or QRP ARCI number. Logs due: 14 days. Rules 
<http://www.qrparci.org/contests>

SP DX Contest--Phone,CW, from Apr 6, 1500Z to Apr 7, 1500Z . Bands 
(MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RS(T), serial or SP province. Logs due: Apr 30. 
Rules <http://spdxcontest.pzk.org.pl/>

EA RTTY Contest--Digital, from Apr 6, 1600Z to Apr 7, 1600Z . Bands 
(MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST, serial or EA province. Logs due: Apr 27. 
Rules <http://www.ure.es/contest/428-ea-psk31-contest-english-version.html>

Missouri QSO Party--Phone,CW, from Apr 6, 1800Z to Apr 7, 0500Z. 
Multiple operating periods. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Frequencies (MHz): CW 
1.820 and 40 kHz from band edge; Phone - 1.880, 3.825, 7.220, 14.250, 
21.380, 28.350. Exchange: RS(T), serial, MO county or S/P/C. Logs due: 
May 1. Rules <http://www.w0ma.org/>

*VHF+ CONTESTS*

VHF Spring Sprints--Phone,CW,Digital, from Apr 1, 7 PM to Apr 1, 11 PM. 
Bands (MHz): 144. Exchange: Grid square (6-character preferred). Logs 
due: 14 days. Rules <http://sites.google.com/site/springvhfupsprints>

OK1WC Memorial Contest--Phone,CW, from Apr 2, 1600Z to Apr 2, 1659Z. 
Bands (MHz): 3.5, 50,144. First through fourth Monday of each month; see 
website for bands. Exchange: RS(T) and serial. Logs due: 7 days. Rules 
<http://www.hamradio.cz/ok1wc>

Stark County (OH) VHF QSO Party--Phone, from Apr 6, 12 Noon to Apr 6, 4 
PM. Bands (MHz): 144, Frequencies (MHz): FM simplex only, avoid 146.52. 
Exchange: Call sign and QTH. Logs due: May 4. Rules <http://www.w8lky.org/>

LOG DUE DATES

*27 March through 9 April*

  * March 27 - CQC Winter QSO Sprint
    <http://www.cqc.org/contests/winter13.htm>
  * March 28 - AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party
    <http://www.antiquewireless.org/pdf/AWA_2012-2013_Event_Schedule.pdf>
  * March 28 - QRP Fox Hunt <http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/winter_rules.htm>
  * March 28 - Bucharest Contest <http://bucuresti.ynos.ro/cb/index.php/en/>
  * March 28 - RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB
    <http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2013/r80mcc.shtml>
  * March 30 - QRP Fox Hunt <http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/winter_rules.htm>
  * March 30 - CWops Mini-CWT Test <http://www.cwops.org/onair.html>
  * March 31 - AWA John Rollins Memorial DX Contest
    <http://www.antiquewireless.org/pdf/rollins_rules.pdf>
  * March 31 - British Columbia QSO Party
    <http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp_rules.html>
  * March 31 - New Hampshire QSO Party
    <http://www.w1wqm.org/nhqso/NEW_HAMPSHIRE_QSO_PARTY_RULES.pdf>
  * March 31 - Mississippi QSO Party
    <http://www.arrlmiss.org/2013_-_MSQP_Rules.pdf>
  * March 31 - AGCW YL-CW Party
    <http://www.agcw.org/en/?Contests_and_CW-activities:YL-CW-Party>
  * March 31 - AGCW QRP Contest
    <http://www.agcw.org/en/?Contests_and_CW-activities:QRP-Contest>
  * March 31 - NCCC Sprint <http://www.ncccsprint.com/rules.html>
  * March 31 - EA PSK63 Contest
    <http://www.ure.es/contest/428-ea-psk31-contest-english-version.html>
  * March 31 - UBA Spring Contest, 2m
    <http://www.uba.be/hf/contest-rules/spring-contest>
  * March 31 - Russian DX Contest <http://www.rdxc.org/asp/pages/rulesg.asp>
  * March 31 - SKCC Sprint <http://www.skccgroup.com/sprint/sks/>
  * April 1 - AGCW VHF/UHF Contest
    <http://www.agcw.org/en/?Contests_and_CW-activities:VHF-UHF_Contest>
  * April 1 - North Carolina QSO Party
    <http://rars.org/ncqsoparty/ncqp_rules.php>
  * April 1 - SARL VHF/UHF Analogue/Digital Contest
    <http://www.sarl.org.za/Documents/SARL_Contest_Manual_2013_Issue_11.pdf>
  * April 2 - ARRL International DX Contest, SSB
    <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-dx>
  * April 4 - ARS Spartan Sprint <http://www.arsqrp.blogspot.com/>
  * April 6 - CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB <http://www.cqwpx.com/rules.htm>
  * April 6 - FOC QSO Party <http://g4foc.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1143601>
  * April 7 - UBA Spring Contest, SSB
    <http://www.uba.be/hf/contest-rules/spring-contest>
  * April 7 - Nauryz DX Contest <http://www.nauryz-dx-contest.com/>
  * April 7 - Alaska QSO Party <http://kl7yk.us/akqso.htm>
  * April 8 - RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW
    <http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2013/r80mcc.shtml>
  * April 9 - Idaho QSO Party <http://idahoarrl.info/qsoparty/rules.htm>
  * April 9 - NSARA Contest <http://nsara.ve1cfy.net/nsaracst.htm>

ARRL Information

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's 
Contest Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal> and SM3CER's 
Contest Calendar <http://www.sk3bg.se/contest>.

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