[SFDXA] The ARRL Contest Update for January 28, 2015

Wed Jan 28 07:32:59 EST 2015

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The ARRL Contest Update

January 28, 2015
Editor: Ward Silver, NØAX <mailto:rate-sheet at arrl.org>
/Contest Update/ Archive <http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/>
Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contests/calendar.html>
ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>
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IN THIS ISSUE

  * On Your Marks, Get Set, Sprint! <#Contests>
  * Northern Contests from VT, MN, BC, and FYBO <#Contests>
  * New Rules for DXCC and ARRL VHF+ Contests <#News>
  * HFTA Terrain Files - Automated at Last! <#Newsweek>
  * The Northern Lights Began to Glow <#Sights>
  * ARRL SS and IARU HF Results Online <#Results>
  * Protect that Front End <#Tech>
  * Receive Antennas for All <#Techweek>
  * Field Day - Ham Radio's Open House <#Conversation>

NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO

Now it's your turn to be an on-the-air or in-the-shack Elmer! The School 
Club Roundup is a great opportunity to help students and other new hams 
successfully make contacts. Starting on February 9th, they'll probably 
be on mostly after school but listen for the teams any time! There are a 
couple of fast-paced sprint contests, too - the newly re-sponsored SSB 
Sprint is this weekend and the NCJ-sponsored CW Sprint follows on the 
next weekend.

BULLETINS

There are no bulletins in this issue

BUSTED QSOS

Errors in the previous issue were apparently hard to find!

CONTEST SUMMARY

Complete information <#Contests> for all contests follows the 
Conversation <#Conversation> section

*January 31-February 1*

  * Feld-Hell WAAAEO Sprint
  * Worldwide EME Contest
  * UBA Contest--Phone
  * SSB Sprint
  * OK1WC Memorial Contest (Feb 2)
  * ARS Spartan Sprint--CW (Feb 3)
  * CWOps Weekly Mini-CWT Tests (Feb 4)

*February 7-8*

  * */North American Sprint--CW/*
  * */School Club Roundup /*(Feb 9)
  * NS Weekly RTTY Sprint (Feb 6)
  * NS Weekly Sprint--CW (Feb 6)
  * YL-OM Contest (Feb 6)
  * Triathlon DX Contest
  * Vermont QSO Party
  * YLISSB QSO Party
  * Ten-Ten Winter Phone QSO Party
  * Black Sea Cup International
  * Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon
  * FYBO Winter QRP Field Day
  * Minnesota QSO Party
  * Straight Key Party
  * British Columbia QSO Party
  * XE Int'l RTTY Contest
  * AM QSO Party
  * Classic Exchange--Phone
  * Milwaukee FM Simplex Contest

NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST

At the ARRL Board meeting on January 16-17, changes 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-board-okays-changes-to-dxcc-program-vhf-and-above-contesting-rules> 
were approved to the DXCC program rules regarding remote operation and 
to the VHF+ contest program rules. The DXCC changes aligned the awards's 
rules with those of the ARRL contest program which have been in effect 
for several years. The new rules for VHF+ contesting go into effect with 
the June VHF Contest and allow the use of spotting assistance, 
self-spotting, and multiple-band transmissions in all categories of 
operation. Updates to the online rules for both DXCC and contests will 
be published soon.

On the left is a familiar contester - Felipe NP4Z. His companion is the 
ARRL Southeaster Division's Assistant Director, Otis NP4G, who was also 
very busy as chairman of the Puerto Rico State Convention in Hatillo, PR 
on the islands northwest coast. I had a great time - wonderful 
hospitality at a nice place to be in late January - highly recommended! 
(Photo by NØAX)

Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) contributors (current or prospective) can 
now find everything they need online to be able to send /CW/ and /RTTY 
Skimmer Server/ spots to the RBN using a single /Aggregator/ and a 
single QS1R SDR receiver. The information, plus a new version of 
/Aggregator /is all on the RBN website 
<http://www.reversebeacon.net/pages/Aggregator+19> in three relatively 
small downloads. (Thanks, Pete N4ZR)

It's hard to remember the days before integrated circuits! Here's an 
interesting history, "25 Microchips That Shook The World 
<http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/processors/25-microchips-that-shook-the-world#comments>" 
from /IEEE Spectrum/. One of my favorites is missing but it's hard to 
argue that the collection in the article weren't important. (Thanks, 
Dennis N6KI)

Imagine a multi-dimensional hamfest and you have...a Maker Faire 
<http://makerfaire.com/>! Here are four upcoming events that will have 
something fun for every ham including a combo with the South Florida 
Tropical Hamboree <http://hamboree.org/>:

  * Hamboree Mini Maker Faire (FL): January 30-31
  * Caguas Mini Maker Faire (Puerto Rico): January 31
  * Boulder Mini Maker Faire (CO): January 31-February 1
  * Kalispell Mini Maker Faire (MT): February 28

There are a lot of interesting protocols being devised for HF data. To 
test out their creations, inventors usually get an experimental license 
from the FCC. From the list of those licenses 
<http://www.tvtechnology.com/distribution/0099/list-of-experimental-licenses-reveals-interesting-hf-data-comm-experiments/274152> 
and the stated purpose behind them, we can get an idea of what 
technology might be headed our way! (Thanks, Tim K3LR)

A updated prediction for future solar cycles 
<http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/predict.shtml> has been released by 
NASA. I can't say 10 meter fans will be very happy but the low banders 
are probably celebrating in the streets! Summarizing the report, "Cycle 
24 will be a low cycle very likely to be followed by several other low 
or even lower cycles - supported by the current and historical data. 
Make the most of the current band conditions and upcoming DXpeditions - 
it certainly looks as if we are heading toward a 'Propagation Winter.'" 
(From ARRL Propagation Bulletins 
<http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation> ARLP003 and ARLP004)

Maybe these fancy sunspot spectacles <http://dashtoons.com/Spex.html> 
will help out with propagation and speaking of Gotham beams, they aren't 
/all/ off the air. The story "W3AU, VU2MV, VU2JN and the Gotham Beam! 
<http://www.k3lr.com/2015/beam.htm>" tells the tale of one such 
monobander put to work once again. (Thanks, Tim K3LR)

Could that gigantic radio burst 
<http://science.slashdot.org/story/15/01/19/200205/astronomers-record-mystery-radio-signals-from-55-billion-light-years-away> 
detected from 5.5 billion light years away just be some alien amateur 
testing a new solar-system-sized amplifier? Or maybe it was just the 
start of a CQ Galaxy-Wide Contest! Maybe it was a very short DXpedition 
to a black hole - "This was our first view of the AHHHHHHHhhhhhh....!

Look ma, no hams, er, hands! That's Chip K7JA (left) and Arecibo 
Observatory Head of Telescope Operations and RFI/Spectrum Manager, Angel 
WP3R doing "The Gentry" (after K9PG) on the catwalk of the suspended 
receiver structure. It's a long way down to the dish! (Photo by KL7MF)

The Super Check Partial (SCP) databases used by most contest logging 
software is maintained by Stu K6TU. He is preparing an update to the 
database and requests that you send him recent contest logs. More info 
on the SCP database and contributing logs is available online 
<http://www.supercheckpartial.com/>.

The Missouri QSO Party <http://www.w0ma.org/mo_qso_party/index.html>, 
coming up on April 4-5, has made some major changes to the exchange, 
bands, modes, and other rules this year. Be sure your logging software 
supports these changes. (Thanks, George ABØRX)

Following up on the recent article 
<http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2013/04/green_bank_w_v_where_the_electrosensitive_can_escape_the_modern_world.single.html> 
about the National Radio Quiet Zone and the people who flock there, the 
ARRL relayed a note from Rob N3RW about getting permission to use the HF 
Bruce Array 
<http://rudys.typepad.com/ant/files/antenna_array_80160m.pdf> at the 
National Radio Observatory's <http://www.nrao.edu/> entrance. On 17 
meters, few stations were willing to believe he was running just 5 
watts! The Bruce Array at the entrance to the Green Bank site is a 
rebuild of the antenna used by physicist Karl Jansky who in the 1930s 
studied radio noise for the Bell System's HF radio circuits. More about 
Jansky and the antennas can be found in ARRL Propagation Bulletin 
ARLP004 <http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation>.

*Web Site of the Week* - Stu K6TU has automated the process of 
generating terrain profiles for use with N6BV's /HF Terrain Analysis/ 
(/HFTA/) program. To support /HFTA/'s modeling, a user must first obtain 
a terrain profile which describes the height of terrain around the 
antenna location. This process is cumbersome and time consuming as the 
source of the data must be located, downloaded, then processed with 
/MicroDEM/. Terrain Profile Requests are available to any user with a 
registered account on K6TU.NET <http://k6tu.net> at no charge and no 
subscription to Stu's propagation prediction service is necessary. Stu's 
site maintains copies of both the USGS National Elevation Dataset (for 
the United States) and the NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission dataset 
enabling fast turnaround of requests.

WORD TO THE WISE

In line with this issue's Conversation <#Conversation>piece, what are 
all those Field Day class abbreviations, anyway? The Utah Amateur Radio 
Club figured them all out and posted an explanation 
<http://user.xmission.com/%7Euarc/anounce1.html> on their website. Now 
all we have to do is pick one - hmmmm, 2B or not 2B, that must be the 
question! (Thanks, Tim N9PUZ)

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

No word on whether the geomagnetic storm which sparked this Alaskan 
aurora also created some VHF+ contest propagation but these sounding 
rockets certainly logged some great data! (Photo courtesy of NASA)

A geomagnetic storm erupted during the early hours of January 26th, 
sparking a surprise display of bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. 
Scientists took the opportunity to launch four sounding rockets from 
Alaska's Poker Flat Research Range to study the effect of solar storms 
on the upper atmosphere. You can see a picture of the colorful launch at 
right and more information is available in the Spaceweather 
<http://spaceweather.com/> archives for that date.

Here's a great review 
<https://medium.com/starts-with-a-bang/throwback-thursday-the-camera-that-changed-the-universe-3c3b2c8ad951> 
of the last 25 years of the Hubble Space Telescope, including some 
astonishing images (and some new ones). A ham radio note - Sandra Faber 
(married to Andy AE6Y) was the scientist who figured out what was wrong 
with Hubble's mirrors and how to fix it. She was recently awarded the 
National Medal of Science <http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Sandra+M.+Faber> 
- well done! (Thanks, Bob N6TV)

What really is the difference between a hard drive (HD) and a 
solid-state drive (SSD)? This video 
<http://www.engineeringtv.com/video/What-s-the-Difference-Between-a> 
explains the two technologies and shows how they are constructed.

What would have happened if Google had been invented in the 1960s 
<http://www.masswerk.at/google60/>? Let's just say you'd be playing with 
a full deck! (If you get that joke, you're officially a computer science 
old-timer.) And you can play /Spacewar /on it, too, the game with the 
first-ever hyperspace button.

RESULTS AND RECORDS

The ARRL Contest Branch's Contest Results Page 
<arrl.org/contest-results-articles> is a busy place these days as both 
sets of preliminary results for the November Sweepstakes by VE4XT (CW) 
and N2IC (Phone) have been posted. The complete 2014 IARU HF 
Championship package is about to be published as soon as staff can 
return to work after the snow, including the full results by Nate N4YDU 
which are already published, Line Scores in an expanded format developed 
by John K9JK; and Log Checking Reports. (The latest IARU results have 
changes in the Top Ten tables for CW QRP due to a disqualification.) 
Plus, PDF versions of the /QST /articles for the August UHF and 10 GHz 
and Up Contests are now available. (Thanks, ARRL Contest Branch Manager, 
Matt W1MSW)

Two more fellows whose calls are probably in your log - Eric NP3A (left) 
and Tele KP4P - were spotted at the Contest University (CTU) sessions of 
the Puerto Rico State Convention. (Photo by NØAX)

The June VHF Contest section records have been updated through 2014 and 
are now on the ARRL Contest Records 
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-records> web page. In addition, the CQ WW 
VHF Contest High Score Lists <http://www.cqww-vhf.com/records.htm?> 
through 2014 have been posted. Please contact Curt K9AKS 
<mailto:croseman at usc.edu> with additions or corrections.

OPERATING TIP

What happens if you enter "Cut Numbers 
<http://www.qsl.net/zs1an/contesting_faq.html#cut-numbers>" in QSO lines 
of a Cabrillo-formatted log? You'll be hearing lots of them in the 
upcoming ARRL DX CW Contest, so here's the straight scoop. First, the 
character string is read from the submitted log. Then...

 1. Any instance of W or WATTS are removed from the string.
 2. If the string is one character long containing K, it is transformed
    to 1000
 3. Similarly, 1K and KILO become 1000
 4. All characters are removed which are not a numeral (0-9), A, E, N,
    T, or O
 5. Replacements are then made: 'A' with '1', 'E' with '5', 'N' with
    '9', 'T' with '0', and 'O' with '0'
 6. If the result is 000, it is replaced with 1000
 7. Finally, the resulting set of characters are converted to an integer
    value for checking against other logs.

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TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION

Rather than learn about receiver front-end protection the hard way, Pete 
N4ZR developed his front-end protector 
<%3chttp:/www.pvrc.org/%7En4zr/Articles/Simple%20Protection%20for%20the%20Fledgling%20SO2R%20Station.pdf> 
with the help of George W2VJN. It costs less than $5 and is easy to 
build, too!

The article "Satellite Anatomy 101 
<http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/out-of-this-world-design/4438371/Satellite-anatomy-101>" 
in /EDN/ magazine is a great overview of commercial satellite 
technology. Amateur satellite users will also find a lot of useful 
information there.

Frank KR1ZAN relays word of an Instructables project 
<http://www.instructables.com/id/Dead-Bug-Prototyping-and-Freeform-Electronics/?ALLSTEPS> 
with some ideas on "dead bug prototyping" and creating some electronic 
conversation pieces. He also provides the hot tip that Dremel has 
released a new line of VersaFlame™ <VersaFlame%E2%84%A2> and VersaTip™ 
<http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Tools/Pages/ToolDetail.aspx?pid=2000-01#.VMFLo8b7a0c> 
butane torches.

Where do your KP4 QSL Bureau cards go? Bureau Manager, Luis KP4WI, makes 
sure they get to the right place! (Photo by NØAX)

Here are a couple bargain-hunter tips from Evan K9SQG: 
Full-circumference fuel line clamps from an auto parts store can be used 
to hold shield braid on the connections of a vacuum relay. For restoring 
bases of microphones and other appliances, you'll find adhesive-backed 
felt in fabric stores. (Thanks, Evan K9SQG)

Two recent articles in the January 2015 issue of /High Frequency 
Electronics <http://www.highfrequencyelectronics.com/>/ are of interest 
to amateurs: "Changing the Operating Frequency of an RF Power Amplifier" 
by Donna Vigneri KF7SJF and "Achieving First-Pass Success in PCB-Based 
Filter and Matching Circuit Designs" by Muir, Dunleavy, and Weller. The 
issue is available in the online archives.

The day of not having to etch away copper to create a printed-circuit 
board seems to be here. Finally, the name "printed-circuit" is accurate! 
The new Voxel8 3D printer 
<http://www.gizmag.com/voxel8-3d-electronics-printer/35489/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=fdafc9632a-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-fdafc9632a-91581189> 
uses a new silver-based highly conductive ink instead of the 
carbon-based inks in previous printers. (Thanks, Dennis N6KI)

Field emission devices are starting to get some attention again as 
described in the /IEEE Spectrum /article, "Introducing the Vacuum 
Transistor: A Device Made of Nothing 
<spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/devices/introducing-the-vacuum-transistor-a-device-made-of-nothing>". 
(Thanks, Bill W8LV)

*Technical Web Site of the Week* - Eric NO3M has developed quite a 
system for distributing the signals of receive antennas to a variety of 
receivers. He wrote it up as an article 
<http://ncjweb.com/features/mayjun12feat.pdf> published in the May/June 
2012 issue of the /National Contest Journal/. It can handle up to 128 
physical antennas and four receivers, controlled via an RS-485 serial 
interface.

CONVERSATION

Field Day - Ham Radio's Open House

With a blizzard blanketing our New England hams, isn't it a bit too 
early to be thinking about Field Day? (I hear all of you Field Day 
committees laughing out there!) Successful planning is already getting 
underway and may have been going on for some time. Having been on both 
sides of the fence, I can tell you that waiting until April to start the 
process is a good way to miss the boat! Knowing that my readers include 
leaders from across the amateur spectrum, I ask, "How can we make a 
difference?"

Last year was a time of celebration and reflection on our first century 
but it's time to take off the party hats and look to the future. Our 
society is awash in wireless technology and users of it. Let's take our 
story to those users, awaken them to the presence of radio among them, 
and show them how they can participate, whether from a scientific 
interest, to provide a service to their fellow citizens, or simply to 
enjoy connecting with other peoples.

Here are some sidewalk solar astronomers from the Sociedad de Astronomia 
del Caribe in front of the Puerto Rico State Convention last weekend. 
Note the interest of kids and teens! (Photo by NØAX)

Instead of hiding our Field Day operations in some out of the way 
location, set up shop where the public can't possibly miss noticing your 
activity. After all, following a disaster, it's likely that you'll be 
providing public service from just such a location, so it's good 
practice. Imagine your group operating from a city park or the local 
sports field complex, attracting a steady stream of passers-by, kids 
between games, families out for a picnic, a bicycle club - anyone having 
some weekend fun.

"What is this beehive of activity with the antennas and tents? It's a 
ham radio open house, and look, they have free coffee and cookies!" Ten 
minutes later, they're on their way with some information in their heads 
and a handout in their pocket, or better yet, they've stored your club's 
website address in their smartphone. They now know a lot more about 
Amateur Radio than they did at breakfast!

Field Day is structured perfectly to act as our version of "open house." 
A typical group will be active on HF with voice, supported by CW and 
digital mode operation. Taking advantage of the "free" VHF station, an 
all-band rig will be making QSOs on 6 meters and up with some simple 
antennas on a temporary mast. Someone will have an FM rig monitoring the 
talk-in and simplex channels for a few more QSOs. Someone else will set 
up an alternative power source since the bonus points encourage 
innovation and experimentation. A Get On The Air (GOTA) station will 
allow visitors to try voice or PSK31 contacts. The ARES folks might 
bring their comm trailer or set up a portable station. That 
all-important radiogram to the Section Manager could be sent through the 
Winlink system. Here, take a look at this APRS map! And so forth.

I assume that I have lots of experienced readers with a lifetime of 
operating and station construction experience. Let's put that to work 
showing our fellow citizens what we're about. While the late-night CW 
shift is important, become a ham radio ambassador for the weekend, as 
well. Instead of focusing exclusively on QSO totals, make your metric 
for success the number of flyers, business cards, and QR code scans you 
disburse to the visitors.

We all know a friendly CQ will bring out the callers and so, too, will a 
welcoming layout encourage visitors to take a look. Instead of setting 
up what looks like a crime scene investigation or a defensive perimeter 
around Fort Wireless, make it easy for someone to overcome their natural 
hesitancy and visit our world. Even better, go out to where they are, 
invite them in, and ask them about their interests! Assign your group's 
chattier members to show them around. Create a Visitor's Logbook and 
record each Visitor QSO with just as much relish as working a new 
section. Get their contact information and follow up afterwards with 
more radio goodies and an invitation to a club function geared toward 
the non-ham.

Be ready for the inevitable "Do you still do that?" question with "Not 
only do we still do that but look at this!" It's a pretty safe bet that 
most of the public is completely unaware of what radio can do. Set up a 
long-distance WiFi link using the 2.4 GHz amateur channels with a 
cool-looking Yagi or "barbeque-grill" dish. Will there be a visible ISS 
pass around sunset? If so, help people see it for the first time and 
while you're at it, digipeat through its on-board packet system. Got a 
telescope? Point it at the Moon and invite one of the local moonbouncers 
to fire up and bounce a signal off the lunar surface. Set up a workbench 
and use the time to build a kit, make cables, assemble an antenna, write 
a program...do stuff!

The future of Amateur Radio depends on us. The ARRL can open doors, 
provide materials, suggest and share ideas, but individual hams have to 
close the sale, just as our Elmers did for us. We can't do it behind 
closed gates. After all, "The more you do anything that don't look like 
advertising the better advertising it is." said Will Rogers. Now it's 
open house, are we ready?

73, Ward NØAX

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CONTESTS

*28 January through 10 February*

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*

*/North American Sprint/*--CW, from Feb 8, 0000Z to Feb 8, 0359Z. Bands 
(MHz): 3.5-14. Exchange: Both call signs, serial, name, and S/P/C. Logs 
due: 7 days.Rules <http://www.ncjweb.com>

*/School Club Roundup/*--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 9, 1300Z to Feb 13, 
2359Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50+. Exchange: RS(T), Class, S/P/C. Logs 
due: 15 days.Rules <http://www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup>

Feld-Hell WAAAEO Sprint--Digital, from Jan 31, 0000Z to Jan 31, 2359Z. 
Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, Feld-Hell member nr. Logs 
due: 7 days.Rules <http://www.feldhellclub.org>

UBA Contest--Phone, from Jan 31, 1300Z to Feb 1, 1300Z. Bands (MHz): 
3.5-28. Exchange: RS, serial, and ON province. Logs due: 2 weeks.Rules 
<http://www.uba.be/en/hf/contest-rules>

SSB Sprint--Phone, from Feb 1, 0000Z to Feb 1, 0400Z. Bands (MHz): 
3.5-14. Exchange: Both call signs, serial, name, and S/P/C. Logs due: 7 
days.Rules <http://ssbsprint.com>

OK1WC Memorial Contest--Phone,CW, from Feb 2, 1630Z to Feb 2, 1730Z. 
Bands (MHz): 3.5, 7. Weekly on Monday, see website for bands. Exchange: 
RS(T) and serial. Logs due: 5 days.Rules <http://www.memorial-ok1wc.cz>

ARS Spartan Sprint--CW, from Feb 3, 0200Z to Feb 3, 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>

CWOps Weekly Mini-CWT Tests--CW, from Feb 4, 1300Z - See website. 
Multiple time periods. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Weekly on Wednesday, 28 to 
38 kHz above band edge. Exchange: Name and member number or S/P/C. Logs 
due: 2 days.Rules <http://www.cwops.org/cwt.html>

NS Weekly RTTY Sprint--Digital, from Feb 6, 0145Z to Feb 6, 0215Z. Bands 
(MHz): 3.5-14. Weekly on Thursday evenings local time. Exchange: Serial, 
name, and S/P/C. Logs due: 2 days.Rules <http://www.ncccsprint.com>

NS Weekly Sprint--CW, from Feb 6, 0230Z to Feb 6, 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>

YL-OM Contest--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 6, 1400Z to Feb 8, 0200Z. 
Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: Call sign, RST, serial and S/P/C. Logs 
due: 30 days.Rules <http://www.ylrl.org>

Triathlon DX Contest--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 7, 0000Z to Feb 7, 
2359Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RS(T) and serial. Logs due: 28 
Feb.Rules <http://www.triathlon-dx-contest.gr>

Vermont QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 7, 0000Z to Feb 8, 2400Z. 
Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144. Exchange: RS(T) and VT county or S/P/C. 
Logs due: 30 days.Rules <http://www.ranv.org>

YLISSB QSO Party--CW, from Feb 7, 0000Z to Feb 8, 2359Z. Bands (MHz): 
1.8-28. Exchange: Call sign, RS(T), ISSB number. Logs due: Mar 21.Rules 
<http://www.ylsystem.org>

Ten-Ten Winter Phone QSO Party--Phone, from Feb 7, 0001Z to Feb 8, 
2359Z. Bands (MHz): 28. Exchange: Call sign, name, QTH, 10-10 number. 
Logs due: 15 days.Rules <http://www.ten-ten.org>

Black Sea Cup International--Phone,CW, from Feb 7, 1200Z to Feb 8, 
1159Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RS(T) and HQ ID, member nr or ITU 
zone. Logs due: 30 days.Rules <http://www.bscc.ucoz.ru>

Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from Feb 7, 1200Z to Feb 7, 2359Z. 
Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, member nr if member. 
Logs due: 5 days.Rules <http://www.skccgroup.com>

FYBO Winter QRP Field Day--Phone,CW, from Feb 7, 1400Z to Feb 7, 2400Z. 
Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RS(T), S/P/C, name, power, temp in deg F. 
Logs due: 30 days.Rules <http://www.azscqrpions.com>

Minnesota QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 7, 1400Z to Feb 7, 
2359Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. CW 1.850, 3.550, 7.050, 14.050, 21.050, 
28.050; SSB 1.870, 3.850, 7.250, 14.270, 21.350, 28.450 MHz. Exchange: 
Name and MN county or S/P/C. Logs due: Mar 15.Rules <http://www.w0aa.org>

Straight Key Party--CW, from Feb 7, 1600Z to Feb 7, 1900Z. Bands (MHz): 
3.5. Exchange: RST, serial, category, name, age. Logs due: Feb 28.Rules 
<http://www.agcw.de>

British Columbia QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 7, 1600Z to Feb 
8, 0400Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. CW 1.815, 3.535, 7.035, 14.035, 21.035, 
28.305; SSB 1.845, 3.85, 7.23, 14.25, 21.3, 28.4 MHz; Digital per band 
plan. Exchange: RST and BC district or S/P/Territory or DX. Logs due: 
Mar 31.Rules <http://orcadxcc.org>

XE Int'l RTTY Contest--Digital, from Feb 7, 1800Z to Feb 8, 1759Z. Bands 
(MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST and XE state or serial. Logs due: 30 
days.Rules <http://www.rtty.fmre.mx>

AM QSO Party--Phone, from Feb 7, 2300Z to Feb 8, 2300Z. Bands (MHz): 
1.8-14. Exchange: RS, name, and S/P/C. Logs due: 4 weeks.Rules 
<http://www.antiquewireless.org>

Classic Exchange--Phone, from Feb 8, 1400Z to Feb 9, 0800Z. Bands (MHz): 
1.8-28, 50,144, AM--1.890, 3.880, 7.160, 7.290, 14.286, 21.420, 29.000, 
50.400, 144.300; SSB--1.885, 3.870, 7.280, 14.270, 21.370, 28.390, 
50.125, 144.200 MHz. Exchange: RST, QTH, model of rcvr and xmtr. Logs 
due: 30 days.Rules <http://www.classicexchange.org>

*VHF+ CONTESTS*

*/School Club Roundup/*--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 9, 1300Z to Feb 13, 
2359Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50+. Exchange: RS(T), Class, S/P/C. Logs 
due: 15 days.Rules <http://www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup>

Worldwide EME Contest--Phone,CW, from Jan 31, 0000Z to Feb 1, 2400Z. 
Bands (MHz): 144, 432. Exchange: TMO/RS(T) and "R". Logs due: Jun 
15.Rules <http://www.dubus.org>

Vermont QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 7, 0000Z to Feb 8, 2400Z. 
Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144. Exchange: RS(T) and VT county or S/P/C. 
Logs due: 30 days.Rules <http://www.ranv.org>

Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from Feb 7, 1200Z to Feb 7, 2359Z. 
Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, member nr if member. 
Logs due: 5 days.Rules <http://www.skccgroup.com>

Classic Exchange--Phone, from Feb 8, 1400Z to Feb 9, 0800Z. Bands (MHz): 
1.8-28, 50,144, AM--1.890, 3.880, 7.160, 7.290, 14.286, 21.420, 29.000, 
50.400, 144.300; SSB--1.885, 3.870, 7.280, 14.270, 21.370, 28.390, 
50.125, 144.200 MHz. Exchange: RST, QTH, model of rcvr and xmtr. Logs 
due: 30 days.Rules <http://www.classicexchange.org>

Milwaukee FM Simplex Contest--Phone, from Feb 8, 1900Z to Feb 8, 2130Z. 
Bands (MHz): 50-440. Exchange: Call sign and 4-char grid square. Logs 
due: Mar 16.Rules <http://www.w9rh.org>

LOG DUE DATES

*January 28 through February 10*

  * January 29 - QRP Fox Hunt <http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/winter_rules.htm>
  * January 30 - CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW <http://www.cq160.com/rules.htm>
  * January 30 - SKCC Sprint <http://www.skccgroup.com/sprint/sks/>
  * January 31 - Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party
    <http://arlhs.com/LCL-2014.html>
  * January 31 - Original QRP Contest
    <http://www.qrpcc.de/contestrules/oqrpr.html>
  * January 31 - RAC Winter Contest
    <https://www.rac.ca/en/rac/programmes/contests/files/2014%20Winter%20Contest%20Rules%20%20-%20English-French.pdf>
  * January 31 - AGCW Happy New Year Contest
    <http://www.agcw.org/index.php/en/contests-and-cw-activities/happy-new-year-contest>
  * January 31 - SARTG New Year RTTY Contest
    <http://www.sartg.com/contest/nyrules.htm>
  * January 31 - QRP Fox Hunt <http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/winter_rules.htm>
  * January 31 - CWops Mini-CWT Test <http://www.cwops.org/cwt.html>
  * February 1 - NCCC Sprint Ladder <http://www.ncccsprint.com/rules.html>
  * February 1 - International Naval Contest
    <http://www.marinefunker.de/eng/show.php3?pos=16>
  * February 1 - NCCC RTTY Sprint <http://www.ncccsprint.com/rttyns.html>
  * February 1 - Locust QSO Party <http://www.k6vva.com/lqp/LQP58_Rules.pdf>
  * February 3 - Kid's Day <http://www.arrl.org/kids-day>
  * February 3 - ARRL RTTY Roundup <http://www.arrl.org/rtty-roundup>
  * February 5 - ARS Spartan Sprint <http://www.arsqrp.blogspot.com/>
  * February 7 - Feld Hell Sprint
    <https://sites.google.com/site/feldhellclub/Home/contests/sprints/waaaeo-sprint>
  * February 8 - EUCW 160m Contest <http://www.eucw.org/eu160.html>
  * February 8 - QRP ARCI Fireside SSB Sprint
    <http://www.qrparci.org/contests/fireside-sprint>
  * February 8 - North American SSB Sprint Contest
    <http://ssbsprint.com/rules/>
  * February 9 - REF Contest, CW
    <http://concours.ref-union.org/reglements/actuels/reg_cdfhf_dx.pdf>

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's 
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