[TVARC] FW: Fwd: Joe Taylor/K1JT’s Tips for Using His WSJTx Software in the New “ARRL International Digital Contest”

Fri Jun 3 18:12:36 EDT 2022

Thanks for passing that along, Tony.

I’ve done all the prep work to be ready, and even made some QSOs with contesters up in PA who are apparently getting ready for the contest.

I created a new Configuration, which I called ARRL Intl Dig Contest, and populated it with the suggested frequencies.

In Settings | Advanced, I checked the Special operating activity and NA VHF Contest.  WSJT will pick up your grid square from the General tab.  

In Settings | Colors I removed all the checkmarks except the two suggested.  Note that we don’t really care about working grid squares.  There’s no multiplier in this contest.  Seems weird, I know.  But the scores are calculated by means of awarding big points for distant grids, as far away from us as we can get.  One question I have – K1JT’s instructions suggest we check the box “Highlight also messages with 73 or RR73.”  I’ve looked high and low and can’t find such a box.  Don’t know if it matters.  (BTW, I’m running the current version, 2.5.4.)

You can reset the Cabrillo log now, but wait until just before the contest to rename the wsjtx_log.adi.  Starting the program will generate a new one.

Good luck all and 73,

Pete, K2PS

From: tvarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:tvarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Anthony Wayne Hackenberg via TVARC
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2022 1:32 PM
To: MailList at QTH.net TVARC
Subject: [TVARC] Fwd: Joe Taylor/K1JT’s Tips for Using His WSJTx Software in the New “ARRL International Digital Contest”

Hi Members of TVARC’s MailList (especially those interested in Contesting & Digital Modes FT8/FT4),

Joe Taylor/K1JT, inventor & developer of “WSJT-x” software (FT8/FT4 digital modes), just posted some useful tips for using this software in the new, upcoming ARRL-sponsored digital contest (“ARRL International Digital Contest”).  See K1JT’s e-mail, dated 5/27/2022, which I have embedded below, for his tips.

73,

Tony/K4QR

Begin forwarded message:

From: Joe Taylor via wsjt-devel <wsjt-devel at lists.sourceforge.net>
Date: May 27, 2022 at 12:22:10 EDT
To: WSJT software development <wsjt-devel at lists.sourceforge.net>
Cc: Joe Taylor <joe at princeton.edu>
Subject: [wsjt-devel] ARRL International Digital Contest
Reply-To: WSJT software development <wsjt-devel at lists.sourceforge.net>

Hi all,

In response to questions I've received, here are some details and suggestions for operating in the new ARRL-sponsored digital contest.

Contest Period: 1800 UTC June 4 through 2359 UTC June 5.

Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, and 6m

Modes: any digital mode, except no traditional RTTY.  In practice most contest participants will likely use FT4 and FT8.

Exchange: Four-character grid locator

Scoring: one point per QSO, plus an additional point for every 500 km of distance or portion thereof, with distances measured between grid centers.

Power categories: Low Power (100 W or less) and QRP (5 W or less).  No High Power category.

Full details and contest rules are available here:
https://contests.arrl.org/ContestRules/Digital-Rules.pdf

In particular, take note of the recommended sub-bands and advice about operating frequencies.  Here are the essentials taken from the Contest Rules document:

##############################################################################
FT4 Recommended Sub-bands:
1.836-1.840
3.580-3.590
7.080-7.090
14.080-14.090
21.080-21.090
28.080-28.090
50.330 to 50.340

FT8 Recommended Sub-bands:
1.840-1.844
3.590-3.600 (No Digital above 3600)
7.090-7.100
14.090-14.100
21.090-21.100
28.090-28.100
50.340 to 50.350

When choosing your operating frequency, set the radio dial at the bottom of the sub-band and QSO with stations on audio frequencies within the radio passband typically 2.5-4 kHz wide. If a sub-band becomes crowded, move the radio dial frequency up in 2 kHz increments, as needed. (For example: 7,090, 7.092, 7.094, 7.096 and 7.098).
##############################################################################

Finally, a few suggestions for configuring WSJT-X 2.5.4 for the contest:

1. Go to "File | Settings | Advanced", check "Special operating activity" and "NA VHF Contest".  (Of course this is not a VHF contest, but the exchange and recommended message sequence is the same.)

2. Go to "File | Settings | Colors", check "My Call in message" and "New Call on Band", and uncheck everything else.  Check the box "Highlight also messages with 73 or RR73."  Click OK to dismiss the Settings dialog.

3. Select "File | Reset Cabrillo log".

4. Before the contest starts, select "File | Open log directory", and rename the file wsjtx_log.adi to something else, say wsjtx_log.adi.bak. This ensures that you will start the contest with an empty log.  (After the contest, you will probably want to append your contest QSOs to your backup log and then rename it back to the original "wsjtx_log.adi".)

   -- 73, Joe, K1JT

_______________________________________________
wsjt-devel mailing list
wsjt-devel at lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/wsjt-devel

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/tvarc/attachments/20220603/221cefcd/attachment-0001.html>