[W2CRA] 2010 Xtal Radio Contest

[Glenn B]

ANNOUNCING the 2010 Annual W2CRA Crystal Set DX Contest!

A "Back to Basics" contest to:
1) Give us a low-key contest to blow away the winter doldrums
2) Demonstrate that crystal sets are still a viable way to listen for DX signals

The contest:
1) Build a "passive" set to receive AM signals (a radio with NO power source beyond the received signal)
2) Log as many stations as possible in a 24 hour period between 0000 hrs, January 22, 2010 and 2400 hrs, March 8, 2010 AND
3) Log DX signals from as far away as possible

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NOTE: THIS YEAR – WE HAVE A NEW AND SEPARATE CATEGORY FOR “ANY OTHER HOMEBUILT RECEIVER”. 
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The Rules:
Radio Sets must be entered as one of six classes:
	1) Hobby: a) Broadcast Band b) Shortwave
	2) Unlimited: a) Broadcast Band b) Shortwave
	3) Other Homebuilt Receiver: a) Broadcast Band b) Shortwave

Radio must be operated by the builder/entrant.

Your Log will record all stations received during any 24-hour period after 0000 Hrs (local) January 22, 2010 and before 2400 hrs, March 8, 2010. 
The 24-hour period will begin with the first signal logged on the entry form. 
Station operation will be self-audited; this is a contest for gentlemen and ladies. 
Reception will be recorded on a log sheet similar to the one at the end of this document.

Entries must be emailed to the UPLiNK Newsletter at: CRA.UP.LiNK at gmail.com subject line: XTAL CONTEST by midnight, March 10, 2010. Alternatively, you can mail your entry to the W2CRA post office box in Quakertown. Mailed entries must be postmarked by midnight, March 11, 2010. All entries must be received by March 18.
p.s. we prefer email

LOG SHEETS (which are also the entry form) AND OTHER DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM NEWSLETTER AT THE CLUB WEBSITE: www.qsl.net/w2cra/ 

EXAMPLES OF CRYSTAL SET PLANS MAY BE FOUND AT MANY URLs: www.midnightscience.com              www.crystalradio.net.

In addition, H.P.Friedrichs has published some books on scratch building components (www.hpfriedrichs.com/bks-votc.htm) and Dave Schmarder (www.schmarder.com/radios/) has some, truly, beautiful crystal sets at his website and links to lots of technical information.

COMPLETE RULES WILL BE POSTED AT THE W2CRA BUILDER'S GROUP AT http://groups.yahoo.com/group/w2cra/ , distributed through the club’s reflector site and made available at general membership meetings.

Class (1a&b) "Hobby" Sets are passive radios with one tuned circuit. No ferrite rods or toroid cores will be allowed in the Hobby class.

Class (2a&b) "Unlimited": any number of tuned circuits are allowed. Adjustable trap or filter circuits are allowed and tunable antennas are encouraged.

Class (3a&b) "Other Homebuilt Receivers" are radios with ANY other design or operating principle. They may use power from an external power source or scavenged power from a received RF source. The only provision in this class is that the set must have been built by the entrant/operator. 

We encourage you to include photographs of your set with your entry so we can run them in the newsletter or display them in the club scrapbook. A schematic must be included with all entries. Hand drawn schematics are acceptable.

Prizes you're competing for:

Every expense has been spared to bring the following prize:
BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR BUILDING A CREATIVE SET.
Each class of set will have a certificate of achievement awarded to
1) Highest Log Score (overall)
2) Most stations received
3) Farthest DX station
Every entrant will receive a certificate acknowledging their efforts and listing their score in relation to the other contestants.

SCORING:
The log sheet will include:
Your Name, Location, and short description of receiver
Then, for each signal received:
Sequential Log # for station
Time and Date received (EST in 24-hour format)
Callsign or ID of station
Distance from station to your receiver in Kilometers
Power of transmitting station in Kilowatts
Points for receiving that station 

FORMULA TO CALCULATE POINTS:

	(Distance in kilometers / Power in Kilowatts) X 10

If the identity, power, or distance to the station is unknown, take a default score of 50 pts. and move on. If the default score is higher than a calculated score for any given station, take the default score.

In addition, after all of your contacts are scored, add up the total of your scores and, if appropriate, multiply score by the following bonus factors (in sequence):
1) If an adjustable detector (cat's whisker, perikon, or similar) is used; multiply the total score by 1.05
2) If you fabricated any components (e.g., capacitors, resistors) of the set other than the coil, case or breadboard; multiply the total score by 1.05
3) If you fabricated the headset or other listening device; multiply the total score by 1.1
AND 
4) If you are 18 years old or younger; multiply your corrected total score by an additional bonus of 1.1 (after you've taken your other bonus multipliers) - we want to encourage young Hams - they're the future of the hobby.

Note that a more experienced (old) Ham could claim bonuses 1-3 for a set with a homemade detector, homemade capacitors and switches, and homemade headset. A “youthful” builder/operator could trump that by building components to claim bonuses 1-3 AND get the age bonus besides.

The fine print:
The contest is open to members of the Cherryville Repeater Association II, Inc., members of their families and guests. All prizes have little or no monetary value and consist, primarily, of bragging rights and group acknowledgement of a job well done (AND a ‘Hershey’ bar). Judges for the contest will be the members of the newsletter committee. Results of the judging will be submitted to, and certified by, the board of directors before prizes are announced and distributed.