*** forwarder's note***
Please see the html version of this electronic newsletter for correct
display of any url reproduced. These may be garbled in transfer
between networks.
*** end forwarder's note ***
The ARRL Contest Update
Published by the American Radio Relay League
********************************************
November 7, 2012
Editor: Ward Silver, N0AX
==> IN THIS ISSUE
- QRV for QTC? - Worked All Europe RTTY
- Old-Timers Game - Homebrew and Oldtime Contest
- A Year's Worth of Contests
- Looking at the World
- Catch the Wave in 1925
- Field Day Fun Final Filed
- Where's True North? The Shadow Knows!
- Professional Hints and Kinks
- Xtremely-Fun Contesting
NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO
If you are into the digital modes, try for some RTTY DX in the final
Worked All Europe weekend. The special "QTC" rule gives the WAE a
special flavor all its own. Sweepstakes resumes on the following
weekend by filling up the phone bands. Make sure you have the latest
logging software to get full credit for all four of the new VE3
sections!
BULLETINS
This is a generic bulletin - don't forget to send in your logs! The
deadlines for all of the major contests have been made much shorter and
with all the big events in November, it is too easy to lose track of
things.
BUSTED QSOS
No particularly notable errors in the previous issue.
CONTEST SUMMARY
Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section
November 10-11
- Worked All Europe DX Contest--RTTY
- 10-10 Fall Digital QSO Party
- Japan International DX Contest--Phone
- OK-OM DX Contest--CW
- Kentucky QSO Party
- CQ WE (Western Electric)
- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon--CW
November 17-18
- ARRL November Sweepstakes--Phone
- CWops Monthly Mini-CWT Test--CW (Nov 14)
- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint--CW (Nov 15)
- LZ DX Contest
- Feld-Hell Turkey Shoot Sprint
- All Austria 160 Meter Contest--CW
- Collegiate ARC Championship--Phone
- RSGB Second 1.8MHz Contest--CW
- Homebrew and Oldtime Contest--CW
- Run For the Bacon--CW (Nov 19)
==> NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST
How many contests are there throughout the year? Well, there are rather
a lot! In 2012, the Contest Corral database tracks 440 different
contests. The online WA7BNM and SM3CER contest calendars have even
more, especially sprint and regional contests in Europe. Of the 440
tracked in Contest Corral, 326 (74%) are HF-only and 35 (8%) only use
the VHF+ bands. 73% feature CW - the most popular contest mode by
nearly 2-to-1 over Phone (46%) and Digital (37%). Even though there are
22 more contests this year, the proportion of CW:Phone:Digital remains
almost exactly the same.
During "our" domestic CW Sweepstakes, you may have heard other
stations around the world engaging in their own events, such as the
Worked All Germany and the Ukrainian DX Contest. There are two new
contests sponsored by the Amateur Radio Society of India
that you should also know
about: the Himalayan Contest which took place over the Sweepstakes
weekend and the VU International DX Contest coming up on Dec 3rd and
4th. While communications between North America and India is over a
long polar path, even modest stations can bag a VU QSO by watching for
gray line (see "Working the Gray Line
" by NA5N) and long-path
propagation (Thanks, Prasad VU2PTT)
Due to the devastation and power outages throughout the North East
resulting from Superstorm Sandy, the NYQP Organizing committee has
decided to extend to deadline for log submissions for the New York QSO
Party an additional 10 days. Therefore the log submission date will be
November 15th at 0000Z. (Thanks, NYQP Committee members Brent KC2QLJ
and Paul K2DB)
The California QSO Party (CQP) is also extending
their deadline for log submission in response to the problems created
by Hurricane Sandy. The new deadline is November 10. Electronic logs
are strongly encouraged. Paper logs may be mailed to K6SRZ's QRZ.com
address. (Thanks, 2012 CQP Chair, Alan K6SRZ)
From a recent ARRL Propagation Bulletin
by Tad K7RA we
learn, "NASA has a revised forecast
for the peak of Cycle
24, and it looks very interesting. Instead of a peak in Spring 2013
with a smoothed international sunspot number of 60, the peak is now
predicted for Fall 2013, with the smoothed sunspot number prediction
revised to 76, about 27% higher. Perhaps Cycle 24 will have a double
peak, the first being in Fall 2011 and the second in Fall 2013." The
unusual behavior of this cycle appears to be caused by internal
processes in Ol' Sol's north and south hemispheres getting
progressively more out of phase.
On the 12th anniversary of crews continuously living and working
aboard the International Space Station, NASA announced the "Spot the
Station " email service to help people
see the orbiting laboratory when it passes overhead. The free service
will send an email or text message to those who sign up for the service
a few hours before they will be able to see the space station. When the
space station is visible -- typically at dawn and dusk -- it is the
brightest object in the night sky, other than the Moon. On a clear
night, the station is visible as a fast moving point of light, similar
in size and brightness to the planet Venus. Even though the ISS
trajectory passes over more than 90 percent of Earth's population, it
is striking to learn how few people have noticed it or if they did see
it, knew what it was. (Thanks, AMSAT Bulletin
ANS-309)
Web Site of the Week - Here is a great present for young readers with
an interest in maps and why they look the way they do. Seeing Through
Maps - Many Ways to See the World by Wood, Kaiser, and Abramms is
published by ODT which also offers many other
interesting map-related products for hams.
WORD TO THE WISE
Retired Emergency Room physician, Alan K6SRZ writes, "Here's my contest
advice: take a baby aspirin before putting your butt in the chair for
an extended period." An enteric-coated low-dose aspirin also helps.
Why? "Deep venous thrombosis [a blood clot - Ed] can definitely cut
into your score."
==> SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Wave (Beverage) antennas were used at the Radio Corporation of America
radio relay station 1XAO in Belfast, Maine in the early 1920s. The
antenna length designed to receive 1600 meter signals from England was
a few feet short of 10 miles in length. Many of the state-of-the-art
station's engineers were hams and in March 14, 1925 they made history
by broadcasting a musical program from England with a double relay on
each end. Bruce, K1FZ has placed one of the recordings of the
transmission online for all of
us to experience long-wave AM radio reception "across the pond" -
amazing even with the poor audio quality, QSB, and occasional QRN of
those early days of wireless!
Be a sight and sound yourselves - be sure to send in your soapbox
comments, contest stories, and especially photos to the contest
sponsors! With so much contest activity, let the contest managers hear
from you! You can read some of the remarks by other contesters in the
Soapbox collections by Dink N7WA.
Dennis N6KI writes, "I have been a regular for ARRL Sweepstakes CW and
SSB from W6YI
the past 6 or 7 years and we have won our Multi-Single, High Power
category the past 5 or 6 of those years. (It) looks like we are on
track for 2012 as we are in first place so far for the Sweepstakes CW
this past weekend." The website has quite a few excellent pictures of
this superb station!
Why is D4C so loud? Well, take a look at this online YouTube video
of the site. What a location! (Thanks,
Randy K5ZD)
==> RESULTS AND RECORDS
Yes, I know Field Day is not really a contest - although anything can
be made into one if you are the competitive sort - but Dan N1ND's
annual pun-packed-parcel
summarizing the Field Day results is now online. How did your club do
this year?
24 hours after the end of the contest, the CQ WW committee had
received well over 4000 log submissions. In 48 hours, the total
exceeded 5100 logs. And as of yesterday, they had received 7712 logs
containing 5.2 million QSOs - that's just awesome! I'd say that the new
shorter log submission deadline has not proven to be a barrier to
participation or sending in a log. (Thanks, CQ WW Director, Randy K5ZD
and CQ WW Committee member Ken K1EA)
WRTC-2014 Event Scores
based
upon the official published results from the Russian DX Contest
are now posted online. Official results for 33
of the 55 qualifying events are now included and almost 25,000
different operators have submitted scores in those events. 13
qualifying events have taken place for which official results are not
yet available. (Thanks, WRTC-2014 Team Selection Director, Dan K1TO)
OPERATING TIP
Numerous comments following the first Worked All Provinces of China
contest and then the CQ WW SSB contest have me thinking that we need to
develop a set of phonetics suitable for Chinese-speaking hams who may
not be familiar with English phonetics yet. I asked David BA4RF if
there was a preferred set of English phonetics. He suggests that we use
simple words, such as "Boy", "Dog", or "Fox". The word "Sugar" is
easier to understand than "Sierra" which is an unfamiliar term to a
Chinese speaker.
==> TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION
Here's a good description by Roger K8RI of the "shadow method" for
finding true north using a line from the tower to its shadow. "With
your watch synchronized to WWV...mark the end of the shadow right on
the count for solar noon (and) you should be within seconds for actual
accuracy. Even doing it with a good inexpensive watch, you can be well
under one degree or even under a minute of angle." This method also
indicates true south in the southern hemisphere. The line from the
tower to the marked point can be extended as far as necessary to allow
good alignment of an antenna with the line. Perhaps a "true north tree"
or building can be identified in the far distance to be used any time.
The use of a high-pass or broadcast band notch filter is common to
allow antenna analyzers with wideband detectors to operate in the
presence of strong broadcast signals. These filters do affect the
impedance reading, however. With vector network analyzers
(VNA) such as the AIM4170
becoming more
common, you can take advantage of the VNA's ability to calibrate
through the filter and feed line, effectively subtracting out the
effects of the filter. (Thanks, Guy K2AV)
Can you use regular signal relays at RF? Larry W0QE recently ran
some fairly extensive tests
on common signal relays at RF frequencies. This is interesting as these
relays are as fast as vacuum relays and can hot-switch medium power
levels.
Modern radios almost define "mixed signal" - a combination of analog
and digital technologies. With signals so small and so large and so
sensitive to linearity, laying out the signal return traces,
logic-level grounds, ground planes, and power circuits is very
important to top-notch performance. EDN magazine has published a pair
of articles (Part 1
and Part 2
)
to help the designer accomplish just that.
Roger K8RI also contributed a method of attaching guy ropes to a
vertical antenna or mast. "I use Plexiglass or Lexan and two hole saws
to make a ring that just fits over the section where I want to mount
the guys. I cut the OD first, then use the center hole as a guide for
the saw to cut the ID. I mark off the location for the guys at 120
degrees and drill holes just large enough to insert the guys. Either ½"
Lexan or Plexiglass (two 1/4" sheets epoxied together will work) for
taller and larger verticals or just 1/4" thick pieces for 40m 1/4-wave
verticals. 1/4" should work with 3/16" line for 66' verticals."
QRM is by no means limited to the amateur bands - it is a growing
problem for commercial satellite services, too. For a look at how those
folks view the problem, read "Tackling Satellite Interference
"
in the August 2012 issue of Microwave Journal. Getting a look at a
familiar problem from an unfamiliar perspective - such as 0.75-degree
beamwidth antennas - is often refreshing and productive!
Technical Web Site of the Week - Engineers have their "Hints and Kinks"
columns, too. Contest Update readers will recall my having mentioned
items from Electronic Design magazine's
"Design Ideas" column - tasty treats from readers around the world,
solving various problems, often in unusual ways that make me think, "I
never thought of doing it that way!" Well, that column - possibly
inspired by QST - is celebrating six decades of ideas - you can sample
some of the savvy from yesteryear online at 60 Years of Ideas for
Design
.
While you're there, the articles "The Rise And Fall Of Heathkit--And
Rise Of SparkFun
"
and "Benford's Law
"
make good reading, too.
==> CONVERSATION
Xtreme-ly Fun Contesting
Brian N9ADG and friends Dick K7BTW and Adam K7EDX decided to give the
CQ WW contest's Xtreme category
a try this year. While they
usually did a multi-op effort, none could be on full-time and all
needed to be near home. The Xtreme category gave Brian an opportunity
to create a "distributed multi-op" that turned out to be a lot of fun.
Here is a summary of his story - look for the full writeup in a future
National Contest Journal article.
73, Ward N0AX
"While we (N9ADG, Dick K7BTW, and Adam K7EDX) normally would have
gotten together to do a multi effort, none of us were able to commit to
the entire contest period, and we all needed to be near our homes. How
could we all work together on a multi? The Xtreme category! How about
if we do an Xtreme 'distributed multi multi'? An email to the CQ WW
Contest Committee resulted in a 'go for it' from Doug K1DG.
"The plan was to have each of us use our own home stations as one of
the stations in the multi-multi, run N1MM, and connect together
securely over the internet. Each of us could connect and get on, see
where the other folks were, and choose a different band to operate as
our weekend schedule allowed. We could send coordination messages to
each other through N1MM.
Brian used Amazon's web services - a.k.a. "the cloud" - to host a Linux
server and a Windows 2008 PC with a virtual private network (VPN) and
developed an N1MM configuration that allowed all three stations to
communicate as if they were all in the same room connected by a LAN.
The hosting charge - hold on to your wallets - was a mighty 11.5 cents
per hour! The final configuration consisted of four N1MM machines (one
at each of three stations, one in the cloud), and one Linux VPN server.
"During the contest, it was easy to see where each station was by using
N1MM's info window; the operator, frequency, and run rate for each
station are listed, and there's a space for typing a message to one or
all of the other operators. We all got very used to hitting the
Control-E key to send quick messages to each other during the contest
to coordinate band changes or status. [Trash talk and pithy remarks
between stations is one of the true pleasures of multi-op contesting -
Ed.] If one of the stations dropped off the network, we were able to
quickly re-synchronize the 'dropped' computer's log with the others,
and continued on, the same as if we had a computer dropoff on a LAN.
"In the days leading up to the contest, we briefly discussed how we
would operate, but didn't formalize a plan. Our stations are equipped
differently -- only one station had 160, two had 80, but all had very
reasonable 40-10 capabilities. The key for us was to adapt to the
conditions that presented themselves. In the Pacific Northwest, that
can mean being able to work South America and Asia simultaneously in
the afternoons, working as many EU stations as possible if the 20m or
higher is open, and looking for long path openings in the mornings to
EU and Asia.
"As we entered the last few hours of the contest all three of us
were able to be on simultaneously, and we had terrific runs on 10 and
15 meters. Keeping the motivation level high, we speculated we could
reach 2.6M points, then passed it. 3.0M was the new goal. Each of us
closely watched our scoring window wanting to make THE contact that
would put us past this mark. K7BTW made the QSO that pushed us past
this arbitrary mark about an hour before the contest's end.
"What did we learn from our experience? From on operating perspective,
all of the technology "just worked" and faded into the background as we
concentrated on the contest. We all commented on that we operated MORE
than we thought we would during the weekend; since we could see and
feed off each other's progress, that spurred us to sit down and operate
for small intervals throughout the weekend contest period. Having the
chat capability allowed 'situational awareness' to be communicated well
("Just was on 20m, it was a zoo. You should try it").
"This was a good way to get three stations separated by tens of miles
to work together effectively, and enable three friends that enjoy
operating together to do so despite their other commitments. It would
be fun to have more people as part of the effort the next time!"
==> CONTESTS
November 7 through November 20, 2012
An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format
is available. Check the
sponsor's Web site for information on operating time restrictions and
other instructions.
HF CONTESTS
ARRL November Sweepstakes--Phone, from Nov 17, 2100Z to Nov 19, 0300Z.
Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: Serial, category, call, check, ARRL/RAC
sec. Logs due: Dec 4. Rules
Worked All Europe DX Contest--Digital, from Nov 10, 0000Z to Nov 11,
2400Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST and serial (see web for QTC
rules). Logs due: 2 weeks. Rules
10-10 Fall Digital QSO Party--Digital, from Nov 10, 0001Z to Nov 11,
2359Z. Bands (MHz): 28. Exchange: Call, name, 10-10 number, S/P/C. Logs
due: Nov 26. Rules
Japan International DX Contest--Phone, from Nov 10, 0700Z to Nov 11,
1300Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST and JA prefecture or CQ Zone.
Logs due: 30 days. Rules
OK-OM DX Contest--CW, from Nov 10, 1200Z to Nov 11, 1200Z. Bands (MHz):
1.8-28. Exchange: RST and serial or OK/OM district. Logs due: Dec 1.
Rules
Kentucky QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Nov 10, 1400Z to Nov 11,
0200Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50, Frequencies (MHz): CW--1.815, 3.550,
7.050, 14.050, 21.050, 28.050, 50.090; SSB--1.855, 3.820, 7.240,
14.280, 21.390, 28.390, 50.190. Exchange: RST and KY county or S/P/C.
Logs due: Dec 31. Rules
CQ WE (Western Electric)--Phone,CW,Digital, from Nov 10, 1900Z to Nov
12, 0500Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50-440. Exchange: Call, name, Bell QTH,
yrs of service. Logs due: Dec 1. Rules
SKCC Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from Nov 11, 0000Z to Nov 11, 2359Z.
Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Monthly beginning on the second Saturday local
time. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, name, SKCC nr or "none". Logs due: 5 days.
Rules
CWops Monthly Mini-CWT Test--CW, from Nov 14, 1300Z, multiple operating
periods, see website, twice monthly on 2nd and 4th Wed. Bands (MHz):
1.8-28. Frequencies (MHz): 18 to 28 kHz above band edge. Exchange: Name
and member number or S/P/C. Logs due: 2 days. Rules
NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint--CW, from Nov 15, 0130Z to Nov 15, 0330Z.
Monthly on 2nd Tuesday or 3rd Wednesday local time (alternating). Bands
(MHz): 3.5-14. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, and NAQCC mbr nr or power. Logs
due: 4 days. Rules
LZ DX Contest--Phone,CW, from Nov 17, 1200Z to Nov 18, 1200Z. Bands
(MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST and ITU Zone or LZ district. Logs due: 30
days. Rules
Feld-Hell Turkey Shoot Sprint--Digital, from Nov 17, 1600Z to Nov 17,
1800Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Monthly on 3rd Saturday. Exchange: RST,
S/P/C, Feld-Hell member nr. Logs due: 5 days. Rules
All Austria 160 Meter Contest--CW, from Nov 17, 1600Z to Nov 18, 0700Z.
Bands (MHz): 1.8. Exchange: RST, serial, OE district. Logs due: Dec 31.
Rules
Collegiate ARC Championship--Phone, from Nov 17, 2100Z to Nov 19,
0300Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: See ARRL Sweepstakes. Logs due:
Dec 4. Rules
RSGB Second 1.8MHz Contest--CW, from Nov 17, 2100Z to Nov 18, 0100Z.
Bands (MHz): 1.8. Exchange: RST, serial, UK district. Logs due: Dec 3.
Rules
Homebrew and Oldtime Contest--CW, from Nov 18, 1300Z to Nov 18, 1700Z.
Bands (MHz): 3.5-7. Exchange: RST, serial, and category. Logs due: Dec
18. Rules
Run For the Bacon--CW, from Nov 19, 0200Z to Nov 19, 0400Z. Bands
(MHz): 1.8-28. Monthly on 3rd Sunday night (local). Exchange: RST,
S/P/C, Flying Pig nr or power. Rules
VHF+ CONTESTS
Kentucky QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Nov 10, 1400Z to Nov 11,
0200Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50, Frequencies (MHz): CW--1.815, 3.550,
7.050, 14.050, 21.050, 28.050, 50.090; SSB--1.855, 3.820, 7.240,
14.280, 21.390, 28.390, 50.190. Exchange: RST and KY county or S/P/C.
Logs due: Dec 31. Rules
CQ WE (Western Electric)--Phone,CW,Digital, from Nov 10, 1900Z to Nov
12, 0500Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50-440. Exchange: Call, name, Bell QTH,
yrs of service. Logs due: Dec 1. Rules
==> LOG DUE DATES
November 7 through November 20, 2012
- November 8 - ARS Spartan Sprint
- November 10 - California QSO Party
- November 11 - UBA ON Contest, 2m
- November 12 - FISTS Fall Sprint
- November 12 - Oceania DX Contest, Phone
- November 12 - Oceania DX Contest, CW
- November 15 - Pennsylvania QSO Party
- November 15 - Makrothen RTTY Contest
- November 15 - MCG Autumn Sprint
- November 15 - PODXS 070 Club 160m Great Pumpkin Sprint
- November 19 - ARRL School Club Roundup
- November 19 - DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest
- November 20 - Iowa QSO Party
- November 20 - Stew Perry Topband Challenge, Fall Warmup
- November 20 - Himalayan Contest
- November 20 - ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW
- November 20 - NA Collegiate ARC Championship, CW
==> ARRL INFORMATION
Click here to advertise in this newsletter.
Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information
Join or Renew Today!
ARRL membership includes QST , Amateur Radio's
most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each
month.
Subscribe to NCJ - the National Contest Journal
. Published bimonthly, features articles by
top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO
Parties.
Subscribe to QEX - A Forum for Communications Experimenters
. Published bimonthly, features technical
articles, construction projects, columns and other items of interest to
radio amateurs and communications professionals.
Free of charge to ARRL members: Subscribe
to The ARRL Letter (weekly digest of news and information), the ARES
E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news),
Division and Section news -- and much more!
ARRL offers a wide array of products
to enhance your enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Visit the site often for
new publications, specials and sales.
Donate to the fund of your
choice -- support programs not funded by member dues!
Reprint permission can be obtained by sending email to
permission@arrl.org with a description of the material and the reprint
publication.
==> ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's
Contest Calendar and SM3CER's
Contest Calendar .
The ARRL Contest Update is published every other Wednesday (26 times
each year). ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by
editing their Member Data Page as described at
http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/.
Copyright (c) 2012 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All
Rights Reserved
the ARRL COntest UPdate posted to the ls_arrl echo via
node 1:116/901.
Address all comments and questions to the editor as described in this
electronic newsletter.
---
* Origin: (1:116/901)
|
