If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:   
   http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2014-01-29   
      
   The ARRL Contest Update   
      
   January 29, 2014   
   Editor: Ward Silver, NOAX   
      
   IN THIS ISSUE   
    *  Is That A Real Call? - CQ WPX RTTY   
    *  A Wintry Mix - VT, MN, BC, DE, NH QSO Parties   
    *  New Team in Place at ARRL Contest Branch   
    *  Roving Reporter K1RA on ARRL Jan VHF Contest   
    *  Big Dogs at Woofferton   
    *  IARU HF Results Online   
    *  RF & Microwave Toolbox App   
    *  Fretting about the Workshop   
    *  Chewing Through the Straps   
      
   NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO   
      
   There are two great activities coming up - one outside and one inside.   
   Outdoors, of course, is the Freeze Your Butt Off contest in which   
   temperature at the operating position is part of the exchange! To warm up   
   from that, come inside and tune for student teams operating in the weekday,   
   Monday-to-Friday School Club Roundup. February is full of contesting fun!   
      
   BULLETINS   
      
   There are 30 contests using at least 7 modes over the next two weeks, one   
   major DXpedition, and the W1AW operations will first move to Minnesota and   
   Texas, then Georgia and Hawaii. Let us all brush up on our inter-personal   
   skills and receiver operating abilities.   
      
   BUSTED QSOS   
      
   The inspectors found no violations in the Contest Update Caf‚'s previous   
   issue.   
      
   CONTEST SUMMARY   
      
   Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section   
      
   February 1-2   
      
    *  North American Sprint--CW   
    *  Triathlon DX Contest   
    *  EPC WW PSK Contest   
    *  Vermont QSO Party   
    *  Ten-Ten Winter Phone QSO Party   
    *  Black Sea Cup International   
    *  FYBO Winter QRP Field Day   
    *  Minnesota QSO Party   
    *  Straight Key Party   
    *  British Columbia QSO Party   
    *  Delaware QSO Party   
    *  XE International RTTY Contest   
    *  OK1WC Memorial Contest (Feb 3)   
    *  ARS Spartan Sprint--CW (Feb 4)   
      
   February 8-9   
      
    *  School Club Roundup (Feb 10-14)   
    *  NS Weekly Sprint--CW (Feb 7)   
    *  YL-OM Contest (Feb 7)   
    *  YLISSB QSO Party--CW   
    *  CQ WW RTTY WPX   
    *  Worldwide EME Contest   
    *  Asia-Pacific Sprint--CW   
    *  Dutch PACC Contest   
    *  Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon   
    *  OMISS QSO Party--Phone   
    *  New Hampshire QSO Party   
    *  FISTS CW Winter Sprint   
    *  RSGB - First 1.8 MHz Contest   
    *  AM QSO Party   
    *  Classic Exchange--Phone (Feb 9)   
    *  Milwaukee FM Simplex Contest (Feb 9)   
      
   NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST   
      
   Big changes around the ARRL Contest Branch Manager (CBM) as Mike   
   DeChristopher, N1TA has resigned from the position. Picking up the reins   
   temporarily are a quartet of familiar call signs led by Membership and   
   Volunteer Programs Manager, Dave Patton, NN1N. Dave will be coordinating   
   work by previous CBMs KX9X and N1ND, assisted (or at least entertained) by   
   your editor, to produce the many writeups, results, and awards of the   
   19-contest program.   
      
   In other ARRL Contest news:   
      
    *  ARRL EME Contest weekends have been selected. The weekend of October   
       11-12 is allocated to the 2.3+ GHz bands while 50-1296 MHz activity will   
       occur on November 8-9 and December 6-7. (Thanks, Rick K1DS and Joe K1JT)   
    *  As in previous years, the Field Day Packet containing rules, forms, and   
       various other bits of information will be available on February 1st from   
       the ARRL Field Day web page.   
    *  The ordering period for 2013 ARRL Sweepstakes Clean Sweep mugs and   
       100-QSO Participation Pins has been extended! Mugs and pins may be   
       ordered in the regular way described on the ARRL November Sweepstakes   
       web page (URL) through February 14th. If you've been putting it off -   
       now's the time to get your order in!   
      
   The Daily DX reports that Brazil's ham organization, LABRE, is marking its   
   80 years from February 1 at 0300Z until February 3 at 0259Z. Stations all   
   over the country will have special call signs starting with ZZ80. This may   
   complicate some of this weekend's contests unless your prefix-to-country   
   lookup list (CTY file) is up to date!   
      
   If you had problems uploading your log for the recent CW North American QSO   
   Party (NAQP CW), please check the logs received page on the new National   
   Contest Journal website to verify it was accepted. All logs emailed directly   
   to Chris KL9A, the contest manager, should be listed. If you don't see your   
   log listed, please resubmit via the webpage upload.   
      
   This New York Times article offers some interesting new thoughts about long   
   term sleep deprivation. More accurately, what happens during sleep and how   
   to recover from periods when you don't get enough sleep - such as during our   
   favorite on the air activities. Managing the operator's need for sleep is a   
   critical part of contesting success. (Thanks, Randy K5ZD)   
      
   There have been rumors of another "Polar Vortex" hitting Minnesota during   
   the state's QSO party this weekend, but Mark WAOMHJ has heard that mobile   
   operations will go on, as long as the temperature stays above minus 35 F.   
   Isn't that the temperature at which HF signals change to MF?   
      
   There is an extensive review of the intriguing new Array Solutions   
   Shared-Apex Loop Array (SAL-30) by Brian N3OC in the February issue of the   
   Potomac Valley Radio Club newsletter.   
      
   Rules for both of the "North American" contests sponsored by the National   
   Contest Journal - the NAQP QSO Party and the NA Sprint are lots easier to   
   find on the new NCJ website. In addition, you can click on a link in the   
   rules PDF and be taken directly to the appropriate web form, making that   
   document the "final authority" complete with live links. You can still   
   follow the menu links on the NCJ web site of course. (Thanks, NCJ Editor,   
   Kirk K4RO)   
      
   You know what would be good would be a compass-like smartphone app that   
   would automatically determine your current location and show you the bearing   
   to any other six-character grid locator. I'd call it TharTiz.   
      
   Valery RG5A has been working from the CQ World Wide public log database and   
   has developed a set of top rates achieved by the various stations.   
      
   This interesting history behind the development and adoption of the analog   
   NTSC color television signal standard turned up on the TV Technology   
   website. Has it really been 60 years of living color? For those readers who   
   decry today's endless legal battles over technology rights, you may be   
   somewhat comforted to know that the situation is "the same as it ever was."   
   (Thanks, Eric W3DQ)   
      
   Bob WA1Z reports that he will "be releasing a new version of the Super Check   
   Partial database files on Wednesday, February 5. I am requesting your logs   
   for input to the database files. If there is a new contesting call sign you   
   want added to the database for activity in the next few months, let me know   
   before the February update." Bob's next update of the SCP file will be in   
   early May. You can send him Cabrillo-formatted logs by email.   
      
   If keeping track of all the bands and modes is keeping you up nights during   
   the ARRL Centennial QSO Party, Anthony K8ZT has created a Google Docs   
   spreadsheet for tracking contacts with all of those W1AW-portable stations.   
   It is a beta-test version so he would appreciate any feedback or error   
   reports you might find.   
      
   In the ANS-026 issue of the AMSAT News Bulletins, John K8YSE gives a tip of   
   the cap "to Mark Spencer, WA8SME at the ARRL for his excellent paper   
   describing Funcube, its experiments and how to receive it and make sense of   
   the data." Since there is a lot of interest in antennas to work or receive   
   the signals from the satellites, "Mark seeks to quantify the performance of   
   some common antennas like the M2 circularly-polarized beam, Arrow (antennas)   
   fixed or on rotators, with or without preamps, and the 5/8-wave and ¬-wave   
   ground planes. He does that by comparing the number of packets received on   
   each antenna during a pass. The results are quite interesting."   
      
   Jose CT1BOH reports that, "Anacom which regulates and supervises the   
   electronic and postal communications sector in Portugal has authorized the   
   use of 1850-2000 kHz for several international contests in 2014, with the   
   same conditions that exist for the 1830-1850 segment." Contests allowed   
   include the CQ WW and CQ WW 160, ARRL DX, CQ WPX, S.M El Rey de Espa¤a, the   
   IARU HF Championship, and ARRL 160 Meter contests. Note that digital   
   operation is not listed.   
      
   Aggregator 3.0 is now available for download on the Reverse Beacon Net (RBN)   
   web site. It adds the ability to selectively combine up to eight Telnet   
   streams from various combinations of CW and DL4RCK RTTY/PSK skimmers without   
   having to use WintelnetX or a cluster server to perform the actual merger.   
   (Thanks, Pete N4ZR)   
      
   As the newsletter is being assembled, January 28th, it would be the 128th   
   birthday of Hidetsugu Yagi, co-inventor of the Yagi-Uda beam antenna much in   
   evidence throughout ham radio-dom. Happy birthday to Dr. Yagi! And thanks to   
   co-inventor, Dr. Uda, too. (Thanks, Kate K6HTN)   
      
   Web Site of the Week - Andy K1RA spent the last week pulling together a log,   
   media files such as photos and a slide show, and some software tools to   
   write a lengthy article covering preparation and the ARRL January VHF   
   Contest weekend experience as the K1RA-K8GP Rover. He says, "It seems I   
   spent more time doing this than operating, but I really enjoy the Radiosport   
   and hope to share some of the experience and excitement with newcomers and   
   old timers alike. I'm celebrating 35 yrs on V/UHF this year after making my   
   first VHF SSB/CW contest QSOs back in 1979 as a young WB1ALW and KA1GD."   
   He's also published information on his log visualization tool and encourages   
   your feedback.   
      
   WORD TO THE WISE   
      
   "A multiplier isn't much of one until you have something to multiply it by,"   
   opines Dan K1TO. His point? You need QSOs in the log, multipliers or not.   
   Pay attention to the "QSOs per multiplier" number your logging software   
   might provide. If you give up more QSOs than that number to chase a   
   multiplier - no matter how juicy - then your score suffers.   
      
   SIGHTS AND SOUNDS   
      
   Here's a nine-part mini-series of videos about firing up one of the Marconi   
   BD272 250 kW short-wave transmitters used for the BBC's World Service at   
   Woofferton. It uses HUGE tubes. The camera gets right inside and the Chief   
   Engineer walksyou through the components and signal path; very interesting.   
   (Thanks, Kirk K4RO)   
      
   Geoff WOCG/PJ2T has published an online album of photos from the 2013 CQ   
   World Wide CW contest. There is a lot of work involved in putting on such a   
   big operation!   
      
   What eating utensil should you use to get stations into your log? How about   
   a fork, suggests Jim K2MIJ? "Yes that's right a fork! Well, two of them to   
   be precise...sitting down at breakfast this morning staring at the fork in   
   my hand I wondered if it would be possible to radiate a signal on a "Fork   
   Dipole"....of course I had to try it...would my amazing LDG Z11 autotuner be   
   able to find a match and actually load this tiny tenna? Fired up the FT-817   
   @ 5 watts and tuning 12 meters I heard W1AW/5 (K5CM) calling and working a   
   pile...I shouted and shouted a good 15 times and you could have knocked me   
   over with a SPOON when he came back and asked "K2MIJ, do I have the call   
   correct?" WooHoo!" You can check out the setup in Jim's YouTube video!   
   Perhaps it was knife-edge propagation?   
      
   The popular "Factors of 10" animation has been updated in a new "Scale of   
   the Universe" animation by Cary Huang which is hosted on the NASA Astronomy   
   Picture of the Day web site. Have fun trying to grasp the sheer range of it   
   all!   
      
   RESULTS AND RECORDS   
      
   The IARU HF Championship extended results article by Nate N4YDU has been   
   published on the ARRL Contest Branch website. Sean KX9X has made a   
   comprehensive update of the Contest Branch's plaques and certificates   
   processing status page, as well.   
      
   The CQ WW team is looking for pictures or videos of your experience in the   
   2013 CQ WW SSB and CW contests. Please send them directly to CQ WW Director   
   Randy K5ZD. Pictures can be sent as attachments while he requests that you   
   send links to videos.   
      
   OPERATING TIP   
      
   As noted at the beginning of this issue, February is packed with contests,   
   DXpeditions, special stations, and so forth. Keep your cool on the air when   
   some other activity collides with your contest or vice versa.   
      
   TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION   
      
   After mentioning the iPhone RF calculator app last time, Chip N3IW   
   contributed news of the Elektor RF & Microwave Toolbox from   
   Android-Design.nl. "It is really full-featured. I've used it a good bit in   
   my day-day work as an electrical engineer. It does OK on a phone, but a   
   tablet would be recommended for some of the more detailed calculations that   
   use graphs. The free version includes eight tools like VSWR and mismatch   
   calculators and Pi/T attenuators. For $9.99, you get a total of 55 tools   
   that has the 8 free tools plus tools like a PCB trace calculator, image   
   rejection, mixer harmonics, many converters, and filter design."   
      
   Those SMD components sure are small - here's an Instructables how-to that   
   shows simple steps to snag some SMD soldering savvy.   
      
   Don't let your amp "tee" you off - try Ian GM3SEK's designs that combine dc   
   with RF up to 1 kW of power all the way to 6 meters! Tom W8JI notes that   
   using bias tees with sensitive RF instrumentation such as the MFJ-259 series   
   of analyzers can lead to damage of the detector diodes. "You can damage the   
   259 unless you use a smaller series cap and a shunt choke to protect the   
   259. The most important point I am trying to make is to never connect a bias   
   tee without a shunt choke, especially one with a large series coupling cap,   
   to the 259 input port. The 259 uses 10-volt microwave diodes, and the   
   charging current of the cap can cause that much or more voltage to appear   
   across the diodes." Tom also cautions us to watch out for relays on the line   
   since the transient caused by turning a relay coil off can also damage the   
   diodes.   
      
   Here's an interesting design article in EDN magazine that discusses how to   
   reduce and control EMI caused by high-speed digital interfaces. With signal   
   components that run into the hundreds of MHz, this can be quite a problem!   
      
   Seen in a recent issue of Wired magazine, littleBits - tiny electronic   
   modules that snap together magnetically. You can add your own household   
   "stuff" to create projects. Great fun for kids and others just learning   
   about electronics.   
      
   Wow - here's quite the antenna switch! It's a 2-radio/6-antenna design with   
   high isolation from KK1L. David K1TTT also posted a link to his receive   
   antenna switching unit. (Thanks, Larry W6NWS)   
      
   Stew K3ND sends a link to pictures of his tilt-over mount for a 60-foot   
   80/160 vertical. It uses two aluminum plates joined by a heavy duty gate   
   hinge. A small winch and gin pole tilt the vertical over for any maintenance   
   or repairs by using the falling derrick method. Another hinged design for a   
   160-40 meter vertical comes from Dan K3ZX.   
      
   Peter DJ7WW posted a link and a recommendation to the SWR bridge   
   descriptions and design information from Dominique F1FRV. If you want some   
   design detail - this is the place!   
      
   It's common to use an oscilloscope to view the relative timing of the relays   
   in a QSK system. How can you sample the RF as simply as possible when   
   absolute amplitude isn't important, but timing is? Paul W9AC responds that   
   "For quick QSK timing measurements, I often inductively couple the sample   
   point to the scope. You can use a short coaxial jumper with BNC connectors   
   on both ends and connect one end to the scope, the other end to a   
   BNC-to-banana adapter. Then, take an alligator clip test lead and wrap it in   
   close proximity to the sample point. The lead ends are connected across the   
   adapter. Unless you're sampling low power, there's often enough coaxial   
   leakage to just wrap the lead around the coaxial jumper. Then, adjust the   
   scope's vertical amplifier to fill the display. Generally, I can get good   
   display quality without much noise. You may need to experiment with more or   
   less turns around the line."   
      
   Technical Web Site of the Week - Two pages on the Frets magazine website   
   dealing with instrument repair and construction are definitely of interest   
   to every home builder - radio hams, included! The first is a large   
   collection of Shop Tips and the second is a long list of "how to's" with   
   common shop tools. Great reading! And while you're in the mood, how about   
   some new tools? Makezine runs an annual "Our Favorite New Tools" article   
   that will certainly get your workshop juices flowing.   
      
   CONVERSATION   
      
   Chewing Through the Straps   
      
   As I've noted elsewhere in this issue, we have some very busy times coming   
   up - not just this weekend (30 contests plus all the other goings-on) but   
   for the rest of 2014 as the W1AW-portable stations continue to rack up big   
   QSO totals all week, every week. The Nebraska total for W1AW/O was more than   
   23,000 - and there were still plenty of stations calling when the clock   
   rolled over at 0000 UTC on Wednesday! As this material is written, the FT5ZM   
   expedition is attracting huge pileups, as well. I'd say this calls some   
   reflection and planning.   
      
   While hams should strive to be flexible in their on-air habits, many act as   
   if we are still operating with crystal control and S-38 receivers. While I   
   understand the tradition of CW-goes-here and digital-goes-there and this is   
   the calling frequency for those stations and this is the calling frequency   
   for these stations, there is a point at which that approach to spectrum   
   management breaks down. Like now, for instance.   
      
   We have amazing transceivers with computer interfaces, spectrum displays   
   that rival anything coming out of an instrumentation lab, automata listening   
   and spotting every station that signs a call within a few seconds, and   
   worldwide computer networks operating at mega-bit speeds. Yet we cannot seem   
   to adjust our operating frequency without it becoming a total calamity.   
      
   You mean if the NCS has to call the net to order a few kHz away from the   
   regular frequency, the operators won't be able to find it? Really? You mean   
   if the DXpedition pileup starts crowding onto your run frequency, you can't   
   find another one? Really? And with the shoe on the other foot, you mean that   
   if the DXpedition starts calling on a different frequency than the one they   
   published weeks ago, you won't be able to find them? Really? Apparently,   
   yes, really. Gosh, what would happen during a wide-spread disaster in which   
   we actually had to choose operating frequencies on the fly? There is a point   
   at which tradition becomes a jailer!   
      
   We have a tremendous amount of latitude in how we choose to operate and a   
   fair amount of spectrum in which to do it. Where does it say that all CW   
   operation just simply has to be in the low end of the band? And that digital   
   has to be below 100 kHz from the band edge? These customs were established   
   decades ago! Sure, the band plan says where conventional operating takes   
   place but band plans are for normal band loading and they're not   
   regulations. All it takes is a couple of posts on the Internet or spots on   
   the international spotting networks and a new center of activity can be   
   established, just like we do under those emergency conditions.   
      
   Let's think ahead - have a Plan B (and C and D...) whether it is for our   
   nets, our contests, our every-night ragchews, even our DXpeditions. And   
   let's recalibrate our expectations in light of both knowing there will be   
   crowding and of having all manner of calendars and websites to inform us   
   about what's happening. There is no reason to be surprised.   
      
   The amateur service is fortunate to have the most flexible operating rules   
   of any civilian telecommunication service in the world, bar none. Frequency   
   agility is one of our most precious characteristics. So maybe we should chew   
   through our self-imposed straps every once in a while and make use of it!   
      
   73, Ward NOAX   
      
   CONTESTS   
      
   29 January through 11 February   
      
   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   
      
   North American Sprint--CW, from Feb 2, 0000Z to Feb 2, 0359Z. Bands (MHz):   
   3.5-14. Exchange: Both call signs, serial, name, and S/P/C. Logs due: 7   
   days.   
      
   School Club Roundup--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 10, 1300Z to Feb 14, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50+. Exchange: RS(T), Class, S/P/C. Logs due: 30 days.   
      
   Triathlon DX Contest--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 1, 0000Z to Feb 1, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RS(T) and serial. Logs due: 28 Feb.   
      
   EPC WW PSK Contest--Digital, from Feb 1, 0000Z to Feb 2, 2400Z. Bands (MHz):   
   1.8-28. Exchange: RST and serial. Logs due: 30 days.   
      
   Vermont QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 1, 0000Z to Feb 2, 2400Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144. Exchange: RS(T) and VT county or S/P/C. Logs   
   due: 30 days.   
      
   Ten-Ten Winter Phone QSO Party--Phone, from Feb 1, 0001Z to Feb 2, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 28. Exchange: Call sign, name, QTH, 10-10 number. Logs due: 15   
   days.   
      
   Black Sea Cup International--Phone,CW, from Feb 1, 1200Z to Feb 2, 1159Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RS(T) and HQ ID, member nr or ITU zone. Logs   
   due: 30 days.   
      
   FYBO Winter QRP Field Day--Phone,CW, from Feb 1, 1400Z to Feb 1, 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 1, 1400Z to Feb 1, 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.   
      
   Straight Key Party--CW, from Feb 1, 1600Z to Feb 1, 1900Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5.   
   Exchange: RST, serial, category, name, age. Logs due: Feb 28.   
      
   British Columbia QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 1, 1600Z to Feb 2,   
   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.   
      
   Delaware QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 1, 1700Z to Feb 2, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50+, CW 1.825, 3.55, 7.05, 14.05, 21.05, 28.05, 50.95;   
   SSB 1.86, 3.96, 7.26, 14.26, 21.36, 28.36, 50.135 MHz; Digital per band   
   plan. Exchange: RS(T) and DE county or S/P/C. Logs due: 30 days.   
      
   XE Int'l RTTY Contest--Digital, from Feb 1, 1800Z to Feb 2, 1759Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST and XE state or serial. Logs due: 30 days.   
      
   OK1WC Memorial Contest--Phone,CW, from Feb 3, 1600Z - See website. Multiple   
   time periods. Bands (MHz): 3.5, 7. See website for bands. Exchange: RS(T)   
   and serial. Logs due: 5 days.   
      
   ARS Spartan Sprint--CW, from Feb 4, 0200Z to Feb 4, 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.   
      
   NS Weekly Sprint--CW, from Feb 7, 0230Z to Feb 7, 0300Z. Bands (MHz):   
   1.8-14. Weekly on Thursday evenings local time. Exchange: Serial, name, and   
   S/P/C. Logs due: 2 days.   
      
   YL-OM Contest--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 7, 1400Z to Feb 9, 0200Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: Call sign, RST, serial and S/P/C. Logs due: 30   
   days.   
      
   YLISSB QSO Party--CW, from Feb 8, 0000Z to Feb 9, 2359Z. Bands (MHz):   
   1.8-28. Exchange: Call sign, RS(T), ISSB number. Logs due: Mar 21.   
      
   CQ WW RTTY WPX--Digital, from Feb 8, 0000Z to Feb 9, 2400Z. Bands (MHz):   
   3.5-28. Exchange: RST and serial. Logs due: Feb 14.   
      
   Asia-Pacific Sprint--CW, from Feb 8, 1100Z to Feb 8, 1300Z. Bands (MHz):   
   7,14. Exchange: RST and serial. Logs due: 7 days.   
      
   Dutch PACC Contest--Phone,CW, from Feb 8, 1200Z to Feb 9, 1200Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RS(T) and Dutch province or serial. Logs due: Mar   
   9.   
      
   Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from Feb 8, 1200Z to Feb 9, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, member nr if member. Logs   
   due: 5 days.   
      
   OMISS QSO Party--Phone, from Feb 8, 1500Z to Feb 9, 1500Z. Bands (MHz):   
   3.5-28. Exchange: RS, S/P/C and OMISS nr or "DX". Logs due: Mar 30.   
      
   New Hampshire QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 8, 1600Z to Feb 9,   
   0400Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. CW - 1.815 and band edge + 45kHz; Phone - 1.875,   
   3.935, 3.950, 7.235, 14.280, 21.380, 28.390 MHz. Exchange: RS(T) and NH   
   county or S/P or "DX". Logs due: Mar 31.   
      
   FISTS CW Winter Sprint--CW, from Feb 8, 1700Z to Feb 8, 2100Z. Bands (MHz):   
   3.5-28. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, first name, FISTS nr or power. Logs due: 30   
   days.   
      
   RSGB - First 1.8 MHz Contest--Phone,CW, from Feb 8, 2100Z to Feb 9, 0100Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8. Exchange: RST, serial, UK district. Logs due: 16 days.   
      
   AM QSO Party--Phone, from Feb 8, 2300Z to Feb 9, 2300Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-14.   
   Exchange: RS, name, and S/P/C. Logs due: 4 weeks.   
      
   Classic Exchange--Phone, from Feb 9, 1400Z to Feb 10, 0800Z. Bands (MHz):   
   1.8-28, 50,144, AM--1.890, 3.880, 7.160, 7.290,1 4.286, 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.   
      
   Milwaukee FM Simplex Contest--Phone, from Feb 9, 1900Z to Feb 9, 2130Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 50-440. Exchange: Call sign and grid square. Logs due: Mar 10.   
      
   VHF+ CONTESTS   
      
   School Club Roundup--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 10, 1300Z to Feb 14, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50+. Exchange: RS(T), Class, S/P/C. Logs due: 30 days.   
      
   Vermont QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 1, 0000Z to Feb 2, 2400Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50,144. Exchange: RS(T) and VT county or S/P/C. Logs   
   due: 30 days.   
      
   Delaware QSO Party--Phone,CW,Digital, from Feb 1, 1700Z to Feb 2, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50+, CW 1.825, 3.55, 7.05, 14.05, 21.05, 28.05, 50.95;   
   SSB 1.86, 3.96, 7.26, 14.26, 21.36, 28.36, 50.135 MHz; Digital per band   
   plan. Exchange: RS(T) and DE county or S/P/C. Logs due: 30 days.   
      
   Worldwide EME Contest--Phone,CW, from Feb 8, 0000Z to Feb 9, 2400Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 144, 432. Exchange: TMO/RS(T) and "R". Logs due: Jun 15.   
      
   Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from Feb 8, 1200Z to Feb 9, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, member nr if member. Logs   
   due: 5 days.   
      
   Classic Exchange--Phone, from Feb 9, 1400Z to Feb 10, 0800Z. Bands (MHz):   
   1.8-28, 50,144, AM--1.890, 3.880, 7.160, 7.290,1 4.286, 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.   
      
   Milwaukee FM Simplex Contest--Phone, from Feb 9, 1900Z to Feb 9, 2130Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 50-440. Exchange: Call sign and grid square. Logs due: Mar 10.   
      
   LOG DUE DATES   
      
   29 January through 11 February   
      
    *  January 30 - QRP Fox Hunt   
    *  January 31 - Original QRP Contest   
    *  January 31 - International Naval Contest   
    *  January 31 - RAC Winter Contest   
    *  January 31 - Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party   
    *  January 31 - AGCW Happy New Year Contest   
    *  January 31 - SARTG New Year RTTY Contest   
    *  January 31 - CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW   
    *  February 1 - QRP Fox Hunt   
    *  February 1 - Locust QSO Party   
    *  February 2 - NCCC Sprint Ladder   
    *  February 4 - Kid's Day Contest   
    *  February 5 - WW PMC Contest   
    *  February 6 - ARS Spartan Sprint   
    *  February 6 - ARRL RTTY Roundup   
    *  February 7 - EPC WW DX Contest   
    *  February 8 - EUCW 160m Contest   
    *  February 9 - ON 10-Meter Contest   
    *  February 9 - QRP ARCI Fireside SSB Sprint   
    *  February 9 - North American Sprint, CW   
    *  February 9 - UBA DX Contest, SSB   
    *  February 10 - REF Contest, CW   
    *  February 10 - RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB   
      
   ARRL Information   
      
   Click here to advertise in this newsletter, space subject to availability.   
      
   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) 2014 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved   
      
   www.arrl.org   
      
      
      
   )\/(ark   
      
   Not only is the Universe stranger than we think, it is stranger than we can   
   think. - Werner Heisenberg   
      
   --- FMail/Win32 1.60   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.71)