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   http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2014-12-31   
      
   The ARRL Contest Update   
   December 31, 2014   
   Editor: Ward Silver, NOAX   
      
   IN THIS ISSUE   
      
     * A Day of Digital Fun - ARRL RTTY Roundup   
     * What Is Your Favorite Color? - Kids Day Quest   
     * NA Phone Sprint Discontinued   
     * HF Contesting Guidelines - New Edition   
     * Sights of Siberia   
     * Rookie Roundup CW Results   
     * The Poor Ham's Scalar Network Analyzer   
     * Don't Get BOGged Down   
     * A Simple Delight   
      
   NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO   
      
   How about a few New Year's Day contests? Turn on the radio and catch some   
   action in the QRP ARCI New Year's Sprint, the New Years Snowball Contest, the   
   SARTG New Year RTTY Contest, or the AGCW Happy New Year Contest. You can find   
   the links to the rules in the contest listings below.   
      
   BULLETINS   
      
   The ending time for the ARRL January VHF Contest is 0359 UTC on January 26th.   
   It was mistakenly listed as 2359 UTC in January's "Contest Corral". A   
   corrected PDF version of the column is available online. (Thanks, Mike K2MK)   
      
   BUSTED QSOS   
      
   The call sign 4J1VR should have been 4V1JR. (Thanks, Charlie N1RR)   
      
   CONTEST SUMMARY   
      
   Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section   
      
   January 3-4   
      
     * ARRL Straight Key Night (Dec 31)   
     * ARRL RTTY Roundup   
     * Kid's Day--Phone   
     * CWOps Weekly Mini-CWT Tests (Dec 31)   
     * QRP ARCI New Year's Sprint--CW (Jan 1)   
     * New Years Snowball Contest   
     * SARTG New Year RTTY Contest   
     * AGCW Happy New Year Contest--CW   
     * NS Weekly Sprint--CW   
     * 070 PSKFest   
     * WW Peace Messenger Cities   
     * EUCW 160 Meter Contest--CW   
     * OK1WC Memorial Contest (Jan 5)   
     * ARS Spartan Sprint--CW (Jan 6)   
      
   January 10-11   
      
     * North American QSO Party--CW   
     * UBA PSK63 Prefix Contest   
     * Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon   
     * DARC 10 Meter Contest    
      
   NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST   
      
   After a run of nearly 40 years, the North American Phone Sprint has been   
   discontinued. As new editor Pat N9RV explains in the Jan/Feb 2015 issue of the   
   National Contest Journal, as a result of declining participation, "the   
   operating experience that continues to make the CW Sprint so special is   
   essentially lost." NCJ remains open to trying new and innovative contest   
   formats, particularly for SSB operators. Past Phone Sprint participants are   
   considering running their own version of the contest, as well, so stay tuned   
   for future announcements.   
      
   Rules for the ARRL January VHF Contest have been updated for Single-Op   
   Unlimited and Unlimited Rover categories. Check out the rules before the   
   contest!   
      
   Thanks to Chip Sufitchi N2YO the European Space Agency's new satellite   
   tracking widgets are live. The widgets are fed with the latest orbital tracks   
   for ESA missions, or missions with significant ESA participation. The default   
   track shows the ISS but there are 17 other tracks to explore! (From AMSAT News   
   ANS-355)   
      
   Registration is now open for the Ninth 2015 Dayton ConTest University ("CTU")   
   to be held all day on Thursday May 14, 2015 at the Crowne Plaza in Dayton,   
   Ohio. Eight different countries have hosted CTUs over the years; USA,   
   Australia, Russia, Germany, Italy, England, Brazil and Finland. Over 3700   
   students have attended CTUs with more than 80 CTU Professors sharing their   
   contesting experiences. CTU Caribbean will be held next month at the ARRL   
   Puerto Rico Convention! (Thanks, CTU Chairman, Tim K3LR)   
      
   When do contest logs really come in? Are they spread out throughout the   
   submission period? How many sneak in at the deadline and how many are late? CQ   
   World Wide DX Contest Director, Randy K5ZD put together this chart showing how   
   the logs are submitted over time. Don't miss that deadline!   
      
   Web Site of the Week - The ARRL has published a revision to the HF Contesting   
   Guidelines. The revisions by a team of CAC members (K5KG, N3BB, K3WW, W1UE)   
   address changes in technology that have affected HF contesting in recent years   
   and present a current understanding of HF contesting standards and practices.   
   (VHF+ contesting is not addressed.) Additionally, sections of the previous   
   document were rewritten and reorganized to improve readability. The goal of   
   the guidelines is to provide guidance and advice, especially for new   
   contesters, and to encourage contest operation that advances the spirit and   
   integrity of radiosport. (Thanks, George K5KG)   
      
   WORD TO THE WISE   
      
   Enjoy being with your families, thank your lucky stars for what and who you   
   have, wish for those who are hurting to be less so, and remember those who   
   blazed a trail for us.   
      
   SIGHTS AND SOUNDS   
      
   If you've ever wondered what the operators experience at some of those remote   
   UA9 and UAO stations, this New Yorker article about a Siberian weatherman   
   gives an idea, along with some great photographs. (Thanks, Trey N5KO)   
      
   What does a ping sound like? You can hear real time audio related to meteor   
   activity on the LIVEMETEORS website run by the same Chip N2YO who developed   
   the ESA widgets mentioned previously. He uses an SDR receiver in the   
   Washington, DC area tuned to 55.23693 MHz with a Yagi pointed toward a Channel   
   2 television station in Canada. The page also features both a spectral and a   
   waterfall display as seen in the photo at right. (From the ARRL Propagation   
   Bulletin ARLP052)   
      
   We're not supposed to look right at the Sun, but NASA's NuSTAR satellite does   
   that all time - and in X-rays - taking high-resolution photos that will give   
   us a better idea of what the Sun is doing.   
      
   When stuff gets so hot it turns magenta, you know the burner is set on HIGH!   
   (Thanks, Kirk K4RO)   
      
   I think I saw a few folks wearing this handsome heap of ham haberdashery at   
   recent hamfests. (Thanks, Eric W3DQ)   
      
   Imagine you, played by a watermelon, taking on a fully charged high-voltage   
   capacitor. Don't try this at home...and switch to safety! On a larger scale,   
   Connecticut Light and Power has been demonstrating some exciting new splicing   
   technology on their high voltage distribution lines - also quite impressive.   
   RESULTS AND RECORDS   
      
   Congratulations to another crop of Rookies who tried out their CW skills in   
   the Dec 21st edition of the ARRL Rookie Roundup. Results have been released   
   and Bill AEOEE was the top score - with a call like that, he must be a CW   
   operator! Bill encourages other new hams to try CW; "I'd strongly urge you to   
   get involved with the Straight Key Century Club, whose members provided a   
   great number of QSOs during the Rookie Roundup. Their monthly sprints and   
   weekend sprintathon are lots of fun, and with an exchange that is generally   
   easier to understand. When your CW gets faster, the Sweepstakes and the other   
   non-rookie contests can be very exciting."   
      
   ARRL Contest Branch Manager, Matt W1MSW reports that 2014 RTTY Roundup   
   certificates went out on December 22nd and 2014 ARRL DX Plaques went out on   
   December 30th. Watch those mailboxes!   
      
   Results for the 2014 Canada Day contest are posted on the Radio Amateurs of   
   Canada (RAC) website. Certificates will be sent out via email, so look for   
   them starting in late January. (Thanks, Bart VE5CPU)   
      
   The preliminary results of the 2014 Worked All Germany Contest are online   
   along with a first contest and log check report. Your personal logcheck report   
   is available via the link/password received with the email robot's   
   confirmation after submitting a log. If you lost the access information please   
   send a mail to the WAG information address. (Thanks, WAG Contest Manager,   
   Chris DL8MBS)   
      
   The official results of the 2014 Ten-Meter RTTY Contest have been posted on   
   rttycontesting.com. All results, past and present, including a scores   
   database, can be found via the Ten-Meter RTTY Contest menu. As an added bonus,   
   there is an article by Mark K6UFO about the remote operation he and Tom ND2T   
   used at W1LQ and KH6TU. (Thanks, Don AA5AU and Ed WOYK)   
      
   Results of the 2014 Ukrainian DX Contest are now available from the contest   
   website. (Thanks, URDXC Contest Committee, Vladimir UT1IA)   
      
   Final results of the 2014 YO DX HF Contest are now online. (Thanks, Andy YO3JR)   
      
   OPERATING TIP   
      
   After each big contest (and some little ones) there is a big online discussion   
   about duplicate contacts. Do you log them? Do you tell the caller they are a   
   dupe? Are there penalties for submitting a log with duplicate QSOs? The   
   general consensus is that you should just log the new contact - it might save   
   you or the other station from getting a NIL (Not In Log) penalty if the   
   earlier contact wasn't successful on either end. As CQ WW Director, Randy K5ZD   
   says, "Working dupes is good. There is no downside from logging a station a   
   second time." CQ WW RTTY Manager, Ed WOYK observes, "Contesting is a   
   cooperative sport where competitors must work together to create a valid QSO   
   in both logs that each gets credit for. To that extent "I am my brother's   
   keeper". Working dupes supports this paradigm." One lesson here is that you   
   need to learn how to force logging a dupe in your software - such as ALT-Enter   
   in N1MM. Software authors, please support logging duplicate QSOs!   
      
   TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION   
      
   The sophistication of RF instrumentation available to the amateur continues to   
   increase at an amazing pace, such as this "Poor Ham's Scalar Network Analyzer"   
   based on an Arduino processor and a pair of Analog Devices ICs. (the AD9850   
   DDS module and AD8307 RF power detector) Work is progressing on a hand-held   
   version. (Thanks, Jim N5IB)   
      
   When getting ready to pour concrete for a tower base, it's important that the   
   rebar not sit directly on the dirt where it will get wet and rust away. Skip   
   KJ6Y relayed the recommended solution, dobie blocks. He also cautions against   
   using regular bricks that will absorb moisture that causes the rebar to rust.   
   Dobie blocks are available where you buy the rebar or concrete.   
      
   In addition to Amateur Radio, Les N1LF has recently gotten involved in model   
   railroading. "While looking for specialty tools for these tiny machines, I   
   came across a company called Micro-Mark of Berkeley Heights, NJ. Their website   
   and wonderful catalog contain not only tools of great use to modelers, but   
   anyone who works with small components. There is a wealth of products ranging   
   from hand tools, jigs of all kinds, magnifiers, 3-D printers, small lathes,   
   and so much more."   
      
   Steve WA7DUH has put together this PowerPoint slide deck covering the basics   
   of baluns. Once familiar with the technology, this paper from DX Engineering   
   will help you choose the right type of balun for your particular needs.   
   (Thanks, Don KD8NNU)   
      
   Visualizing the pattern of antennas is often challenging and that's where some   
   software can be a huge help. Bob KA5MCO suggests taking a look at the website   
   of Paul Falstad. If your web browser can run Java applets, Paul's various   
   electromagnetic simulations can help you imagine what's going on with various   
   antennas. (The antenna applet is in the Electrodynamics section.) Not only   
   that, you can change the parameters of the antenna and see the effects in real   
   time! There are quite a number of other useful simulations, as well.   
      
   Technical Web Site of the Week - Here in the middle of low-band season and   
   with CQ WW 160 coming up, "Beverage On Ground (BOG)" antennas have been   
   discussed lately. Bruce K1FZ has put together a web page discussing this   
   variation of the Beverage design, answering some questions about how well it   
   works, terminating the antenna, and other common questions.   
   CONVERSATION   
      
   A Simple Delight   
      
   As you know, the ARRL's Centennial QSO Party ends TODAY - can 3.5 million QSOs   
   be wrong? That's one heckuva lot of QSOs (and QSLs) for what has been the   
   biggest on the air ham radio event of all time! While I've certainly enjoyed   
   being on both sides of those pileups, the best part of this adventure for me   
   has not been my own experiences. Rather, it has been hearing entirely new   
   calls and their stories of getting on the air to work W1AW/portable or W100AW.   
      
   At 0000 UTC on January 1st, all of us, old and new operators alike, will be   
   asking, "Now what?" We've enjoyed quite a year of looking back at the long   
   history of Amateur Radio and the ARRL's part in that history. As we sing our   
   auld lang synes and clean up after the party, the time for nostalgia will be   
   fading. Now what, indeed! Where do we go following this grand and successful   
   year-long eruption of activity? What is it that the coming generation of hams   
   will be remembering on their future New Year's Eves?   
      
   What those of us here today must carry forward into tomorrow's ham radio is   
   not so much the technology, the techniques, or even the traditions we hold   
   dear. Those will not keep Amateur Radio vibrant and alive for future   
   generations. The key is to preserve and promote the simple delight of being a   
   ham and experiencing the world and other amateurs through the unique window   
   ham radio provides. That is what got us all on the air and keeps us active and   
   exploring.   
      
   New windows and doors are opening all the time even as time-honored aspects of   
   the service go on. This coming evening, I will hook up my trusty J-38 key and   
   pound some brass on Straight Key Night, honoring the sending of Morse across   
   the airwaves, echoing those first hams so long ago. But on my list of   
   resolutions for 2015 are pledges to find the time for adding an SDR to my   
   shack, experiment with the WSPR protocol, and to support the development of   
   new services and activities.   
      
   Polish Nobel Prize-winning poet Wis�?awa Szymborska wrote in her "The Three   
   Oddest Words,"   
      
   "When I pronounce the word Future,   
   the first syllable already belongs to the past."   
      
   Amateur Radio has never stood still. The service is changing at every moment   
   and with every transmitted signal and with every new ham. Amateur Radio   
   gathers the essential from what is and carries it forward into what will be.   
      
   The bands will be a little quieter next year. The solar cycle will progress.   
   New events and awards will be announced. Workbench and keyboard tinkerers will   
   release their newest creations. Work parties will convene to hoist another   
   antenna and the meetings will please come to order and hams will talk about   
   the weather. It will all be the same and it will all be new. And through it   
   all will course the simple delight which is our greatest strength, no matter   
   how it is expressed. Happy New Year, my friends - I'll see you on the bands!   
      
   73, Ward NOAX   
      
   CONTESTS   
      
   December 31 through January 13   
      
   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 Straight Key Night--CW, from Jan 1, 0000Z to Jan 1, 2359Z. Bands (MHz):   
   3.5-28, 50+. Exchange: General QSO information. Logs due: Jan 31. Rules   
      
   ARRL RTTY Roundup--Digital, from Jan 3, 1800Z to Jan 4, 2359Z. Bands (MHz):   
   3.5-28. Exchange: RST, state/province/serial. Logs due: Feb 3. Rules   
   http://www.arrl.org/contests   
      
   Kid's Day--Phone, from Jan 4, 1800Z to Jan 4, 2359Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28.   
   Exchange: Name, age, location, favorite color. Rules   
      
   North American QSO Party--CW, from Jan 10, 1800Z to Jan 11, 0559Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: Name and S/P/C. Logs due: 7 days. Rules   
      
   CWOps Weekly Mini-CWT Tests--CW, from Dec 31, 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   
      
   New Years Snowball Contest--Phone,CW, from Jan 1, 0000Z to Jan 1, 0100Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 3.5. Exchange: RST, serial, AGB number. Logs due: 3 weeks. Rules   
      
   SARTG New Year RTTY Contest--Digital, from Jan 1, 0800Z to Jan 1, 1100Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 3.5-7. Exchange: RST, serial, Happy New Year in your language. Logs   
   due: Jan 31. Rules   
      
   AGCW Happy New Year Contest--CW, from Jan 1, 0900Z to Jan 1, 1200Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 3.5-14. Exchange: RST, serial, AGCW number. Logs due: Jan 31. Rules   
      
   NS Weekly Sprint--CW, from Jan 2, 0230Z to Jan 2, 0300Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-14.   
   Weekly on Thursday evenings local time. Exchange: Serial, name, and S/P/C.   
   Logs due: 2 days. Rules   
      
   070 PSKFest--Digital, from Jan 3, 0000Z to Jan 3, 2400Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28.   
   Exchange: Call sign, RST, S/P/C . Logs due: 2 weeks. Rules   
      
   WW Peace Messenger Cities--Phone,CW, from Jan 3, 1200Z to Jan 4, 1200Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RS(T) and PMC ref number or CQ zone. Logs due: 30   
   days. Rules   
      
   QRP ARCI New Year's Sprint--CW, from Jan 3, 1500Z to Jan 3, 1800Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 3.5-28. QRP calling frequencies. Exchange: RST, S/P/C, QRP ARCI number   
   or power. Logs due: 14 days. Rules   
      
   EUCW 160 Meter Contest--CW, from Jan 3, 2000Z - See website. Multiple time   
   periods. Bands (MHz): 1.8. Exchange: RST, serial, club name, member nr or   
   "NR". Logs due: Feb 12. Rules   
      
   OK1WC Memorial Contest--Phone,CW, from Jan 5, 1630Z to Jan 5, 1730Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 3.5, 7. Weekly on Monday, see website for bands. Exchange: RS(T) and   
   serial. Logs due: 5 days. Rules   
      
   ARS Spartan Sprint--CW, from Jan 6, 0200Z to Jan 6, 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   
      
   UBA PSK63 Prefix Contest--Digital, from Jan 10, 1200Z to Jan 11, 1159Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RSQ and serial. Logs due: 1 week. Rules   
      
   Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from Jan 10, 1200Z to Jan 11, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, SKCC member nr. Logs due: 5   
   days. Rules   
      
   DARC 10 Meter Contest--Phone,CW, from Jan 11, 0900Z to Jan 11, 1059Z. Bands   
   (MHz): 28. Exchange: RS(T), serial, DOK code. Logs due: 2 weeks. Rules   
      
   VHF+ CONTESTS   
      
   ARRL Straight Key Night--CW, from Jan 1, 0000Z to Jan 1, 2359Z. Bands (MHz):   
   3.5-28, 50+. Exchange: General QSO information. Logs due: Jan 31. Rules   
      
   Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from Jan 10, 1200Z to Jan 11, 2359Z.   
   Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, SKCC member nr. Logs due: 5   
   days. Rules   
      
   LOG DUE DATES   
      
   December 31 through January 13   
      
     * December 31 - Kentucky QSO Party   
     * December 31 - IPARC Contest   
     * December 31 - All Austrian 160-Meter Contest   
     * December 31 - TARA RTTY Melee   
     * December 31 - World Wide Iron Ham Contest   
     * January 1 - QRP Fox Hunt   
     * January 1 - ARRL EME Contest   
     * January 1 - ARRL EME Contest   
     * January 3 - OK DX RTTY Contest   
     * January 3 - Russian 160-Meter Contest   
     * January 3 - QRP Fox Hunt   
     * January 3 - CWops Mini-CWT Test   
     * January 4 - NCCC Sprint Ladder   
     * January 6 - CQC Great Colorado Snowshoe Run   
     * January 6 - ARRL 160-Meter Contest   
     * January 8 - ARS Spartan Sprint   
     * January 12 - Stew Perry Topband Challenge   
     * January 12 - ARRL 10-Meter Contest   
     * January 12 - DARC Christmas Contest   
      
   ARRL Information   
      
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   ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS   
      
   ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest   
   Calendar and SM3CER's Contest Calendar.   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
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   year). ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their   
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   )\/(ark   
      
   If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until   
   you hire an amateur.   
      
   --- FMail/Win32 1.60   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.71)