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   http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2015-10-21   
      
   The ARRL Contest Update   
      
   October 21, 2015   
   Editor: Brian Moran, N9ADG   
      
   IN THIS ISSUE   
      
    *  CQWW SSB   
    *  ARRL EME   
    *  USDOT moving to require "drone" registration   
    *  Summer Stew Perry Results now available   
    *  DHDL Receive Antenna   
    *  Program your own FSK Decoder   
    *  Multi-Single   
      
      
   NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO   
      
   The CQWW SSB contest is the "major" this time. It's a great way to work some   
   DX contacts, and fill in some DXCC countries on various bands. You can do the   
   48-hour contest solo, but it can be even more fun if you're part of a multi-op.   
      
      
   BULLETINS   
      
   "ARRL Sweepstakes time is almost here - will you be ready? This year, there   
   are two weeks between CQWW-Phone weekend and the CW Sweepstakes (November 7 &   
   8) so you have a whole extra week to make preparations! One of your first   
   stops should be to check out the 2015 Operating Guide (PDF) and other   
   important info on the ARRL November Sweepstakes web page. Next, spend some   
   time with the updated ARRL Sweepstakes Records for both modes. Some records at   
   the Division and Section level have never had any entrants for many classes,   
   and other existing records could easily be within your grasp.   
      
   Affiliated Club competition continues to be a very popular aspect of   
   Sweepstakes each year. If your club hasn't already started making plans to get   
   more members on the air for Sweepstakes, take the initiative to start 'talking   
   up' SS. Encourage ops in your group to get on and make some contacts, even if   
   it can't be a full-time effort. Remind them that the Clean Sweep mug (for   
   working all 83 ARRL/RAC sections) is available again this year, as are   
   Participation Pins for anyone who completes more than 100 contacts on CW or   
   Phone during Sweepstakes. More activity means more fun for everyone!"   
      
   -Larry Hammel K5OT, ARRL Sweepstakes contest manager   
      
   If you enjoyed the ARRL Centennial operating activities, you'll likely flip   
   over the upcoming National Parks on the Air event, which starts January 1,   
   2016. The year 2016 is the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service. If   
   you like operating outside, setting up field-day style operations, you can   
   activate National Parks, National Battlefields, Historic Sites, Memorials,   
   Preserves, Reserves, Rivers, Seashores, National Scenic Trails, and the like.   
   You'll be "chased" by those working you, and all scores will be reflected in   
   an on-line NPOTA leader board based on the LotW data. Examining the list of   
   qualifying locations, I'm betting there will be some that will be extremely   
   rare due to access, size, and/or appropriateness.   
      
      
   BUSTED QSOS   
      
   Bill, AC0W writes: "Well I see contest sponsors have taken the log due dates   
   to the extreme. Phone Fray Oct 14 and Oct 21 have log due date of Oct 9. Talk   
   about needing to use ESP to generate your log before the contest even occurs."   
      
      
   CONTEST SUMMARY   
      
   Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section   
      
   October 22   
      
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
      
   October 23   
      
    *  NCCC RTTY Sprint   
    *  NCCC Sprint   
      
   October 24   
      
    *  CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB   
      
   October 28   
      
    *  SKCC Sprint   
    *  Phone Fray   
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
    *  UKEICC 80m Contest   
      
   October 29   
      
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
    *  RSGB 80m Club Sprint, SSB   
      
   October 30   
      
    *  NCCC RTTY Sprint   
    *  NCCC Sprint   
      
   October 31   
      
    *  Feld Hell Sprint   
    *  ARRL EME Contest   
    *  Russian WW MultiMode Contest   
      
   November 1   
      
    *  High Speed Club CW Contest   
      
   November 3   
      
    *  ARS Spartan Sprint   
      
   November 4   
      
    *  QRP Fox Hunt   
    *  Phone Fray   
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
    *  UKEICC 80m Contest   
      
      
   NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST   
      
   The U.S. Department of Transportation is moving in the direction of requiring   
   Unmanned Aircraft System (Drone) registration. While consideration is being   
   given to recognizing that there are smaller 'toy' vehicles that would be   
   exempt, many of the great videos we've seen on the Internet were taken by   
   craft that would likely require registration under the registration process.   
      
   TV antennas are making a comeback as more and more people are discovering that   
   digital over-the-air broadcasts can look great, and don't require a monthly   
   fee.   
      
   Though shortwave broadcasts have been declining, EU Longwave broadcasts (148.5   
   - 253 kHz) appear to have a steady audience.(Thanks N6KI)   
      
   What were the most disruptive technologies of the 20th century? Things like   
   TVs, CDs, DVDs, Computers, may come to mind... however some argue that it was   
   the general availability of home appliances .   
      
   N3FJP logging program assortment now supports the CQWW DX RTTY Contest.   
      
   Two hundred and nineteen miles is the current record for the distance traveled   
   by a single piece of tornado-carried debris. Researchers used social media to   
   research and track items carried by a single storm in 2011 .   
      
   An enthusiast has used off-the-shelf parts, and a 3D printer, to build a   
   hand-held railgun capable of launching projectiles at 560 MPH. The article   
   includes links to video of it in action. The gentleman built this in his   
   basement. (Thanks W7SNH)   
      
      
   WORD TO THE WISE   
      
   QLF - used in CW communications, meaning "I am sending with my left foot." To   
   use the interrogative form, follow with a question mark: QLF? Translation:   
   "Are you sending with your left foot?" Most often heard around the beginning   
   of a new calendar year, coincident with SKN.   
      
      
   RESULTS AND RECORDS   
      
   The results for the 2015 Topband Summer Stew are now available, as are the   
   preliminary results of the "Pre-stew" held last weekend. - N6TR   
      
   "The 2015 Salmon Run Results are posted on the WWDXC Website. Thanks to Mike   
   N7WA for doing the scoring, slicing and dicing of nearly 300 logs received and   
   presenting the data in a readable format. Many logs (including about 10 paper   
   logs) needed fixing up before entering the analysis program - Mike and Jim   
   K7WA accomplished that. Also, we need to thank Dick K7BTW for managing the   
   County Activity page before the Salmon Run, and Matt KQ7W and Mike K7SR who   
   are working on the Participant Awards (pdf certificates), Kirk N7UK and Dennis   
   K7DSE the Awards guys, the WWDXC Board and all members for your support!" -   
   K7WA   
      
   OPERATING TIP   
      
   Four little reminders prompted by operating in the CQWW RTTY Contest last   
   month:   
      
   ú If you're S&Ping, you generally don't need to send the CQing station's   
   callsign.   
      
   ú On RTTY, send 599, not 5NN. 599 sends the character 5, then 9, then 9 -   
   three characters in total. Sending 5NN sends the character 5, then the   
   non-printing LTR character, then N, then N - four characters in total.   
      
   ú Don't send ANY canned information from any database, like the other stations   
   name. Yes, it's cool that you can do that. Refrain. Just send the contest   
   exchange. Besides, it's a little awkward when the name in the database is   
   "Roberto" but the operator is known by everyone as "Bob."   
      
   ú There's no need to send 599 twice in the exchange.   
      
   TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION   
      
   If you're looking for a new 160m receive antenna for a space constrained   
   location, perhaps you should give the DHDL antenna a look. Developed for the   
   TX3A DXpedition, it's a Double Helix Delta Loop, and boasts an RDF improvement   
   of 2.5 dB over a single flag antenna of similar dimension. DH1TW tried this   
   antenna at ED1R, and reported his favorable results. (WWDXC reflector)   
      
   Quantum computers will use a different architecture, and work with different   
   concepts than computing until now. We'll have to think about how to frame   
   problems in a different way, using new computer languages suited to the new   
   models.   
      
   Recently, a new distance record for 'Quantum Teleportation' was set. Single   
   entangled photons were transmitted and detected across 100km of fiber. This   
   record was a result of a refinement of the detector capability. (Thanks N6KI)   
      
   Sometimes all it takes is one project to instill a life-long interest in   
   building electronic projects - here's a headphone amplifier that could be that   
   project. It's a relatively simple design, with parts and resources available   
   from numerous sources.   
      
   Memristors are shipping ! These devices can be "programmed" with a current to   
   exhibit a particular resistance when subsequently read with a (smaller)   
   current. It is thought that they'll be able to spur the creation of new types   
   of non-volatile storage. One currently available device has eight memristors   
   in one single package.   
      
   SMD parts are usually small, requiring tools to handle. An inexpensive   
   suction-type tool for picking and placing parts is available from Electronics   
   Goldmine which could be just the thing you need for parts that are too   
   'slippery' for tweezers.(QRP-L mailing list)   
      
      
   (At Pacificon) "I walked down the aisle and found a vendor selling a box that   
   meters in the positive lead! I bought one immediately. It's marked EZ-meter   
   II. Metering (current) in the positive lead is critical - you can't measure   
   current drawn by interconnected equipment in the negative lead, because all   
   the bonds between gear and the coax running between them causes DC current to   
   divide by Ohm's Law.   
      
   http://www.hamsource.com/ezmeter.html " - (Thanks K9YC)   
      
   Technical Web Site of the Week - Building an FSK Decoder using open source   
   tools for use in high-altitude balloon telemetry. Written by David Rowe,   
   VK5DGR, author of FreeDV, this is a great blog post illustrating how a design   
   for a software modem was developed using open source software, tested, and   
   deployed against real-world signals. Some interesting findings include that   
   using reasonable hardware, performance was adequate using GNU Octave, without   
   compiling the design further, to decode real-world signals, and that a   
   real-world driver must be able to accommodate variation in the sender's clock   
   rate. Perhaps this article will spur others to do their own RTTY decoder   
   design and experimentation.   
      
      
   CONVERSATION   
      
   Multi-Single   
      
   Many of the major contests have some sort of multi-single category. At first   
   glance, one might think that this means that multiple operators can take turns   
   operating a single radio. At some level, it is that. However, individual   
   contests have different variations and special rules for "Multi-single"   
   operation. For the CQWW contest, one radio is used for the "run", but a second   
   radio may be simultaneously used as long as the station worked is a   
   multiplier. No CQs may be sent on the 'multiplier' radio, and there are band   
   change restrictions. For the CQWW 160 contest, if you use spots, you're a   
   multi. The ARRL Sweepstakes has one Multi-operator category, and it only   
   allows one transmitted signal at a time.   
      
   To earn a big score, one must follow the rules, but must also think creatively   
   about how to get a higher rate or more multipliers.   
      
   For example, for ARRL Sweepstakes, only one transmitted signal is allowed.   
   There are no restrictions on band changes. The top-scoring multi-ops use more   
   than one operating position, with the transceivers coordinated using a   
   'lock-out' so that only one is transmitting at a time. In this fashion,   
   slightly lower rates are obtained on each station, but in aggregate the rate   
   is excellent. Listening to an "M" station running on a band in sweepstakes,   
   one might hear serial numbers being skipped as the 'other' station hands them   
   out to their contacts.   
      
   For Sweepstakes, just having the radios lockout-coordinated is no guarantee of   
   a high score - the exchange is long, and all operators must remain sensitive   
   to the possibility that another operator is waiting to complete a Q. Add some   
   band noise necessitating repeats, and frustrations can occur. As with any   
   other contesting skill, practice can make you better, and the best practice   
   for Sweepstakes is... Sweepstakes. Over time, as operators develop an   
   awareness of where their team members are in their Q's, the rate can increase   
   as exchanges are coordinated.   
      
   For some ideas on lockout devices, check this information provided for the   
   CQWW (scroll down to Hardware Lockout Devices), as well as the 4O3A Lock-X   
   device. Some of the contest logging programs can now coordinate PTT and keying   
   through the LAN to provide a lockout function - but some stories indicate that   
   caution is warranted to absolutely test that software and hardware has been   
   set up correctly, and that it's not possible to have more than one signal on   
   the air. "Works most of the time" is not good enough here, and it would be   
   disappointing to find out after a weekend of contesting that you had to enter   
   a checklog because of a lockout malfunction.   
      
   73, Brian N9ADG   
      
      
   CONTESTS   
      
   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   
      
   CWops Mini-CWT Test , Oct 21, 1300z to Oct 21, 1400z, Oct 21, 1900z to Oct 21,   
   2000z, Oct 22, 0300z to Oct 22, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m;   
   Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs   
   due: October 24.   
      
   NCCC RTTY Sprint , Oct 23, 0145z to Oct 23, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules);   
   Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: October 18.   
      
   NCCC Sprint , Oct 23, 0230z to Oct 23, 0300z; (see rules); Bands: (see rules);   
   Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: October 18.   
      
   CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB , Oct 24, 0000z to Oct 26, 0000z; SSB; Bands:   
   160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RS + CQ Zone No.; Logs due: October 30.   
      
   SKCC Sprint , Oct 28, 0000z to Oct 28, 0200z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15,   
   10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./power); Logs due:   
   October 30.   
      
   Phone Fray , Oct 28, 0230z to Oct 28, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m;   
   NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: October 23.   
      
   CWops Mini-CWT Test , Oct 28, 1300z to Oct 28, 1400z, Oct 28, 1900z to Oct 28,   
   2000z, Oct 29, 0300z to Oct 29, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m;   
   Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs   
   due: October 24.   
      
   UKEICC 80m Contest , Oct 28, 2000z to Oct 28, 2100z; CW; Bands: 80m Only;   
   4-Character grid square; Logs due: October 28.   
      
   RSGB 80m Club Sprint, SSB , Oct 29, 1900z to Oct 29, 2000z; SSB; Bands: 80m   
   Only; [other station's call] + [your call] + [serial no.] + [your name]; Logs   
   due: November 5.   
      
   NCCC RTTY Sprint , Oct 30, 0145z to Oct 30, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules);   
   Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: October 18.   
      
   NCCC Sprint , Oct 30, 0230z to Oct 30, 0300z; (see rules); Bands: (see rules);   
   Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: October 18.   
      
   Feld Hell Sprint , Oct 31, 0000z to Oct 31, 2359z; Feld Hell; Bands: 160, 80,   
   40, 15, 10, 6m; (see rules); Logs due: October 24.   
      
   Russian WW MultiMode Contest , Oct 31, 1200z to Nov 1, 1159z; CW, SSB, RTTY,   
   BPSK63; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; UA: RST(Q) + 2-character oblast,   
   non-UA: RST(Q) + QSO No.; Logs due: November 15.   
      
   High Speed Club CW Contest , Nov 1, 0900z to Nov 1, 1100z, Nov 1, 1500z to Nov   
   1, 1700z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Members: RST + HSC No., non-Members:   
   RST + "NM"; Logs due: November 21.   
      
   ARS Spartan Sprint , Nov 3, 0100z to Nov 3, 0300z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15,   
   10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Power; Logs due: November 5.   
      
   QRP Fox Hunt , Nov 4, 0100z to Nov 4, 0230z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST +   
   (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: November 5.   
      
   Phone Fray , Nov 4, 0230z to Nov 4, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m;   
   NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: October 23.   
      
   CWops Mini-CWT Test , Nov 4, 1300z to Nov 4, 1400z, Nov 4, 1900z to Nov 4,   
   2000z, Nov 5, 0300z to Nov 5, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m;   
   Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs   
   due: October 24.   
      
   UKEICC 80m Contest , Nov 4, 2000z to Nov 4, 2100z; CW; Bands: 80m Only;   
   4-Character grid square; Logs due: October 28.   
      
   VHF+ CONTESTS   
      
   ARRL EME Contest , Oct 31, 0000z to Nov 1, 2359z; CW, Phone, Digital; Bands:   
   50-1296 MHz; Signal report; Logs due: January 1.   
      
   LOG DUE DATES   
      
   October 23, 2015   
      
    *  Phone Fray   
      
   October 24, 2015   
      
    *  Microwave Fall Sprint   
    *  Feld Hell Sprint   
    *  PODXS 070 Club 160m Great Pumpkin Sprint   
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
      
   October 25, 2015   
      
    *  Asia-Pacific Fall Sprint, CW   
    *  10-10 Int. 10-10 Day Sprint   
    *  QRP ARCI Fall QSO Party   
    *  Run for the Bacon QRP Contest   
    *  UBA ON Contest, SSB   
    *  WAB HF Phone   
      
   October 30, 2015   
      
    *  GTC CW Cup   
      
   October 31, 2015   
      
    *  Arizona QSO Party   
    *  Texas QSO Party   
    *  JARTS WW RTTY Contest   
    *  Oceania DX Contest, CW   
    *  Oceania DX Contest, Phone   
    *  TARA PSK Rumble Contest   
    *  MCG Autumn Sprint   
      
   November 1, 2015   
      
    *  New York QSO Party   
    *  UBA ON Contest, CW   
      
   November 2, 2015   
      
    *  Stew Perry Topband Challenge (Pre-Stew)   
    *  FISTS Fall Slow Speed Sprint   
    *  10-10 Int. Fall Contest, CW   
    *  Worked All Germany Contest   
    *  YLRL DX/NA YL Anniversary Contest   
      
      
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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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   ... Chicken is food, not a roommate.   
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    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)