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   http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2016-04-06   
      
   The ARRL Contest Update   
      
   April 6, 2016   
   Editor: Brian Moran, N9ADG   
      
      
   IN THIS ISSUE   
    *  New HF Operators: Discover HF Experience, JIDX, QSO Parties, and more   
    *  Bulletins: Groups Cooperate to Sponsor 2016 August UHF Contest   
    *  Contest Summary   
    *  News: Contest University Topics and Speakers Revealed, GA QSO Party   
       Record Attempt, and more   
    *  Website of the week: heywhatsthat.com   
    *  Word to the Wise: Kiteoon   
    *  Sights and Sounds: Printing Magnets   
    *  Results: ARRL September VHF, CQWW SSB, and more   
    *  Operating Tip: Use Beacons to Enhance Your Operating   
    *  Technical Topics and Information:Mechanical Audio Filter, Open Source   
       SDR, Making PCBs   
    *  Conversation: Contest Robot   
    *  Contests   
    *  Log Due Dates   
      
      
   NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO   
      
   If you're near Framingham, MA, on April 10, you may want to check out the   
   "Discover HF Experience" or better yet, bring a couple of friends that   
   aren't on HF yet.   
      
   West Coast operators may enjoy the JIDX CW contest this weekend, should   
   propagation hold up. If you're working on improving your CW, the SKCC   
   Sprintathon should offer a welcoming place to be, as participants are   
   encouraged to adjust their speeds as necessary. QSO Parties from New Mexico   
   and Georgia can provide Qs in all modes.   
      
   The next weekend, Nebraska, Ontario, Michigan, and North Dakota QSO Parties   
   provide a smorgasbord of activity. If you're looking for just digital   
   activity, the Tara Skirmish Digital Prefix Contest encourages activity on   
   your choice of digital modes, including PSK, RTTY, Hell, MFSK, MT63, Throb,   
   ASCII, SSTV, Domino EX, ALE400, JT65 and Packet. Whew! Just remember, each   
   mode you use has to be turned in as a separate log, but some modes are seen   
   as variations on a 'parent' mode and... like any contest, you'd better read   
   the rules. Also, don't forget the ARRL Rookie Roundup, SSB, on Sunday, April   
   17.   
      
      
   BULLETINS   
      
   According to Wayne, W6YX, a consortium of people and clubs have come forth to   
   make sure a UHF Contest does occur on August 6-7, 2016. For more information,   
   see their website.   
      
      
   BUSTED QSOS   
      
   In the last issue, Zone 36 operators were erroneously attributed to a   
   different zone. Thanks to N5ZO, N0AX, ZS6EZ, for pointing this out.   
      
      
   CONTEST SUMMARY   
      
   Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section   
      
   April 7   
      
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
    *  SARL 80m QSO Party   
    *  NRAU 10m Activity Contest   
      
   April 8   
      
    *  NCCC RTTY Sprint   
    *  NCCC Sprint   
      
   April 9   
      
    *  JIDX CW Contest   
    *  PODXS 070 Club PSK 31 Flavors Contest   
    *  QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party   
    *  SKCC Weekend Sprintathon   
    *  OK/OM DX Contest, SSB   
    *  New Mexico QSO Party   
    *  Georgia QSO Party   
    *  Yuri Gagarin International DX Contest   
      
   April 10   
      
    *  Georgia QSO Party   
    *  International Vintage Contest HF   
    *  Hungarian Straight Key Contest   
      
   April 11   
      
    *  144 MHz Spring Sprint   
      
   April 13   
      
    *  NAQCC CW Sprint   
    *  Phone Fray   
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
    *  RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB   
      
   April 14   
      
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
      
   April 15   
      
    *  NCCC RTTY Sprint   
    *  NCCC Sprint   
    *  Holyland DX Contest   
      
   April 16   
      
    *  TARA Skirmish Digital Prefix Contest   
    *  ES Open HF Championship   
    *  Worked All Provinces of China DX Contest   
    *  CQ Manchester Mineira DX Contest   
    *  Nebraska QSO Party   
    *  Michigan QSO Party   
    *  EA-QRP CW Contest   
    *  Ontario QSO Party   
    *  North Dakota QSO Party   
    *  Feld Hell Sprint   
    *  YU DX Contest   
      
   April 17   
      
    *  Nebraska QSO Party   
    *  EA-QRP CW Contest   
    *  Ontario QSO Party   
    *  YU DX Contest   
    *  WAB 3.5/7/14 MHz Data Modes   
    *  ARRL Rookie Roundup, SSB   
      
   April 18   
      
    *  Run for the Bacon QRP Contest   
      
   April 19   
      
    *  222 MHz Spring Sprint   
      
   April 20   
      
    *  Phone Fray   
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
      
      
   NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST   
      
   Contest University 2016's Topics and Instructors have been posted on the   
   Contest University Website, as is the course outline (PDF). Registration is   
   open! (K3LR)   
      
   In an effort reminiscent of Bo Darville's efforts in the late 1970s, Bob,   
   W0BH, Paul, N4PN, and John, N6MU will attempt to run 73 Georgia counties in   
   the Georgia QSO Party this coming weekend using the callsign W0BH/m. Lorna,   
   K0WHY, will be driving. As a multi-multi, they'll be emitting "both kinds" of   
   signals, CW and SSB, in an equipment setup that worked well during the recent   
   Missouri QSO Party. In 2013, Bob, Paul, and Dave, N4VDL set the current record   
   of 61 counties. They have a long way to go, and a short time to get there, so   
   a schedule (PDF) and map is available on the W0BH qrz.com listing. (W0BH)   
      
   You may have heard that "it takes ten thousand hours to become an expert at   
   something," or a variation of this statement. But what the expert really said   
   about becoming an expert involves more than just putting in the hours. These   
   four things are important: 1) Finding a Mentor, 2) Pushing the envelope of   
   your performance 3) Learning by experience 4) Reviewing your performance to   
   understanding how to improve.   
      
   The mathematical underpinnings of communication were developed in large part   
   by Claude Shannon. A recent biographical IEEE article explored his many other   
   areas of contributions, including Information Theory and Cryptography.   
      
   Propagation has been lacking lately, but nothing like it could be with the   
   consequences of Earth being in the direct path of a large Coronal Mass   
   Ejection. According to researchers, Earth could receive the brunt of a   
   "superflare" many, many times stronger than even the 1859 Carrington Event.   
   Scientists previously believed that the potential for large flares was   
   predicated on very strong magnetic fields in a star. The new understanding is   
   that it's possible to have these very large flares even with the relatively   
   lower-level magnetic fields characteristic of our sun. (N6KI)   
      
   Some MIT researchers are using off-the-shelf Wi-Fi cards to spatially locate   
   objects with centimeter resolution. By using hardware with multiple antennas,   
   they use the phase of incoming signals to determine a direction, sampling   
   phase difference of a signal switching across a wide range of frequencies can   
   yield the distance.   
      
   Microsoft built a chat robot that would learned from its conversations, and   
   let "The Internet" chat with it. It learned some bad words and phrases,   
   started repeating them, and then was pulled.   
      
   The University of Texas Libraries has a collection of maps on their website   
   available for your use. You can use the search box for areas of interest, for   
   example "Antarctica Map," which yields this top hit, which helps to visualize   
   where VK0EK is in relation to other Antarctic region stations. (N0AX)   
      
   The Open Source Hardware summit is being held in Portland, Oregon, October 7,   
   2016. This is one of the places that people interested in topics such as using   
   digital design tools for on-demand and small-scale production meet and discuss   
   a wide range of topics. Last year's summit agenda and videos are available   
   online. Potential Speakers can submit a proposal for a session that would   
   appeal to the attendees in suggested areas of "Using, Building, and Growing   
   Open Hardware", "Science and Research", "Technology For The People", "Open   
   cultures: fostering harmony, openness, and beauty in the world" - how about a   
   talk on amateur radio and homebrewing, the original maker movement?   
      
      
   Web Site of the Week - http://www.heywhatsthat.com/   
      
   When scoping out a potential field day, repeater, Hamnet, SOTA, or other   
   location, you may want to "see what you can see" from that location. This   
   website may be able to assist, by showing you the panorama view from a   
   particular lat/long location, allowing for your height.   
      
      
   WORD TO THE WISE   
      
   "Kiteoon" - a combination of kite and (typically) helium balloon with fins,   
   it's a type of aerostat that if large enough can be used to lift a wire   
   antenna. The balloon aspect provides lift, while the fin aspect provides lift   
   in windy conditions to counter the tendency to be driven toward ground. Car   
   dealers use them to attract attention, 160 meter contesters use them to   
   attract Qs.   
      
      
   SIGHTS AND SOUNDS   
      
   A company has come up with a way to "print" magnets into a metal substrate,   
   with varying polarizations. By doing so, magnetic gradients can be configured   
   in unique ways to build machines that seem impossible. This video has a   
   demonstration and shows how they are fabricated. (K7BTW, K4RO, N0AX)   
      
      
   RESULTS AND RECORDS   
      
   The full results of the 2015 ARRL September VHF Contest are now available on   
   the ARRL website. The number one club for participation was the Pacific   
   Northwest VHF Society, by a large margin.   
      
   Final results for the 2015 CQ WW SSB are available.   
      
   Preliminary results for the February 2016 NAQP RTTY QSO Party are available on   
   the NCJ website.   
      
   The ARRL School Club Roundup results on the WA7BNM website are now final.   
   There was very good turnout, especially from the college-level clubs, where   
   Texas A&M earned the top spot, followed by Embry-Riddle and Tulsa Community   
   College. While Phone was the dominant mode across all categories, there was   
   increased digital activity from the school clubs as well.   
      
      
   OPERATING TIP   
      
   Use DX Beacons to enhance your operating plans   
      
   "TV Bob", N6TV, submits: "Ever listen to the NCDXF Beacons? The Faros program   
   by VE3NEA can automatically listen to these beacons and record when they are   
   heard. An excellent design ensures that even the weakest beacon signals will   
   be detected, with QRM ignored. Here's a YouTube video of Faros in action,   
   copying many of the 20m beacons in sequence. K2MO has posted an excellent   
   video showing how to set up the software, which will work with virtually any   
   transceiver."   
      
      
   TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION   
      
   A tuned resonator for audio is a different, low-cost way to have a mechanical   
   filter for CW. Using a speaker at the end of a tube acts like a filter - it   
   enhances the transmission of sound at the resonant frequency of the tube. Key   
   is tuning the tube to your preferred audio CW frequency. If you read this   
   paper, you can calculate the approximate dimensions, build something, and then   
   tune as necessary.   
      
   Here's something I missed from last summer - Microsoft has some SDR software,   
   and they open sourced it. Some of the building blocks may be useful for your   
   amateur SDR project.   
      
   Making printed circuit boards (PCBs) can be easy and inexpensive, as one   
   experimenter wrote about recently. The used a combination of free software and   
   an internet web site to design their own small two-layer board for about $6   
   per board. An article commenter also suggested using http://PCBShopper.com to   
   compare manufacturers.   
      
   Setting up your own cellular network may have just gotten easier. With the   
   appropriate hardware and a Debian linux computer, the Osmocom project has   
   built an installer that coordinates all of the pieces necessary to get OpenBSC   
   installed and configured. This could have application (with government   
   permission) on DXpeditions, or in specialized environments such as mines or   
   shielded buildings.   
      
   Switching a relay under load ("hot switching") isn't the best for the   
   contacts, or the rest of the signal chain. In UHF/VHF work where preamps may   
   be mounted at or near the antenna, it's especially important to get switching   
   right to avoid equipment destruction. Tektran has released the C-SW hybrid IC   
   that it claims can help control the make and break time of relays in your   
   signal chain.   
      
   The recent likely confirmation of the existence of gravity waves have spurred   
   more research into their detection, and a slew of new antenna designs are   
   being tried, across a wide range of frequencies. These antennas are in the   
   microwave-to-light range, and employ such techniques as silicon lenses, and   
   cooling to within a degree of absolute zero, to detect very weak signals.   
      
      
   CONVERSATION   
      
   Contest Robot   
      
   Last week, Microsoft was a bit chagrinned when their Artificial Intelligence   
   tweet-driven robot learned some bad language at the hands of the Internet at   
   Large. While this misstep became newsworthy because of the company involved,   
   the coverage didn't usually include the reasons why this type of technology   
   was being developed. The goal is that in the future these AI agents will be   
   able to learn and understand queries from humans without being explicitly   
   programmed - to factor humans INTO account, to be able to respond to the   
   intent of conversation if even the language being used is not precise.   
      
   In thinking about it, it seems to me that what we do in contesting is a bit of   
   the opposite. Contesters aspire to constrain the domain of information   
   exchange to the minimum required to make a contact, and we strive to have   
   ever-more machine-like precision in our requests and responses. We strive to   
   take the variable human part OUT. And go faster.   
      
   It's hard to find a human that can copy 45.5 baud RTTY, so the computer must   
   do that part. There used to be more humans per capita that could and were   
   willing to interpret CW encoding of information reliably, so computers are   
   doing more of that now, too. Aging human units can sometimes have difficulty   
   interpreting speech information in low signal to noise situations, so while   
   not mainstream, programming to take over that aspect is improving.   
      
   Duplicate checking helps we humans remember those stations we've worked, and   
   our computer aids can tell us what this callsign sent in the last contest; as   
   humans, our job is to feed the information into the computer, see if we need   
   more or different information, and then make the next contact. It's better   
   when we send information in the same format each time, so that waiting   
   responding stations become comfortable with the rhythm. The logging program   
   and computer send perfect CW. For some QSOs, all the ham needs to do is click   
   and hit enter two times. Who is operating whom?   
      
   How could all of this computer assistance evolve over time? Tree, N6TR made a   
   Z80-based CW robot years ago to make Field Day contacts under supervised   
   conditions. "TACO", the operator name, stood for "Totally Automated Control   
   Operator." Computing capability has evolved quite a bit since the Z80 era. In   
   2005, Ward, N0AX, posited that "it's going to take a long time, though, before   
   machine- and human-copy signals can mix it up together to the point of a human   
   not realizing that they are communicating with a machine."   
      
   In the context of amateur radio contesting, have we already crossed that   
   boundary? Where does the assistance end and the operator begin?   
      
   73, Brian N9ADG   
      
   That's all for this time. Remember to send your FB page URL, contesting   
   related tips, techniques, press releases, errata, selfies, pictures, stories,   
   blog links, and Twitter handles to contest-update@arrl.org   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   CONTESTS   
      
   7 Apr - 20 Apr 2016   
      
   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, Apr 6, 1300z to Apr 6, 1400z, Apr 6, 1900z to Apr 6,   
   2000z, Apr 7, 0300z to Apr 7, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m;   
   Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs   
   due: April 9.   
      
   SARL 80m QSO Party, Apr 7, 1700z to Apr 7, 2000z; SSB; Bands: 80m Only; RS +   
   Serial No. + Grid Locator or QTH; Logs due: April 14.   
      
   NRAU 10m Activity Contest, Apr 7, 1800z to Apr 7, 1900z (CW), Apr 7, 1900z to   
   Apr 7, 2000z (SSB), Apr 7, 2000z to Apr 7, 2100z (FM), Apr 7, 2100z to Apr 7,   
   2200z (Dig); CW, SSB, FM, Digital; Bands: 10m Only; RS(T) + 6-character grid   
   square; Logs due: April 21.   
      
   NCCC RTTY Sprint, Apr 8, 0145z to Apr 8, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules);   
   Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: April 10.   
      
   NCCC Sprint, Apr 8, 0230z to Apr 8, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No.   
   + Name + QTH; Logs due: April 10.   
      
   JIDX CW Contest, Apr 9, 0700z to Apr 10, 1300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20,   
   15, 10m; JA: RST + Prefecture No., non-JA: RST + CQ Zone No.; Logs due: May 10.   
      
   PODXS 070 Club PSK 31 Flavors Contest, Apr 9, 1000z to Apr 10, 0400z; BPSK31,   
   QPSK31, BPSK63, QPSK63, BPSK125, QPSK125; Bands: 20m Only; 070 members:   
   (state/province/country) + member no., Non-members: (state/province/country) +   
   name; Logs due: April 24.   
      
   QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party, Apr 9, 1200z to Apr 10, 2359z; CW; Bands: 160, 80,   
   40, 20, 15, 10m; RS + (state/province/country) + (ARCI number/power); Logs   
   due: April 28.   
      
   SKCC Weekend Sprintathon, Apr 9, 1200z to Apr 11, 0000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80,   
   40, 20, 15, 10, 6m; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE");   
   Logs due: April 17.   
      
   OK/OM DX Contest, SSB, Apr 9, 1200z to Apr 10, 1200z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40,   
   20, 15, 10m; OK/OM: RS + 3-letter district code, non-OK/OM: RS + Serial No.;   
   Logs due: April 24.   
      
   New Mexico QSO Party, Apr 9, 1400z to Apr 10, 0200z; CW, Phone, Digital;   
   Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6m; NM: Name + county, non-NM: Name +   
   (state/province/country); Logs due: April 23.   
      
   Georgia QSO Party, Apr 9, 1800z to Apr 10, 0359z, Apr 10, 1400z to Apr 10,   
   2359z; CW/Digital, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6m; GA: RST +   
   county, non-GA: RST + (state/province/"DX"); Logs due: May 15.   
      
   Yuri Gagarin International DX Contest, Apr 9, 2100z to Apr 10, 2100z; CW;   
   Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, Satellites; RST + ITU Zone No.; Logs due: May   
   10.   
      
   International Vintage Contest HF, Apr 10, 1200z to Apr 10, 1800z; CW, SSB, AM;   
   Bands: 80, 40m; RS(T) + 4-character grid square; Logs due: April 30.   
      
   Hungarian Straight Key Contest, Apr 10, 1500z to Apr 10, 1700z; CW; Bands: 80m   
   Only; RST + Serial No. + Power Code; Logs due: April 25.   
      
   NAQCC CW Sprint, Apr 13, 0030z to Apr 13, 0230z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; RST +   
   (state/province/country) + (NAQCC No./power); Logs due: April 16.   
      
   Phone Fray, Apr 13, 0230z to Apr 13, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m;   
   NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: April 15.   
      
   CWops Mini-CWT Test, Apr 13, 1300z to Apr 13, 1400z, Apr 13, 1900z to Apr 13,   
   2000z, Apr 14, 0300z to Apr 14, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m;   
   Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs   
   due: April 16.   
      
   RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB, Apr 13, 1900z to Apr 13, 2030z; SSB; Bands:   
   80m Only; RS + Serial No.; Logs due: April 20.   
      
   NCCC RTTY Sprint, Apr 15, 0145z to Apr 15, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules);   
   Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: April 10.   
      
   NCCC Sprint, Apr 15, 0230z to Apr 15, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial   
   No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: April 10.   
      
   Holyland DX Contest, Apr 15, 2100z to Apr 16, 2100z; CW, SSB, Digital; Bands:   
   160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; 4X: RS(T) + area, non-4X: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs   
   due: May 31.   
      
   TARA Skirmish Digital Prefix Contest, Apr 16, 0000z to Apr 16, 2359z; PSK,   
   RTTY, Hell, MFSK, MT63, Throb, ASCII, SSTV, Domino EX, ALE400, JT65, Packet;   
   Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6m; Name + prefix; Logs due: May 14.   
      
   ES Open HF Championship, Apr 16, 0500z to Apr 16, 0559z, Apr 16, 0600z to Apr   
   16, 0659z, Apr 16, 0700z to Apr 16, 0759z, Apr 16, 0800z to Apr 16, 0859z; CW,   
   SSB; Bands: 80, 40m; RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: May 1.   
      
   Worked All Provinces of China DX Contest, Apr 16, 0600z to Apr 17, 0559z; CW,   
   SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; BY: RS(T) + 2-character province, non-BY:   
   RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: April 24.   
      
   CQ Manchester Mineira DX Contest, Apr 16, 1200z to Apr 17, 2359z; CW; Bands:   
   80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; All: RST+continent abbreviation, CWJF members: RST +   
   continent + "M", QRP: RST + continent + "Q", YL: RST + continent + "Y",   
   Multi-Op,Clubs,Groups: RST + continent + "C"; Logs due: May 17.   
      
   Nebraska QSO Party, Apr 16, 1400z to Apr 17, 0200z, Apr 17, 1400z to Apr 17,   
   2300z; CW, Phone, Digital; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, VHF/UHF; NE: RS(T)   
   + county, non-NE: RS(T) + (state/province/country); Logs due: May 15.   
      
   Michigan QSO Party, Apr 16, 1600z to Apr 17, 0400z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40,   
   20, 15, 10m; MI: Serial No. + county, non-MI: Serial No. + (stat   
   /province/"DX"); Logs due: May 16.   
      
   EA-QRP CW Contest, Apr 16, 1700z to Apr 16, 2000z (20-10m), Apr 16, 2000z to   
   Apr 16, 2300z (80m), Apr 17, 0700z to Apr 17, 1100z (40m), Apr 17, 1100z to   
   Apr 17, 1300z (20-10m); CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + 1-letter   
   category + "M" (if EA-QRP member); Logs due: May 17.   
      
   Ontario QSO Party, Apr 16, 1800z to Apr 17, 0500z, Apr 17, 1200z to Apr 17,   
   1800z; CW, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2m; ON: RS(T) + county,   
   non-ON: RST + (state/province/country); Logs due: May 17.   
      
   North Dakota QSO Party, Apr 16, 1800z to Apr 17, 1800z; CW, Phone, Digital;   
   Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2m; ND: RS(T) + County, non-ND: RS(T) +   
   (state/province/country); Logs due: May 15.   
      
   Feld Hell Sprint, Apr 16, 1700z to Apr 16, 1859z; Feld Hell; Bands: 160, 80,   
   40, 20, 15, 10m; (see rules); Logs due: April 23.   
      
   YU DX Contest, Apr 16, 2100z to Apr 17, 0500z, Apr 17, 0900z to Apr 17, 1700z;   
   CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: May 2.   
      
   WAB 3.5/7/14 MHz Data Modes, Apr 17, 1200z to Apr 17, 1400z, Apr 17, 1800z   
   to Apr 17, 2000z; RTTY, PSK31; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; British Isles: RS +   
   serial no. + WAB square, Other: RS + serial no. + country; Logs due: May 8.   
      
   ARRL Rookie Roundup, SSB, Apr 17, 1800z to Apr 17, 2359z; SSB; Bands: 80,   
   40, 20, 15, 10, 6m; NA: Name + 2-digit year first licensed +   
   (state/province/XE area/DX); Logs due: April 20.   
      
   Run for the Bacon QRP Contest, Apr 18, 0100z to Apr 18, 0300z; CW; Bands:   
   160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + (Member   
   No./power); Logs due: April 24.   
      
   Phone Fray, Apr 20, 0230z to Apr 20, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20,   
   15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: April 22.   
      
   CWops Mini-CWT Test, Apr 20, 1300z to Apr 20, 1400z, Apr 20, 1900z to Apr   
   20, 2000z, Apr 21, 0300z to Apr 21, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15,   
   10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country);   
   Logs due: April 23.   
      
   VHF+ CONTESTS   
      
   144 MHz Spring Sprint, Apr 11, 1900z to Apr 11, 2300z; modes: (not specified);   
   Bands: 2m Only; 6-character grid square; Logs due: April 25.   
      
   222 MHz Spring Sprint, Apr 19, 1900z to Apr 19, 2300z; modes: (not specified);   
   Bands: 222 Mhz; 6-character grid square; Logs due: May 3.   
      
   See also the NM, GA QSO parties, the SKCC Sprintathon, the TARA Skirmish   
   Digital Prefix contest, and the ARRL Rookie Roundup, SSB, above.   
      
      
   LOG DUE DATES   
      
   April 7, 2016   
      
    *  ARS Spartan Sprint   
      
   April 8, 2016   
      
    *  Phone Fray   
      
   April 9, 2016   
      
    *  FOC QSO Party   
    *  CWops Mini-CWT Test   
      
   April 10, 2016   
      
    *  AWA John Rollins Memorial DX Contest   
    *  Wisconsin QSO Party   
    *  NCCC RTTY Sprint   
    *  NCCC Sprint   
    *  RSGB RoLo SSB   
    *  North American SSB Sprint Contest   
      
   April 11, 2016   
      
    *  RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW   
      
   April 12, 2016   
      
    *  Idaho QSO Party   
    *  QCWA QSO Party   
    *  LZ Open 40m Sprint Contest   
      
   April 13, 2016   
      
    *  F9AA Cup, SSB   
    *  Oklahoma QSO Party   
      
   April 14, 2016   
      
    *  SARL 80m QSO Party   
      
   April 15, 2016   
      
    *  Virginia QSO Party   
      
   April 17, 2016   
      
    *  UBA Spring Contest, 6m   
      
   April 18, 2016   
      
    *  CLARA Chatter Party   
    *  15-Meter SSTV Dash Contest   
    *  EA RTTY Contest   
      
   April 19, 2016   
      
    *  Louisiana QSO Party   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
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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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   )\/(ark   
      
   Always Mount a Scratch Monkey   
      
   ... Perpetual motion: a cow drinking a pail of milk.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)