Contester's Rate Sheet for April 24, 2002
*********************** Contest Rate Sheet 24 April 2002 *********************** Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX SUMMARY o 2001 CW Sweepstakes Results on the Web -- Major New Coverage o New England QSO Party makes its debut on May 4-5 o Visalia (Apr 26) and Dayton (May 18) Contest Dinner reservations going fast! o Free log analysis utilities BULLETINS o The email address listed for the CQ-M contest in May QST has proven to be unreliable. The contest sponsors would prefer that you email logs to the new log robot address of cqm@srr.ru. (Thanks, Dmitri RW3FO) o An SWL category has been added to the Florida QSO Party which runs this coming weekend -- April 27th and 28th. See the announcement elsewhere in this newsletter. (thanks K4OJ) BUSTED QSOS -- A golden log last issue! ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 24 APRIL TO 7 MAY Logs are due for the following contests: o April 28, 2002 EU Spring SSB Sprint -- email to: eusprint@kkn.net, paper logs to: Dave Lawley, G4BUO, Carramore, Coldharbour Road, Penshurst, Kent, TN11 8EX, England, UK o April 29, 2002 144 MHz Spring Sprint -- email to: springsprints@etdxa.org, paper logs to: 144 MHz Spring Sprint, ETDXA/KG4ENR, Jeff J. Baker, 8218 Foxworth Trail, Powell, TN 37849 USA o April 30, 2002 YL-ISSB QSO Party -- email to: 2hamsrus@home.com, paper logs to: N4KNF/N4ZGH, 2160 Ivy Street, Port Charlotte, FL 33952, USA o April 30, 2002 Oklahoma QSO Party -- email to: w5atv@cox.net, paper logs to: OKDX Association, c/o David Ratliff, W5ATV, 3215 W. 40th, Tulsa, OK 74107 USA o April 30, 2002 SP DX Contest -- email to: spdxc-logs@pzk.org.pl, paper logs to: Polski Zwiazek Krotkofalowcow, SPDX Contest Committee, P.O. Box 32000-950 Warszawa, Poland o May 1, 2002 BARTG Spring RTTY Contest -- email to: ska@bartg.demon.co.uk, paper logs to: John Barber, GW4SKA, PO Box 611, Cardiff CF2 4UN, Wales o May 1, 2002 Russian DX Contest -- email to: RusDXC@contesting.com, paper logs to: Russian DX Contest, PO Box 88, 123459 Moscow, Russia o May 1, 2002 CQWW SSB WPX Contest -- email to: WPXSSB@kkn.net, non-Cabrillo to: n8bjq@erinet.com, no paper logs o May 5, 2002 UBA Spring SSB Contest -- email to: on6kl@qsl.net, paper logs to: Lode Kenens, ON6KL, Oudestraat 8, B-3560 Lummen, Belgium o May 7, 2002 Missouri QSO Party -- email to n0aj@earthlink.net, paper logs to: James I. Kinser, N0AJ, 2147 Encino Drive, Florissant, MO 63031-7627, USA o May 7, 2002 QCWA QSO Party, paper logs only to: Dick Newsome, W0HXL 2924 North 48th Street, Omaha, NE 68104-3726 USA o May 7, 2002 222 MHz Spring Sprint -- email to: springsprints@etdxa.org, paper logs to: 222 MHz Spring Sprint, ETDXA/KG4ENR, Jeff J. Baker, 8218 Foxworth Trail, Powell, TN 37849 USA The following contests are scheduled: Florida QSO Party -- sponsored by the Florida Contest Group from 1600Z April 27 - 0159Z April 28 and 1200Z - 2159Z April 28, no time limit, work FL stations. Frequencies: CW - 35 kHz from band edges (Novices/Technicians -- 10 kHz from segment edge), Phone - 7.260, 14.260, 21.335, and 28.485 MHz, no 160, 80, VHF/UHF. Categories: SO, MS, MM (one signal per band), Mobile, Novice/Technician, School Club, SWL, all categories can enter as HP/LP(150W)/QRP (5W) and Mixed Mode/CW/SSB. Exchange: RST and FL county or SPC. QSO Points: CW -- 2 pts., SSB -- 1 pt. Score: FL stations -- QSO points x SPC (W/VE/KH6/KL7 do not count as DXCC entities) x power multiplier; non-FL stations -- QSO points x FL counties x power multiplier. All multipliers count once per mode. Power multiplier -- HP x 1, LP x 2, QRP x 3. For more information -- http://www.qsl.net/fqp. Logs must be sent by 28 May as email to FLQSOParty@aol.com in ASCII text or in Cabrillo format or by post to Florida QSO Party, c/o Ron Wetjen, WD4AHZ, 5362 Castleman Dr., Sarasota, FL 34232. Nebraska QSO Party -- CW/SSB -- sponsored by the Heartland DX Association 1700Z Apr 27 through 1700Z Apr 28. Frequencies: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 meters; CW - 1.805 MHz and 35 kHz up from band edge; Phone - 1.915, 3.865, 7.265, 14.265, 21.365, 28.465, 146.460 MHz; Novices/Technicians - 10 kHz from band edge and 28.465 MHz. Categories: SO, MS, Mobile. Work stations once per band/mode and NE mobile stations can be worked again in each county. County lines count as one QSO. Exchange: RST and NE county or SPC. QSO Points: CW -- 2 pts, Phone -- 1 pt. Score is QSO Points x SPC for NE stations or NE counties (multipliers count once only) x Power Multiplier (QRP x 3, 150W x 2, HP x 1). For more information - http://www.qsl.net/hdxa. Logs must be emailed or postmarked by 31 May to hdxa@qsl.net as ASCII text or to Nebraska QSO Party, PO Box 375, Elkhorn, NE 68022-0375. IPA Contest sponsored by the International Police Association, CW 0000Z to 2359Z May 4, SSB 0000Z to 2359Z May 5 (each mode is considered a separate contest). Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters. Categories: SOAB, MS, SWL. Exchange: RS(T) and serial number, IPA stations add "IPA". QSO Points: Non-IPA -- 1 pt, Non-US IPA -- 2 pts, US IPA -- 5 pts, IPA club -- 10 pts, US stations with 1x1 call -- 20 pts. Score is QSO points x US states + IPA stations + 1x1 calls counted only once. For more information - http://www.iparc.org. Logs should be emailed or postmarked to n2pig@arrl.net or to Alex Dutkewych N2PIG, PO Box 211, Pulteney NY 14874-0211. MARAC County Hunters Contest, CW sponsored by the Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club from 0000Z, May 4 to 2400Z, May 5. Frequencies: 3.575, 7.040, 14.050, 21.050, 28.050 MHz, work fixed stations once/band and mobiles once for each county and band. Exchange: RST and county or SPC. County line QSOs count as one QSO but separate multipliers. QSO Points: Fixed stations in NA -- 1 point, Mobile/Portable -- 15 points, DX -- 5 pts, one station must be in a U.S. county. Score is QSO Points x U.S. counties (count only once). Mobile/Portables sum score from each state. For more information - http://www.countyhunter.com. Logs must be postmarked by 7 June to (U.S. Logs) Duane Traver, WV2B, 99 Oregon Hill Rd, Lisle, NY 13797-1002 or (Non U.S. Logs) Scott Nichols, VE1OP, 387 Rudderham Rd., Point Edward, NS B2A 4V6, Canada. 10-10 International Spring Contest, CW - sponsored by Ten-Ten International, from 0001Z May 4 - 2400Z May 5, 10 meters only. Exchange call/name/state and 10-10 number (if a member). QSO Points: nonmembers -- 1 pt, members -- 2 pts. Score is total points. Send logs by May 20 to Gateway Chapter c/o Don Ward, W0RTV, 4514 Ferrer Dr., St. Louis, MO 63129-3741 Microwave Spring Sprint - CW/SSB -- sponsored by the Eastern Tennessee DX Association from 0600-1300 local, May 4. Frequencies: 902 MHz and higher. Fixed and Rover categories. Exchange is Grid Square only, count 1 pt per QSO. Score is QSO Points x Grid Squares, score each sprint separately. Rovers and Microwave sprints total all points and all grids worked from each grid. For more information -- http://www.etdxa.org/vhf.htm. Logs must be emailed or postmarked within 4 weeks of the contest to springsprints@etdxa.org or Jeff J Baker, 8218 Foxworth Trail, Powell, TN 37849 USA. Indiana QSO Party, CW/SSB, sponsored by the Hoosier DX and Contest Club from 1300Z, May 4 to 0500Z, May 5, SO operate a maximum of 12 hours. Frequencies: CW -1.805 MHz and 40 kHz up from the band edge on 80-10 meters, SSB - 1.845, 3.850, 7.230, 14.250, 21.300, 28.450 MHz, try 160 at 0200 and 0400Z, no repeater or crossband QSOs. Categories: SOAB (HP, LP < 100W, QRP < 5W), MS (incl. use of spotting assistance), Mobile (SO and MO). Exchange: RS(T) + S/P or IN county (DX stations send RS(T) only). QSO Points: SSB -- 1 pt, CW -- 2 pts, contact stations once per band/mode and once per county. Score is QSO Points x IN counties or S/P/C counted only once. For more information - http://www.hdxcc.org/inqso. Logs must be emailed (Cabrillo format preferred) or postmarked by June 14 to inqp@hdxcc.org or to HDXCC, c/o Mike Goode N9NS, 10340 Broadway, Indianapolis, IN 46280-1344. ARI International DX Contest, CW/SSB/Digital, sponsored by the ARI from 2000Z, May 4 to 1959Z, May 5. Frequencies: CW/SSB -- 160 through 10 meters; Digital -- 80 through 10 meters, change bands once per 10 min. Categories: SOCW, SOSSB, SODigital, SO Mixed, MS Mixed, SO SWL Mixed. Exchange -- RST and Italian Province or serial number. QSO Points: own country -- 0 pts (but OK for mult), own continent -- 1 pt, different cont. -- 3 pts, Italian stations -- 10 pts. Each station can be a mult only once per band. Score is total QSO points x Italian Provinces + DXCC entity (except I, IS0, IT9, IG9/IH9) counted once per band. For more information, send email to i4ufh@libero.it. Logs (Cabrillo format is encouraged) should be emailed or postmarked by June 5 to aricontest@ari.it or to ARI Contest Manager, I4UFH Fabio Schettino, PO Box 1677, 40100 Bologna, Italy New England QSO Party --CW/Phone - 2000Z, May 4 to 0300Z, May 5 and 1100Z - 2400Z, May 5. All 1st-district states (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, and RI) are considered New England. Frequencies: CW -- 40 kHz from band edge; Novice/Tech -- 3705, 7130, 21130, 28130 kHz; SSB -- 3880, 7280, 14280, 21380, 28380 kHz; VHF - 50.150, 144.205, 146.55, 223.5, 432.150, 446.0 MHz; no crossmode, crossband or repeater QSOs, all CW QSOs in CW band segments. Categories: SOAB (HP, LP, and QRP), MS (includes stations using any kind of spotting assistance), mobiles use same categories. Exchange: RS(T) and S/P (non-US/VE sends "DX") or NE county/state. Work stations once per band/mode and mobiles in each county. County lines should be logged as two QSOs. QSO Points: phone -- 1 pt, CW (includes digital modes) -- 2 pts. Score: Non-NE stations -- QSO points x NE counties; NE stations -- QSO points x S/P/C (20 max countries); mobiles total QSO points from all counties and count multipliers only once. For more information - http://www.neqp.org. Logs should be emailed (Cabrillo format preferred) or postmarked within 30 days of the contest to logs@neqp.org or NEQP, PO Box 3005, Framingham MA 01705-3005. May 5 - 11 Danish SSTV Contest, sponsored by the Danish SSTV Group, from 0000Z, May 5 to 2400Z, May 11 (note one week duration). Frequencies: 80-10, 6, 2 meters. Categories: SO and SWL. Exchange an image to complete a QSO. QSO Points: 2 points for 1st QSO with a country, 1 point thereafter, 1 point bonus for Danish stations, contact stations once per band. For more information -- http://home5.inet.tele.dk/carle. Logs must be postmarked by June 6 to Carl Emkjer, Soborghus Park 8, DK 2860, Soborg, Denmark. NEWS & PRESS RELEASES Your editor considered making this a bulletin, but thought that would be a little over-the-top. At any rate, the new web coverage of the 2001 CW Sweepstakes is definitely a quantum leap over anything that has been available to date. K5ZD's writeup is detailed and entertaining, but the real stars of the show are the sortable line score database (just like you'd always dreamt of), the accuracy reports, and the records. K1DG contributes a nice historical piece, as well. Not to be missed -- even if you didn't operate SS -- are to be found at http://www.arrl.org/contests/results/. Click on "Web Report". Well done, N1ND, K5ZD, N5KO, N6TR, K1DG, K5KA, K1VUT and the ARRL Staff. The 2001 CQ WW SSB UBN and NIL reports are now available for you at the contest web site - http://www.cqww.com. Click on your call and enter your password - everyone who submitted an email log received one. If you submitted only a paper log your call will not appear on the list. In a few weeks, an announcement will be made that a list of calls + categories + clubs has been placed on the web site for you to check. CQ WW will require the Cabrillo format for submissions starting with the 2002 contest. (Thanks, Bob Cox K3EST, CQ WW Director) Visalia, CA - The Northern California Contest Club presents the 4th Annual International DX Convention Contest Dinner on Friday, April 26, 2002 with lots of contesters, DX-ers, and door prizes. The evening presentation will be "Dr. Beldar's Contest Emporium - Products You Might Not See at HRO"...Full details are available on the International DX Convention web site at http://www.qsl.net/visalia2002/events.html (Thanks, K2KW) Dayton Hamvention - The North Coast Contesters are pleased to announce the 10th Annual Dayton Contest Dinner on Saturday night, May 18, 2002 at 6:30 PM. Master of Ceremonies is CQ Magazine Contest Editor and CQ Contest Hall of Fame member, John Dorr, K1AR. Joe Taylor, K1JT is the featured dinner speaker this year. Joe was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1993 and is also a noted VHF Contest enthusiast. The 2002 Contest Hall of Fame Inductions will be formally announced by CQ WorldWide Contest Director and CQ Contest Hall of Fame member, Bob Cox, K3EST. Several WRTC 2002 activities are planned. Tickets are on sale now and the event is usually sold out, so contact The Radio Bookstore at http://www.radio-ware.com or 1-800-457-7373 Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM eastern USA time. If you are considering a contest expedition or vacation, check out the just-updated DX Holiday web site - http://www.dxholiday.com, by K2KW. It's a great source of information for DXpedition information on Rent-a-QTHs, Ham Friendly Locations, and Club stations. (Thanks, K2KW) TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE A very useful post-contest utility that operates on Cabrillo files is CBS.exe by Ken Adams K5KA. It parses your file and outputs a host of useful statistics on rate, six-band QSOs, call areas worked, multiplier summaries, and so forth. This neat program is free and can be downloaded from http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr/software/Cbs.exe. Thanks to K5KA! (Also thanks to K5TR for the tip.) Another utility that analyzes log files finds your top rate for any continuous hour is the free MS-DOS(tm) utility called RATE.EXE that you can download from http://www.k1ea.com/utilities/index.htm or http://www.benlo.com/ham.html#software. RATE will parse any ASCII log that has its data in fixed columns and a four-digit time (no colon) -- this works for Cabrillo, as well. Run the program without specifying an input or output log (enter "RATE" at the DOS prompt) and a list of commands will follow. You will also have to specify the column in which the first digit of the time appears -- for Cabrillo, that's 25. Unfortunately, the program also tells you your Minimum and Average rates. No author is listed on the web site -- can anyone relay his or her identity for full credit? CONVERSATION There was a great article by Jim K8MR on mobile contesting in the March/April 2002 issue of NCJ. Jim pointed out the similarity between the mobile category in state QSO parties and the WRTC - operators in both events compete from very similar stations and under very similar conditions. Several major QSO parties -- excellent for mobile contesting -- and the County Hunter's CW Contest are coming up over the next few weeks and more in the summer months. You will have ample opportunity coming up to experience this brand of contesting activity, either from your home QTH or from your own vehicle. (Thanks, Hal Offutt W1NN) Marginal Ham Radio Witticism: Q: How many DX-ers does it take to change a light bulb? A: All of them -- one to change it and the rest to argue about whether it counts as a light bulb! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Contester's Rate Sheet wishes to acknowledge information from the following sources: WA7BNM's Contest Calendar Web page - http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/ ARRL Contest page - http://www.arrl.org/contests/) SM3CER's Web site - http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/ MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
