Contester's Rate Sheet for July 16, 2003

***********************
Contester's Rate Sheet
16 July 2003
***********************

Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX

SUMMARY
o CQ VHF Contest this weekend - 6 & 2-meters only - perfect for those
all-band radios!
o New maps and propagation software available
o Free antenna design programs from VE3SQP
o Using RG-6 cable on the ham bands
o Oh, That Must Be...

BULLETINS
o No bulletins in this issue

BUSTED QSOS
o The correct Web URL for KY1V and WA4PGM's VP5 expedition for the
CQWW CW Contest this year is http://www.vp5x.com/vp5x.htm.  The
address printed originally was for La Villa Rose. (Thanks, Kyle KY1V)

ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 16 JULY TO 29 JULY 2003

Logs are due for the following contests:

July 16 - ARRL June VHF QSO Party, email to: JuneVHF@arrl.org, paper
logs to: June VHF, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111, USA

July 29 - Marconi Memorial HF Contest, email to: ik6ptj@qsl.net, paper
logs to: ARI sez.di Fano, PO Box 35, 61032 FANO (PS), Italy

July 29 - ARRL Field Day, email to: FieldDay@arrl.org, paper logs to:
Field Day Entry, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111, USA

July 29 - QRP ARCI Milliwatt Field Day, email to: rfoltz@turbonet.com,
paper logs to: Randy Foltz, K7TQ, Attn: Milliwatt Field Day, 809 Leigh
St, Moscow, ID 83843, USA

No due date specified, but it's been a month - be sure to send the
info for the Kid's Day Contest to kids@contesting.com or the paper
logs to the Boring Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 1357, Boring, OR 97009,
USA

The following contests are scheduled:

Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the contest
rules summaries:
SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multiop - 2 Transmitters; MO - Multi-Op; MS -
Multi-Op, Single Transmitter; MM - Multi-Op, Multiple Transmitters; AB
- All Band; SB - Single Band; S/P/C - State/Province/DXCC Entity; HP -
High Power; LP - Low Power; Entity - DXCC Entity

HF CONTESTS

North American RTTY QSO Party - sponsored by the National Contest
Journal from 1800Z Jul 19 - 0600Z Jul 20. Frequencies: 80--10 meters,
100 watts max. power. Categories SOAB and M2, SO stations operate 10
hours max. with off times of at least 30 min.. Exchange: Name and SPC.
QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score is QSO Points x SPC (NA entities only)
counted once per band. DX QSOs count for QSO points, but not as
multipliers. For more information - http://www.ncjweb.com. Logs due 30
days after the contest to rttynaqp@ncjweb.com or Wayne Matlock, K7WM,
Rt 2 Box 102, Cibola, AZ 85328.

CQC Great Colorado Gold Rush - CW - sponsored by the Colorado QRP
Club, from 2000Z - 2200Z Jul 22. Frequencies: 20-meters only.
Categories: Wire, Vertical, Beam, or Portable. Exchange: RST + SPC +
Category + CQC member number or power output. Work stations up to
three times during the contest, with at least 30 min. between QSOs.
QSO Points: 1st QSO - 3 pts, 2nd QSO - 2 pts, 3rd QSO - 1pt. Score:
QSO Points x SPC + CQC members. For more information -
http://www.cqc.org/contests/gold2003.htm. Logs are due 30 days after
the contest to contest@cqc.org or Goldrush, c/o CQC, PO Box 371883,
Denver, CO 80237-1883. 

Pacific 160 Meter Contest - CW/SSB - Sponsored by the Wireless
Institute of Australia from 0700-2330Z Jul 19.  Work P2, ZL and VK
only. Frequencies (MHz): CW 1.810-1.840, SSB 1.843-1.875. Categories:
SO, MS, and SWL.  Exchange: RS(T) and serial number.  QSO Points: 5
pts/QSO outside P2, ZL, VK.  Score: QSO Points x P2, ZL, VK call
areas. For more information - http://www.vkham.com/contest. Logs due
Aug 16 to vk3vp@vkham.com or Ian Godsil VK3VP, 363 Nepean Highway,
Chelsea, 3196, Australia.

RSGB Islands-On-The-Air Contest - CW/SSB - sponsored by the RSGB from
1200Z Jul 26 - 1200Z Jul 27. Frequencies: 80-10 meters. Categories:
SOAB (SSB/CW/Mixed),  SOAB-Limited (SSB/CW/Mixed, 12 hours max.), MS.
All categories Island or World (non-Island). Exchange: RS(T) and
serial number, Island stations add IOTA reference number. QSO Points:
Contacts with own IOTA - 3 pts, with other IOTA - 15 pts, non-island -
3 pts. Score: QSO points x IOTA refs, counted once per band and mode.
For more information - http://www.rsgbhfcc.org or
iotacontest@rsgbhfcc.org. Logs due Aug 31 to iota.logs@rsgbhfcc.org or
RSGB IOTA Contest, PO Box 9, Potters Bar, Herts EN6 3RH, England.

Kentucky QSO Party - CW/SSB/Digital - sponsored by the Bullitt Amateur
Radio Society from 1600Z Jul 26 - 0400Z Jul 27. Frequencies (MHz): SSB
+/- 20 kHz from General band edge; CW 3.550, 7.050, 14.050, 21.050,
28.050 (Digital QSO's count as CW). Categories: SSB, CW, Mixed-Mode,
or Rover, use of packet spotting encouraged. Rovers identify as
"Rover" or "/R" and may be worked once per county. Exchange: Name and
KY county or SPC. QSO Points: SSB - 1 pt., CW/Digital - 2 pts, Rovers
- 2 pts both modes. Score: KY stations - QSO Points x SPC + KY4KY
(count VE provinces, KL7/KH6 count as states), non-KY stations - QSO
Points x KY counties + KY4KY, multipliers count only once. For more
information - http://www.qsl.net/ky4ky/kyqsopartyrules.html. Logs due
10 days after the contest to KC4WQ@mis.net or KY QSO Party, c/o KC4WQ,
1229 Zoneton Rd., Shepherdsville, KY 40165.

Flight of the Bumblebees - CW - sponsored by the Adventure Radio
Society, 1700Z - 2100Z Jul 27. Bumblebees are low power portable
stations that walk, bike, or boat to their sites and sign "/BB" after
their calls. Frequencies (MHz): 7.040, 14.060, 21.060, 28.060.
Exchange: RST, SPC, and Bumblebee Number or power (5 watts maximum).
Score: QSOs x number of different Bumblebees contacted x 3. For more
information - http://www.arsqrp.com. Logs due 14 days after the
contest via the ARS Web site.

The TARA PSK-RTTY Grid Square contest (The Grid Dip) originally
scheduled for July 26, has been moved toAugust 2 and full details are
available at http://www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_seasons.html

VHF CONTESTS

CQ WW VHF Contest - all modes - sponsored by CQ Magazine from 1800Z
Jul 19 - 2100Z Jul 20. Frequencies: 50 and 144 MHz bands, except
146.52 MHz (and other national simplex calling frequencies) and
repeater frequencies. Please avoid the DX windows and international
calling frequencies. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MM, Rover, QRP (<10W).
Exchange: Callsign and four-digit Maidenhead grid. Work Rover stations
in each grid. QSO Points: 50 MHz - 1 pt, 144 MHz - 2 pts. Score: QSO
Points x grids counted once per band (Rovers count grids from each
activated grid). For more information - www.cq-amateur-radio.com. Logs
in Cabrillo format due 1 Sep to cqvhf@cqww.com or CQ VHF Contest, 25
Newbridge Rd., Hicksville, NY 11801.

If you're antenna-challenged and interested in "throwing something
together" to get on 6- or 2-meters this weekend, it would be hard to
get a bigger bang for the buck than for the "Cheap Yagis" of WA5VJB as
described at http://www.clarc.org/Articles/uhf.htm.  I'm talking broom
stick and copper wire, here.  Lest you think that the low flux means
no fun on 6-meters, several West Coast stations had CW QSOs with
Europe last week. When everybody is on the air, the band seems to be
open more.  Hmmm...how does that happen?

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Ray Gerrard HS0ZDZ reports that the SEANET contest rules (Aug 16-17)
have been amended to include an SWL category.  The complete info is
available on the SEANET contest Web site - http://www.seanet2003.com.

The new ARRL Amateur Radio Map of North America is available from the
ARRL at http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=8977. It is a 27 x 39 inches
laminated colorful wall map that features current geographic detail
and labels, grid squares, call sign prefixes, boundaries and more.
(Thanks, Dennis K7BV)

Speaking of maps, Tim Makins, EI8IC reports that a demo of his
extensive collection of computer image maps - Global Mapper - is now
available at http://www.qsl.net/ei8ic.  There are continental and
sub-continental maps, country outlines, zone maps, relief maps, grid
and lat/lon meshes, plus hundred of city and region names, IOTA info
and flags, too.  The nice thing about Tim's maps is that you can turn
the layers on and off to control the amount of detail

ACE-HF has recently announced the release of version 2 of its
propagation prediction software. The new version features reverse area
coverage, circuit group and NCDXF beacon predictions, and an all-new
antenna selection facility that contains many antenna array models.
Information on the program is available at http://www.acehf.com or
from Array Solutions at http://www.arraysolutions.com.

Also in the propagation line, Alex VE3NEA has released a low-cost
program that obtains and reports on real-time solar and ionospheric
data in real-time - IONPROBE. A fully functional 30-day-trial version
can be downloaded from http://www.dxatlas.com/Default.asp. (Thanks, Ed
Tanton N4XY)

Fans of the Adventure Radio Spartan Sprint Contest (the next one runs
on the first Monday of August - yes, Monday) will need to know that
the Web site has changed to http://www.arsqrp.com and the autolog page
is http://www.ARSqrp.com/ars/ss_log.html. A new version of the free
Spartan Sprint Logger software is also on the Web site.  This regular
contest has winners in two categories - overall points (the Tubby
Division), and points per pound (the Skinny Division).  Weight refers
to the station, not the operator. This is a fun one, particularly
during the nice weather if you like to operate QRP mobile or portable.
(Thanks, John NA8M)

In the last issue, I mentioned the BetterRF Company's I-MATE accessory
for the ICOM IC-756PROII and IC-746PRO and need to clarify some of its
features. It connects to the radio's 8-pin mike connector to access
the built-in keyer memories (including voice in the IC-756PROII) even
while the "Spectrum Scope" is visible in the transceiver's display.
The I-Mate includes separate, selectable input jacks for 8-pin ICOM
microphones and Heil headsets.  There is also a built-in "PTT" button
for those times when the footswitch sneaks off under the desk.
(Thanks, Joe AA1GW)

Scott N3FJP has released a version of his logging software to support
the PA QSO Party - see http://www.n3fjp.com.

RESULTS AND RECORDS

The July/August 2002 NAQP SSB and CW scores are now posted on the NCJ
Web site (http://www.ncjweb.com). Click on CONTESTS at the upper left
on the home page, then click on NAQP RESULTS on the left. The scores
are in the gray-shaded user-select area at the top. The SSB results
are written up in the July/August NCJ and the CW write-up will be in
the September/October issue along with the March 2003 RTTY Sprint
results and one of the January 2003 NAQP contest results. The other
January 2003 NAQP contest results will be in the November/December
issues. Scores for both will be posted to the Web site as described
above when they are individually available.  Got all that? (Thanks,
Carl K9LA)

TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE

I found a great little collection of free antenna design programs from
Al VE3SQB on the Web at http://www.hamuniverse.com/ve3sqbprog.html. 
There are verticals, Yagis (and Quagis), discones, various dipole
permutations, parabolics and log-periodics.  Al also offers a gamma
match and transmission line program

I mention this from time to time, but it's worth repeating.  The
Towertalk archives on http://www.contesting.com are chock full of
great info on all sorts of tower and antenna-related topics from how
to dig a hole to how to top out a mast.  Once on the Web site, enter
"towertalk" and the topic into "List Search".  Great stuff.

Here's a useful example of what's on Towertalk - Enter "towertalk" and
"drum recycler" to retrieve this useful info from Jim K4OJ on make a
nice, round concrete form for cheap: "Find a 55-gallon drum recycler
in the Yellow Pages. I had the drum guy "de-head" both ends of the
drum  which I slipped over the already concreted-in tower base
section. I centered the drum on the tower section and the steel drum
allowed me to easily back fill around it." Paint to match - dirt
brown, grass green, or gravel gray - and you're done.

In case you were wondering whether the inexpensive RG-6 coaxial cable
used for cable TV applications is any good, Goose W8AV and Tom W8JI
contributed some information on the Topband reflector (available at
http://www.contesting.com). The comparison of the loss of RG6
CommScope Cable solid copper center conductor versus that of
copper-clad steel (in parentheses):
at 1MHz - loss is .20 (.26) dB/100ft
at 10 MHz - .76 (.81) dB/100ft
at 50 MHz - 1.46 (1.46) dB/100ft
at 100 MHz - 2.05 (2.05) dB/100ft
at 200 MHz - 2.83 (2.83) dB/100ft
The difference is undetectable at HF. According to the Belden catalog,
the celluar polyethylene dielectric cable velocity factor (VF) is
normally 78%. If you have the type similar to Belden 8215 (double
shielded polyethylene dielectric) the VF is 66%.  Check the voltage
rating on the cable, as well.  Some brands may only rate the cable to
600 V, which could be exceeded at modest SWRs.

CONVERSATION

"Oh, That Must Be..."

Ev W2EV jogged my noggin with a post to the VHF Contest Reflector the
other day.  With his kind permission, I edit his commentary and season
with a little of my own.

"Complete this phrase from a commercial: Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what
a _____ _____ _____. Great memory. It hasn't aired in over 20 years,
but you remember it as if it were yesterday. Why? Repetition. Every
time you turned on the TV, there it was.

"Were you ever fortunate enough to work (fill-in the call of an active
contester) during (fill in your favorite contest)? You didn't have
much problem digging their call out of the noise because you were
familiar with it.

"Repetition can do a lot to boost one's score in contests. It's why
big operations use voice and CW keyers and keep them cycling for most
of the contest. Operators come to expect them to be there and search
them out.

"This is a strategy that can work for the smaller operator, too. All
it requires is to keep your station active during "off operation
hours" as a "light in the darkness" that others can use to chart band
openings (and other things).  After only a short period of time,
you'll become well known and when it comes time to flex some contest
muscles (even small ones)...your call will be easily recognized by
others - making the logging of your callsign more accurate."

Ev's points were targeted towards the VHF+ community, where beacons
run 24/7 and make their owner's calls a familiar fixture on the band. 
We can do the same on HF just by being active - even a little bit. 
The more your call is heard on the band, the more sets of ears are
trained to pull it out of the mud and from big pileups.  Top operators
seem to have a sixth-sense about who is calling.  It's because their
"super-check-partial" data base is FULL of callsigns of active
contesters.

If you're active, I'm sure you have had the experience of listening to
a pileup that is technically referred to as a "mess" and just having a
call sign pop into your brain.  It's not clear how you copied it, but
some buried cue in the audio magically found its neuron which fired
off a vesicle full of neurotransmitter juice in the direction of the
typing center. And bang - another QSO goes in the log!

There's just no substitute for hearing and being heard.  You have to
put your callsign out there on a regular basis to take advantage of
the natural human tendency to hunt for patterns.  We are pattern
hunting creatures - why not put that deep processing hardware to work
for you?  Just by having my call in the newsletter, I'm keeping your
"N0AX" neuron bathed in nutrients, firing from all its little axons
and keeping the connections to your mental call recognizer gland
healthy.  Just so that when I'm calling you on 160-meters in the
August static crashes during the NA QSO Party and all you get is
"N&*X", you will think, "Oh, I'll bet that's N0AX."  Does it work? 
You bet!  After all, Oscar Wilde had it right when he said, "The only
thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about!"

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/