It's been a while since I operated any contests, and when I did I only
operated 160 CW tests. So I have some questions.
I want to buy a new keyer. What's the best contest type keyer and why? What's
the best "cheap" keyer?
How many digits are in s/n exchanges, and can a long dash still be used or
has that faded from common use?
Is the automatically increasing s/n ever in the middle of manual characters
during contests? Do any keyers have a way to decrease the s/n or isn't that
feature necessary?
Thanks,
Tom
>From aa4lr@radio.org (Bill Coleman AA4LR) Mon Apr 8 22:39:29 1996
From: aa4lr@radio.org (Bill Coleman AA4LR) (Bill Coleman AA4LR)
Subject: TS930 ON/OFF switch
Message-ID: <v01540b08ad8f3688c94d@[206.28.194.40]>
>Yesterday, I switched on the 930 (my main contest
>rig) and the blame thing wouldn't stay on. It seems the on/off switch broke.
>It goes in when pushed and the rig comes to life, but when I take my finger
>off it, the rig goes off.
A little duck tape might work....
Or, you could get out the soldering iron and jumper a wire over the switch....
:-)
Bill Coleman, AA4LR Mail: aa4lr@radio.org
Quote: "Not in a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>From Rob Snieder PA3ERC <norf@euronet.nl> Tue Apr 9 03:48:50 1996
From: Rob Snieder PA3ERC <norf@euronet.nl> (Rob Snieder PA3ERC)
Subject: WPX SSB Results PA6WPX
Message-ID: <3169D012.7521@euronet.nl>
CQ WORLD WIDE PREFIX CONTEST -- 1996
Call: PA6WPX Country: Netherlands
Mode: SSB Category: Multi Multi
BAND QSO QSO PTS PTS/Q PREFIXES STATION
160 554 1222 2.2 130 FT990/400W Vertical/Inverted-V/3
beverages
80 872 1824 2.1 195 FT990/400W Vertical/Dipole/3 beverages
40 1133 3226 2.8 200 TS940/400W 2 elem beam/Dipole
20 1528 3594 2.4 404 FT990/400W 4 elem beam/vertical
15 255 543 2.1 86 TS850/400W 6 elem beam/4 elem beam
10 45 20 0.4 7 FT990/400W 7 elem beam/vertical
--------------------------------------
Totals 4387 10429 2.4 1022 = 10,658,438
Operator List:PA3BBP,PA3BUD,PA3BWD,PA3DMH,PA3ERC,PA3EWP,PA3FQA,PA3GBQ,
PA3GXF,PB0AIC,UT4UZ
Comments:
Unfortunately the propagations where very poor on 10 and 15 meters. On 40
the first night we didn't work 1 US station! The second night 40 was open
to all directions. The new 160 meter vertical was working outstanding.
Despite the poor conditions we had lots of fun. Lets hope that the high
bands will get better next year. See you in the WPX CW !
Full color QSL via PA3CAL, also check the web-site of PI4COM and see how
our new 160 vertical looks like.
Rob Snieder PA3ERC
member of Contestgroup Oude Maas PI4COM/PA6WPX
Homepage PI4COM: http://www.euronet.nl/users/norf/pi4com.html
Now with lots of picture of the station !
Internet e-mail : norf@euronet.nl
Packet Radio : PA3ERC@PI8MBQ
PacketCluster : PA3ERC > PI8DXC
>From aa4lr@radio.org (Bill Coleman AA4LR) Mon Apr 8 23:01:48 1996
From: aa4lr@radio.org (Bill Coleman AA4LR) (Bill Coleman AA4LR)
Subject: Proposed New Contest Exchange
Message-ID: <v01540b0aad8f3ca03891@[206.28.194.40]>
>Bill Coleman, AA4LR, said:
>> Instead of just sending the checksum of your call, we could send the
>> checksum of the entire exchange. This would permit real-time validation
>> of the entire exchange, not just the callsign.
>
>Something about this doesn't sit right with me. I believe it has to be
>up to the operator to decide that the exchanged information is correct.
Well, for CW and SSB contests, this is true. In RTTY contests, the operator
is somewhat removed from that process, since the TU does all the actual
decoding.
My only point is that providing a check value could be an aide in
confirming that the human operator did, indeed, copy the exchange
correctly.
>Removing this element of a contest gets too close to robots working
>robots for my taste.
To me, replacing the completely meaningless 599 report with a validating
check seems a step forward (and away) from robotic operation. What could be
more robotic than to give everyone 599?
Bill Coleman, AA4LR Mail: aa4lr@radio.org
Quote: "Not in a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>From Maxime Caron <mcaron@riq.qc.ca> Mon Apr 8 23:03:52 1996
From: Maxime Caron <mcaron@riq.qc.ca> (Maxime Caron)
Subject: Int. HF GridLoc Contest.
Message-ID: <9604082203.AA11789@socrate.riq.qc.ca>
"VE2UCD" Quebec Contest Group will be tacking part of the International HF
Gridloc Contest next week-end (13-14).
I realised that a lot of people never heard of that contest, so here are the
rules taken on the internet. You can find them in the QST of this month=
too.
International HF Grid Location Contest (GridLoc)
------------------------------------------------
I. Announcing
Second annual International HF Grid Location (GridLoc) contest.
II. Objective
For Amateur Radio operators around the world to contact other=
Amateurs
in as many Maidenhead grid squares as possible during the contest
period.
III. Contest Period
Saturday 12.00 - Sunday 1200 UTC.
(Second full weekend of April). All entrants may operate a
total of 18 of the contest's 24 hours. Off periods must be
no less than 30 minutes.
IV. Operator Classes
There is only one power class (less than 150 watts).
1. Single Operator, phone only, CW only and mixed
mode. One person performs all operating and logging
functions. Use of spotting nets, DX Alert Packet Systems,
telephone, etc., is not permitted.
2. Multi-Operator, Two Transmitter. Mixed mode.
Only 1 signal per band permitted. Once a transmitter has
made a contact on a given band it may not change to
another band for at least 10 minutes. All transmitters and
receivers must be located within a 500 meter diameter
circle or within the property limits of the station licensee's
address, whichever is lesser. The antennas must be
physically connected by wires to the transmitter.
3. Rover. Mixed mode. One or two operators of a single
station moving between two or more grid squares during
the contest, and making contest contacts, using the same
equipment and antennas at each site. A rover station should
sign "rover" after their callsign for voice and "/R" for CW.
V. Modes
Contacts may be made using CW or SSB.
VI. Bands
All HF bands (160-10 M) excluding the WARC bands
(30, 17, 12 M).
VII. Valid Contacts
A given station may be contacted only once per band
mode from a given grid square. Rover stations may be
worked once per band mode in each grid square they visit.
VIII. Exchange
All stations must transmit a proper Maidenhead grid
square (i.e. EM10) and an operator name. If the
Maidenhead grid square is unknown stations may be
counted for QSO credit only.
IX. QSO Points
Count 1 QSO point for each valid contact made during
the contest.
X. Multiplier Points
Count 1 multiplier point for each Maidenhead grid
square worked per band, not per band mode. Stations not
supplying valid Maidenhead grid squares do not count for
multiplier credit.
XI. Final Score
Total QSO points times the total multipliers equals the
total claimed score for all entrants except rovers. Rover
stations must add the total number of QSO points from
each grid, add the total multipliers from each grid and
multiply these to produce the final score.
XII. Score Submission
Log submissions should be sent within 30 days of the
end of the contest to:
Internet: geoiii@bga.com
Mail: GridLoc
P.O. Box 180703
Austin, TX 78718-0703
USA
GridLoc is an Open Log contest and all log submissions
become the property of the GridLoc organizers.
XIII. Awards
To be decided.
- - -
Q. Are there any rules changes this year?
A. Yes. This year stations may be worked once per band
mode instead of just once per band. This rule change
aligns GridLoc with other multi-mode contests (like the
IARU HF Championships). For example, mixed mode
stations may work each other on 20M phone and then again
on 20M CW. Both QSO's count for 1 point but any
multiplier credit applies only once.
Q. Why use Grid Squares as multipliers?
A. More common than countries and zones, Grid Squares
provide a large number of multipliers which can be worked
on each band. This makes the flavor of this contest
different from any other since WPX multipliers can not be
worked on each band.
Q. How do I determine my Grid Square?
A. There are a number of ways to determine this. Ask
other amateurs in your area (especially VHF operators)
what the grid square is. If no is knows either consult the
ARRL grid square map (which will be useful only if your
community is clearly within a grid's boundary) or type in
the BASIC computer program available from the ARRL
Operating manual. It will determine your grid square
based on longitude and latitude.
Q. Why is the contest 24 hours long?
A. To give everyone around the world equal opportunity
to operate at peak propagation hours.
Q. Why does it start at 1200UTC (7AM CST)?
A. This start time gives everyone around the world ample
time to get home from work on Friday and prepare for the
contest the next day. The contest ends before Monday all
over the world.
Q. Why limit stations to 150 watts of power?
A. One hundred fifty watts is more than enough to work
stations around the world. Higher power would raise QRM
levels on the bands and result in complicating the GridLoc
rules with the additional categories.
Q. What are the suggested frequencies?
A. There are no suggested frequencies. However it is
expected that most activity will be centered around the
lower edge of the general sub-bands and the Novice/Tech
portions of the 10 meter phone band.
Q. Are there any DX awards for HF Grid contacts?
A. Yes. The Japanese Amateur Radio League offers the
Worked All Grid award to Amateurs who work stations in
100 or more Grids. Endorsements are available for
multiples of 100 additional grids. For more information
write to:
The Japan Amateur Radio League, Inc.
Award Desk
14-2, Sugamo 1-Chome, Toshima-ku,
Tokyo 170, Japan
Q. Why are packet spotting systems not allowed?
A. Packet is not allowed for single operators only. An
entry using a packet spotting network would be part of the
multi-two category with "net" as one of the operators.
Q. What is an "Open Log Contest"?
A. An Open Log Contest is a contest in which operating
logs submitted for entry to the contest organizers are made
available to the public. It is the intention of the GridLoc
organizers to make all of the submitted logs available
electronically. This allows everyone to study the
techniques of the top operators and to analyze logs using
common software tools.
Q. Do any logging programs support GridLoc?
A. N6TR's logging program TRLog supports the GridLoc
contest starting with version 5.19. W5XD's logging
software WriteLog (for Windows) now includes a GridLoc
multiplier module.
Q. Will there be any awards?
A. Yes. The organizers will produce awards based on the
amount of activity for the contest. At this time it is certain
that continental winners in each operating category will
receive certificates as will the top ten scorers in each
division worldwide. Certificates for the top college clubs
are also planned.
Q. Where will the results be published?
A. There are several possibilities being investigated. The
organizers hope to have the results published so as to reach
the most Amateurs as possible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----
*****************************************=09
* Maxime Caron * =20
* Internet: mcaron@riq.qc.ca * DISCOVERING The Net From
* Compuserve: 76162,3430 * Qu=E9bec City in Canada.
* Ham Operator: <VA2MRX> *
* Quebec Contest Group "VE2CUD" *
* http://www.riq.qc.ca/users/mcaron *
* ***************************************
>From David O. Hachadorian" <74752.115@compuserve.com Mon Apr 8 23:31:26 1996
From: David O. Hachadorian" <74752.115@compuserve.com (David O. Hachadorian)
Subject: measuring coax cable loss
Message-ID: <960408223125_74752.115_EHL237-1@CompuServe.COM>
On 8 April, K1KP wrote:
------------------------
>Dave, K6LL, posted a note about measuring cable losses with the
>antenna connected, using the SWR method.
>I'm not sure this method is accurate enough for a contest station.
>It is based on the assumption that the antenna looks like a short
>or open at some frequency. While this may be a Damn Good Assumption (DGQ)
>it may not be an Assumption Good Enough For Contesting (AGEFC).
>Consider Dave's example of SWR 7:1, which translates to 1.25 dB loss.
>If we send 100 watts down the line, this translates to 25 watts lost
>somewhere. Even if the antenna is high SWR at this frequency, It still
>seems likely to me that it could radiate 25 watts.
>On the other hand, if we're talking long runs of crappy (RG-58) cable,
>this loss is reasonable for the cable. But if we're talking 50 feet of
>hardline, this loss is unnacceptible. As Dave points out, you need
>to consider the expected losses of non-deteriorated feedline. In a contest
>station, the expected losses of non-deteriorated feedline is so low that
>the antenna's radiation, however low, may be the dominating loss.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neither the AEA or Autec analyzers are capable of measuring extremely low
line losses. The AEA only goes down to .9 dB (swr=10), and the Autec goes to
.6dB (swr=15). Within this range, the antenna's presence should be negligible,
since the impedance peaks of most nonresonant antennas are several thousand ohms
(swr > 40).
If the presence of an antenna _does_ degrade the measurement at all, it will be
in a direction to make the feedline loss appear higher than it really is. At
least you will not get a false sense of security!
If your measurement demonstrates that the line is good, you will have the peace
of mind knowing that it is at least as good as the indicated measurement, and
possibly better.
If you have any concerns about whether this method is making
your feedline appear too lossy, climb the tower, disconnect the antenna, and do
the test again, or use some other method, before scrapping your 400' run
of 7/8" hardline.
For us mere mortals who are concerned only when losses get above .6 dB,
this test is so easy to do, and so comforting in it's results, that it's easy
to justify purchasing the analyzer for this one purpose.
I have no connection with Autec, AEA, or anybody else, for that matter.
Dave, K6LL
74752.115@compuserve.com
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