ARRL DX rules

Zack Widup w9sz at prairienet.org
Thu Feb 15 09:02:38 EST 1996


 
Here's a segment of the rules I downloaded a couple days ago:
 
                           ******************
 
Rules, 1996 ARRL International DX Contest 
[snip]
        6) Contest Exchange: 
                (A) W/VE stations (including 48 contiguous United States 
and does not include Canadian islands of St Paul and Sable) send signal 
report and state or province. 
                (B) DX stations send signal report and power (three-digit 
number indicating approximate transmitter output power). 
        7) Scoring: 
                (A) QSO Points--W/VE stations count three points per DX QSO. 
DX stations count three points per W/VE QSO. 
                (B) Multiplier--W/VE stations: Sum of DXCC countries (except 
US and Canada) worked per band. DX stations: Sum of US states (except 
KH6/KL7) and District of Columbia (DC), NB (VE1), NS (VE1), PEI (VE1 
or VY2), PQ (VE2), ON (VE3), MB (VE4), SK (VE5), AB (VE6), BC 
(VE7), NWT (VE8), YUK (VY1), NF (VO1), LAB (VO2) worked per band. 
Maximum of 62 per band. 
                (C) Final Score--QSO points X multiplier = final score. 
        8) Miscellaneous: 
*******   (F) Aeronautical and maritime mobile stations outside the US and 
Canada may be worked by W/VE stations for QSO credit only. 
 
                     ****************************
 
(The above asterisks were added by me.) 
It looks pretty obvious ... mainland W/VE works DX (including KH#/KL7) 
and DX works W/VE. W's and VE's don't work each other.
 
Good luck in the contest!
 
73, Zack W9SZ
 

>From John Brosnahan <broz at csn.net>  Thu Feb 15 15:12:39 1996
From: John Brosnahan <broz at csn.net> (John Brosnahan)
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 08:12:39 -0700
Subject: Pointing a stack different headings
Message-ID: <199602151512.IAA20588 at lynx.csn.net>


>>Actually it is a little more complex than all of this (isn't life like that)
>>because of the changes in mutual coupling, etc.  But for a first
>>approximation (read guess)  you can spray two directions knowing that 1/2
>>your power is going in a second direction and that power is having little
>>effect on the half that is going in the first direction.
>
>John and co. - I think you have the essentials correct - especially
>the first part of the above statement and the rest of your posting.
>But I would not take even as a zero-th approximation the second part
>of the above statement.  Consider this: First, unless the "stacked"
>antennae are many wavelengths apart each will ALWAYS be in the near
>field of the other.  Therefor, you can never consider the pair (or
>mulltiplet) as sepreate antennae.  You must evaluate the sum total of
>amplitude and phase of the radiation patterns, which will be very
>different than the scalar sum of the patterns that would sugest that
>you can spray two dirrections equally.  This is basic physics, and is
>the way it is.  Secondly, as you point out, some arbitrary point a
>very long ways off doesn't "know" there are two antennae at a given
>QTH.  This only underscores my first point.
>
>I have not modeled this specifically, but think how the wakes of two boats 
>moving in different directions interact on the watter - especially when
>they are just within several boat lengths from each other.
>
>Just my two cents worth - for what it's worth...
>cheers, Chuck Claver, PhD.
>        de NJ6D

Chuck, we agree on everything but style!  HI  Of course you need to do the
modeling to see what the exact results are, and clearly the antennas are in
the near field of each other.  But I was trying to make a very simple
(simplistic was the word I used in the original note) description and that
description does fit what is observed by the many CONTEST operators who have
a two stack that can be pointed to spray in multiple directions.  

It is fortuitous that for most common spray modes the antennas are pointed
at approximately right angles to each other, thereby minimizing the
interactions.  Typically on 40M in the afternoon and evening they would be
pointed (from Colorado) at 35 deg (Eur) and 125 deg (Car).  At midnight the
Eur goes to JA (320) and the Car goes to Eur (35).  And after Europe drops
out the Eur goes to VK/ZL (230).  (The choice of which antenna goes where is
a function of height, angle of radiation, and expected benefits (number of
potential qsos and mults) from one over the other in any given direction.)
Of course this works for Colorado but the pointing directions are somewhat
different for other parts of the country.

To summarize my points.

1)  Two Yagis pointing in opposite directions on the same tower aren't
necessarily 180 degrees out of phase.  You must also take into account the
spatial position of the phase centers of the two, in addition to the "phase
flip" on the driven elements.  More easily visualized when talking about
long (in wavelengths) VHF antennas, where, when they are counter rotated the
driven elements could be multiple wavelengths apart.

2)  It is a complex problem for accurate analysis and requires the use of
modeling tools but my description of what is operationally observed is
accurate.  On receive, when switching from the two antennas spraying in
different directions to only one antenna there is never any dramatic
increase or decrease in the received signal from the direction of that one
antenna.  Only a reduction in the qrn and qrm contribution made by the
pickup of the second antenna.

3)  For DX contesting from the US, the major population and multiplier
centers are located in directions such that the antennas are at right angles
to each other and therefore have the least interaction.  So it is not very
common in normal operation for the antennas to be pointed at 180 with
respect to each other.

4)  Trying to explain things in simple terms, yet hinting at the complex
technical issues underlying the explanation, often results in the
sophiticated reader feeling that the answer is inaccurate or incomplete
(which it is and was intended to be).  Any short,  five-paragraph answer
without mathematics on a relatively complex antenna topic will always be
incomplete.  I just hope the intitial answer as well as the dialog that it
has spawned is illuminating to the intended audience.

73  John  W0UN


John Brosnahan  
La Salle Research Corp      24115 WCR 40     La Salle, CO 80645  USA
voice 970-284-6602            fax 970-284-0979           email broz at csn.net


>From Jimmy R. Floyd" <floydjr at Interpath.com  Thu Feb 15 14:56:27 1996
From: Jimmy R. Floyd" <floydjr at Interpath.com (Jimmy R. Floyd)
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 10:56:27 -0400
Subject: WPX IDRA RTTY Contest 96 Scores IV
Message-ID: <199602151600.LAA26925 at mail-hub.interpath.net>

1996 WPX IDRA RTTY CONTEST
HIGH CLAIMED SCORES

Compiled by:
WA4ZXA

Posting Date: 02/15/96


CALL                 HRS           SCORE         Q'S       PTS     MULTI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOP/HP/AB

SM3KOR                26          585,296        640      1864      314
W2UP                              561,388        705      1916      293
S59A                              465,000        346      1607      290
N2RH                              416,161        592      1481      281
NO2T                              397,574        659      1451      274
VE7IN                             377,300        563      1540      245
W7LZP                 30          314,925        683      1235      255
WA7FOE                            312,997        674      1247      251
OH2LU                             308,220        484      1401      220
S56A                              287,000        415      1311      219
OI2GI                             269,019        426      1263      213
WA0ACI                            238,053        580      1087      219
WB0BLR                            210,613        466       953      221
AI7B                  18          205,000        575
K0RC                  25          164,920        420       868      190
ZS6BRH                            134,972        249       823      164
KD6TO                              77,380        302       530      143
N0LEF                              59,940        267       444      135
K0BX                               47,212        156       407      116
W6OTC                              37,422        153       378       99
KF4BU                              17,017        100       221       77
K2WK                                             300       714      193


SOP/LP/AB

AA5AU                             435,656        742      1534      284
KA4RRU                            360,096        589      1364      264
N1RCT                 30          340,780        580      1280      266
V31JU                             306,527        507      1387      221
K2NJ                  27          306,720        506      1177      260
KN6DV                             244,230        525      1163      210
N9CKC                             217,425        476       975      223
K4GMH                             173,900        403       925      188
WA4ZXA                28          147,312        346       792      186
A92GD                             146,560        291       916      160
WA4JQS                            137,370        309       726      190
VE6KRR                            129,300        323       862      150
KF2OG                              89,517        266       563      159
WY6/G0AZT                          79,920        302       540      148
JE2UFF                             63,837        168       519      123
N7UJJ                              49,731        242       411      121
KC7MJ                 16           44,308        221       418      106
N5MTS                              29,939        177       329       91
AA6TY                 26           22,440        154       264       85
VE3XAG                             12,375         70       225       55
KQ4QM/WN8                             100          5        20        5


Single Band

80M
WU3V/5                            137,016        301       792      173
K1IU HP                           133,128        266       774      172

20M
I2EOW                             465,290        546      1445      322
S55T  (S55OO)                     275,476        423      1129      244
VE6JY                             263,526        452      1002      263
N4SR                              225,616        412       844      239  
CF7OR                             137,750        327       725      190
JR2BNF/1                           28,858        109       307       94


MULTI/OP

AB5KD  (AB5KD,WFIB,W5KFT>         824,636       1051      2278      362
AF4Z                              378,378        668      1386      273
VE3FJB                            333,889        454      1433      233
AE0Q LP  (AE0Q,KI7RW)              78,638        315       574      137


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

THESE ARE NOT OFFICIAL SCORES! I AM NOT A LOG CHECKER! DO NOT SEND ME ANY
LOGS!

Also if you do not mind, please do not attach summary files. It means I
have to go into a separate program to read them. Since I am doing several
contests and also have my own logs to handle, this will save me time. 

Also remember when you see the FINAL POSTING on a contest that is what it 
means. I will not accept scores after that. I assume two weeks is plenty 
of time for anyone to get their scores on here. Remember these are only
claimed scores and not the real ones. You must remember that this weekend
is the CW ARRL DX. I will be doing scores for that also. I hope everyone
understands.


73's Jim



           ********************************************************** 
           * Jimmy R. Floyd  (Jim)   Thomasville, NC                *
           *                                                        *
           * Amateur Call:              >> WA4ZXA <<                *
           * Packet Node:               >> N4ZC <<                  *
           * Internet Address: **NEW**  >> floydjr at interpath.com << *
           **********************************************************


>From Jimmy R. Floyd" <floydjr at Interpath.com  Thu Feb 15 14:56:32 1996
From: Jimmy R. Floyd" <floydjr at Interpath.com (Jimmy R. Floyd)
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 10:56:32 -0400
Subject: Posting of Scores ARRL DX!!!!!
Message-ID: <199602151600.LAA26932 at mail-hub.interpath.net>

Hello Fellow Contesters,

As always I will be doing the scores for the upcoming ARRL DX, both CW &
SSB. I am going to try and submit some guidelines here that will make it
I hope easier on you and me. This job does take quite a bit of time and
these are only a few pointers that may save us both time. This list has 
been compiled from the other contests I have done. You can feel free to 
write to me, not the reflector about any suggestions that you would like
to see. I cannot tell you I can do them but will try my best. The scores
are for you and I am trying to give you as much info as I can.

1. This will be the format for the scores sheet I will use. If you could
submit your scores as close to this as possible. The best way to submit them
is of course is just the summary sheet in CT or whatever program you
use.

CALL        CLASS            SCORE       Q'S       PTS          DX
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


In this contest there are several and I do mean several classes you can
operate in. I will put you in any class you want to be in. If I get one
with no class listed or no power I will put the in the highest class I 
can fine for you. All Single ops will go in the assisted class in that
case for an example. 

Another thing which will save me a lot of time is where you put your 
summary report. If you do not mind put your summary at the TOP of
your post. That way I do not have to look through a lot of stuff to find
the info I need

FINAL POSTING is another problem. When you see this post come out that is
what it means. You can send your scores to the reflector and let people 
see them but I am not going to add them to the list. As I said this takes
a lot of time and really do not like having two going at one time. It does
amaze me that I will not get a score for over a week and post the final 
and then get scores after that. Just so everyone understands this.

Breakdown sheet will also be done. I will assume that all that will be 
needed on it is Q's and Multis. 

Call       160          80        40        20        15      10
_______________________________________________________________________
WA4ZXA    100/20      300/12    250/100   400/240   120/128  10/5

Of course they will be put in a class.

Also all Multi-Op Stations need to submit a list of ops. I will also put
them on the sheet.


Now one of the most important things is

>> DO NOT POST ANY SCORES TO THE CQ CONTEST REFLECTOR!!!!!


This has been asked by the people who moderate this reflector. Please send
to me direct at floydjr at interpath.com or to the 3830 reflector. I believe
to subscibe to the 3830 reflector send mail to 3830-REQUEST at akorn.net and
put subscribe in the body of the text.

I hope all this helps in posting scores to go well. Thank all of you for
your thanks and all. I hope you understand I cannot reply to them all but
they are greatly appreciated. I have always felt that a person needs to 
give back things to a hobby to make it work. That is all I am doing.

73's Jim

           ********************************************************** 
           * Jimmy R. Floyd  (Jim)   Thomasville, NC                *
           *                                                        *
           * Amateur Call:              >> WA4ZXA <<                *
           * Packet Node:               >> N4ZC <<                  *
           * Internet Address: **NEW**  >> floydjr at interpath.com << *
           **********************************************************


>From Skelton, Tom" <skeltt at mmsmtp2.ColumbiaSC.ATTGIS.COM  Thu Feb 15 18:46:00 1996
From: Skelton, Tom" <skeltt at mmsmtp2.ColumbiaSC.ATTGIS.COM (Skelton, Tom)
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 96 10:46:00 PST
Subject: ARRL DX Contest Rules
Message-ID: <312389D6 at mmsmtp.columbiasc.attgis.com>


Thank you!  I knew I had been a little out of touch lately with some
of the rule changes, but I couldn't believe the ARRL DX Test would
allow W to VE QSO's to count for any credit.

I'll never forget many years ago on 40 SSB a VO1 below 7.100 MHz
got so put out with the W stations calling on his frequency (saying listen
up, listen up) he yelled:

 "Stateside guys, quit calling.  We're on the same team!!"

He finally had to give up and work a few of the guys just so he
could work the DX calling him in the contest.

73,tom WB4iUX
WB4iUX at AOL.COM
 ----------
From: Pete Smith
To: cq-contest
Subject: ARRL DX Contest Rules
Date: Thursday, February 15, 1996 5:47AM

I just got off the phone with Billy Lunt at ARRL.  The bottom line -- there
is no change. W-VE contacts don't count in either direction.

73,

Pete Smith N4ZR (n4zr at ix.netcom.com)


>From w7ni at teleport.com (Stan Griffiths)  Thu Feb 15 16:34:17 1996
From: w7ni at teleport.com (Stan Griffiths) (Stan Griffiths)
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 08:34:17 -0800
Subject: Tower Help
Message-ID: <199602151634.IAA14366 at desiree.teleport.com>

I'm rolling on the floor now, too!  I could see someone actually thinking
all you would have to do to maintain a crankup is grease the sections where
they slide against each other . . . can't you?  I really bit on that one. :-)

Stan  W7NI at teleport.com



>Stan,  chuck is rolling on the floor by now.  Read carefully,  I don't
>think Chuck was talking about a crankup, but regular Rohn 65G that we
>use down here in Texas....   73  Robert
>
>
>> 
>> >A tower really does not need that much maintainence except, of course, to
>> >take it down every 2-3 years to grease the joints between the sections...
>> 
>> I'd say it depends a lot on how much you crank it up and down.  Some people
>> use motorized crankups so they can keep it down most of the time to avoid
>> offending neighbors and protect it from the wind.  If you do this a lot, you
>> need to keep the cable well greased to avoid wear on the pulleys as well as
>> keeping the pulley shafts well greased.
>> 
>> One guy I know didn't bother with the grease and the cable wore the edges
>> off the pulleys.  The cable dropped down on the pulley shaft and jammed
>> tight.  The motor snapped the cable and the whole crankup telescoped down
>> REAL FAST.  The tower was permanently damaged and one element bent due to
>> the sudden stop at the bottom.  Nobody was hurt.  Lucky.  I hate crankups.
>> 
>> BTW, the reason the motor snapped the cable instead of just stalling and
>> blowing a breaker like it should, is because the owner installed an extra
>> large motor because he ran it up and down a lot and it was too slow with the
>> orignal motor . . .
>> 
>> Stan  W7NI at teleport.com
>> 
>
>-- 
>73 Robert  WB5CRG  w5robert at blkbox.com   
>
>


>From Pete Smith <n4zr at ix.netcom.com>  Thu Feb 15 16:35:55 1996
From: Pete Smith <n4zr at ix.netcom.com> (Pete Smith)
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 08:35:55 -0800
Subject: ARRL DX CW rules?
Message-ID: <199602151635.IAA07480 at ix2.ix.netcom.com>

>Return-Path: <blunt at arrl.org>
>From: "Lunt, Billy,  KR1R" <blunt at arrl.org>
>To: Pete Smith <n4zr at ix.netcom.com>
>Subject: RE: ARRL DX CW rules?
>Date: Thu, 15 Feb 96 09:22:00 EST
>Encoding: 89 TEXT
>
>
>Pete,
>
>There is no change in the DX Contest Rules. W/VEs work DX only and DX works 
>W/VEs only.
>
>73,
>
>Billy Lunt, KR1R
>Contest Manager, ARRL
>860-594-0252
>kr1r at arrl.org
>blunt at arrl.org
>contest at arrl.org
>
> ----------
>>From: Pete Smith
>>To: blunt
>>Subject: ARRL DX CW rules?
>>Date: Wednesday, February 14, 1996 12:36PM
>>
>>Billy -- Just wanted to make sure you saw this.  What's the story?  Is 
>there
>>really a rule change?
>>
>>
>>>From: paul1 at wizard.ucs.sfu.ca (Paul Erickson)
>>>Reply-To: paul1 at wizard.ucs.sfu.ca (Paul Erickson)
>>>Subject: ARRL DX CW rules?
>>>To: cq-contest at tgv.com (contest)
>>>Date: Wed, 14 Feb 96 11:22:18 PST
>>>
>>>Pardon my ignorance, but I was under the impression that we w/ve's were
>>>to work everyone but other w/ve's. The following comment from the
>>>rules I just received from the info at arrl.org seems to contradict that.
>>>Could someone please clarify this for me?
>>>
>>>Forwarded message:
>>>> From info-serv at arrl.org Wed Feb 14 09:16:15 1996
>>>> Message-Id: <m0tmkgR-000RD0C at mgate.arrl.org>
>>>> Date: Wed, 14 Feb 96 12:07 EST
>>>> Subject: INFO response: DX.RLS
>>>> From: <info-serv at arrl.org> (HQ Automated INFO Server)
>>>> Organzation: American Radio Relay League
>>>> To: <paul1 at wizard.ucs.sfu.ca>
>>>>
>>>> Rules, 1996 ARRL International DX Contest
>>>>
>>>>      1) Eligibility: Amateurs worldwide.
>>>>      2) Object: W/VE amateurs work as many amateur stations in as many
>>>> DXCC countries of the world as possible on 1.8 to 30 MHz, excluding the
>>10,
>>>> 18 and 24-MHz bands. Foreign amateurs work as many W/VE stations in as
>>>> many states and provinces as possible.
>>>
>>><deleted>
>>>
>>>>      7) Scoring:
>>>>              (A) QSO Points--W/VE stations count three points per DX 
>QSO.
>>>> DX stations count three points per W/VE QSO.
>>>>              (B) Multiplier--W/VE stations: Sum of DXCC countries 
>(except
>>>> US and Canada) worked per band. DX stations: Sum of US states (except
>>>> KH6/KL7) and District of Columbia (DC), NB (VE1), NS (VE1), PEI (VE1
>>>> or VY2), PQ (VE2), ON (VE3), MB (VE4), SK (VE5), AB (VE6), BC
>>>> (VE7), NWT (VE8), YUK (VY1), NF (VO1), LAB (VO2) worked per band.
>>>> Maximum of 62 per band.
>>>
>>><deleted>
>>>
>>>> Canada may be worked by W/VE stations for QSO credit only.
>>>
>>>What does this mean in light of the above?
>>>
>>>
>>>cheers, Paul
>>>ve7cqk
>>>email: paul1 at wizard.ucs.sfu.ca
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>73,
>>
>>Pete Smith N4ZR (n4zr at ix.netcom.com)
>>
>>
>
>

73,

Pete Smith N4ZR (n4zr at ix.netcom.com)




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