[CQ-Contest] Maps of U.S. Contest Activity

[Kenneth E. Harker]

     A year and some ago, I built some maps showing the locations of U.S. 
contesters in several ARRL contests.  Using the exact same techniques, I've
added more maps from the recent year or two of results in each contest
that I'd already done, and I've created maps for the ARRL June VHF QSO 
Party as well.

     I start with the tab-delimited scores database for the contest (which
any ARRL member can download from the ARRLWeb,) match up callsigns with 
ZIP codes in the FCC database, and then match the ZIP codes to lat/lon 
values.  I'm using the U.S. Census Bureau's online Tiger Mapping Server 
to draw the maps.

   * These maps only show "lower-48" USA stations.  I wish the U.S. Census
     Bureau map server would map Canada or other countries, but it doesn't.  
     I could map Hawaii and Alaska as well, but that would triple my work.

   * Where an operation takes place from a different location than the 
     callbook address for the callsign, I have no easy way to know that 
     is the case, and if I did, the scores database does not include 
     enough data to map the "real" operation location.

   * The point of the maps is not to be 100% accurate, but to show overall 
     trends.

   * In some of the maps that show Top Ten locations, there might be 30 
     Top Ten "single-op" and 30 Top Ten "single-op assisted" pushpins on
     the map.  This is because there are ten each HP, LP, and QRP, and I 
     just didn't have enough colors to show all the entry class/power 
     combinations.

http://www.wm5r.org/maps/

Some things that I've noticed:

    * In 2003, you can really start to see that the Top Ten scores 
      in the ARRL 10 Meter Contest are shifting to the southern latitude
      locations.  This wasn't really evident yet in 2002.

    * While it is possible to make a Top Ten score in the ARRL DX contests
      from somewhere outside of the Washington, D.C. to Boston corridor, 
      stations outside of that part of the country are at a HUGE disadvantage.
      It's really very stunning to see on a map.

    * The ARRL DX contests seems to attract a lot more contesters in FRC 
      territory than anywhere else.  In fact, compare the FRC region in
      the ARRL DX with the ARRL Sweepstakes, and it's obvious that the FRC
      concentrates a lot more heavily on the DX contests.

    * One of the cool things about the Sweepstakes is that the Top Ten 
      stations seem to be distributed all over the country.  

    * I was personally a little surprised at the geographic distribution
      of the Top Ten stations in the ARRL June VHF QSO Party.  I was expecting
      almost all the winning stations to be in the Northeast.

-- 
(Note: I have changed my primary personal email account.  Please replace
 your address book or alias listings of kharker at cs.utexas.edu with 
 kenharker at kenharker.com.  Thanks! - 31 March 2004)

--
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker at kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/

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----- End forwarded message -----

-- 

(Note: I have changed my primary personal email account.  Please replace
 your address book or alias listings of kharker at cs.utexas.edu with 
 kenharker at kenharker.com.  Thanks! - 31 March 2004)

--
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker at kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/