[CQ-Contest] IARU HF zones

[Joe]

Yup  Zone 7 for me,

07          W-K-N-A   U.S.A. (N. Dakota, S. Dakota,
                       Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado,
                       New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma,
                       Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, that
                       part of Utah&  Arizona East
                       of 110 Deg. W.,&  that part
                       of Michigan, part of Montana
                       Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas,
                       Tennessee, Mississippi,
                       Louisiana&  Wisconsin west
                       of 90 Deg. W.)

Joe WB9SBD
EN43xo



The Original Rolling Ball Clock
Idle Tyme
Idle-Tyme.com
http://www.idle-tyme.com

On 7/7/2010 4:44 PM, RT Clay wrote:
> Actually, getting the precise zone is quite important because of the zone-based scoring (1 pt same zone/3 points other zones). I bet that if you are in zone 10, your score will be higher by 15-20% compared to zone 6.
>
> In the past, the ARRL had a list which precisely defined what parts of which states were in which zone. No part of AZ was in zone 10 ! It seems that the list was removed when the ARRL website was revamped, but you can still get it at:
>
> http://web.archive.org/web/20070318210126/www.arrl.org/contests/vev0vy.html#wkna
>
> Then I found
>
> http://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues%3Fissue%3D2010-06-09
>
> which references a map
>
> http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/broadcast/hf/refdata/maps/index.html
>
> and "corner coordinates" at
>
> http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/broadcast/hf/refdata/reftables/ciraf.txt
>
> But I think those are actually "test points" for evaluating signal strengths, and not on the boundaries of zones. If you plot some of them (for example the SW quadrant of zone 8 where I am), you will see they are not at all the boundaries. Also notice for example that the east boundary of zone 7 does not correspond to the west boundary of 8 in that list.
>
> So which one should we use? I'd be happy to put myself in zone 7 according to the "corner coordinates" referenced and get a 20% increase in score :)
>
> Tor
> N4OGW/5
>
>
>
> --- On Wed, 7/7/10, David Gilbert<xdavid at cis-broadband.com>  wrote:
>
>    
>> From: David Gilbert<xdavid at cis-broadband.com>
>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] IARU HF zones
>> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>> Date: Wednesday, July 7, 2010, 12:38 PM
>>
>> I don't believe that the precise ITU zone borders are what
>> the contest
>> sponsors expect you to use.  If they were, I would be
>> in zone 10, not
>> zone 6.  Besides, how could anyone actually know what
>> zone they are in
>> if they were close to a line that didn't follow a political
>> border? 
>> I've seen some pretty detailed official ITU zone maps but I
>> still can't
>> determine exactly where the dividing line is as it crosses
>> southern
>> Arizona.  Even if I could find the coordinates for the
>> endpoints of the
>> ITU boundary lines, I'd have to calculate the coordinates
>> for any other
>> point on the line.  I seriously doubt anyone expects
>> us to do that.
>>
>> Yes, we all should copy what is sent, but when someone
>> doesn't send what
>> they are supposed to it creates needless confusion. 
>> In my opinion, you
>> needlessly bring that lost QSO rate upon yourself.
>>
>> I've sent an email to KX9X asking him to clarify this issue
>> for the
>> upcoming IARU contest and maybe he will reply.
>>
>> 73,
>> Dave   AB7E
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 7/7/2010 6:22 AM, Joe wrote:
>>      
>>> But since 1977  I'm now in Wisconsin,  But
>>>        
>> in Zone 7!  But many assume
>>      
>>> being a 9 land Call and in Wisconsin, MANY assume that
>>>        
>> the border is the
>>      
>>> state line, and it is not!  I bet I easily in
>>>        
>> this contest loose a 10%
>>      
>>> QSO rate confirming that I'm in 07 NOT 08.
>>>        
>> Grrrrr,
>>      
>>>
>>>        
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>>      
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