[Nodxa] Fwd: Rookie Roundup - Ideas for Clubs

Fri Mar 30 12:52:57 PDT 2012

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Rookie Roundup - Ideas for Clubs
Date: 	Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:53:52 -0400
From: 	Fusaro, Norm W3IZ <w3iz at arrl.org>
To: 	clubs <clubs at arrl.org>
CC: 	Weaver, Jim K8JE (DIR, GL) <k8je at arrl.org>

Rookie Roundup – Ideas for Clubs

One of the most common concerns expressed by clubs is they want to help
their new hams get on the air and learn HF operating skills.  Field Day
is a great opportunity – and many hams made their first HF QSOs on that
last full weekend of June – but it only comes once a year.  That’s where
the ARRL Rookie Roundup [hyperlink to www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup
<http://www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup>] comes in.

The Rookie Roundup is a contest especially for new hams – those first
licensed in the current and preceding two years – and it occurs three
times a year on the third Sunday of April, August, and December.  Each
contest uses a different mode.  April is the SSB contest, RTTY is
featured in August, and December is a Morse code contest.

April /QST/ includes a feature on the Rookie Roundup – this is a great
opportunity to open up the club station or arrange for a member to host
a multioperator effort as described below. Now there are a total of six
ARRL HF contests for newcomers every year: Field Day, three Rookie
Roundups, and two School Club Roundups.  (Eight, if you count Kid’s Days
in January and June.)  Take advantage of these opportunities to get your
new hams on HF!

Multioperator Category

Many clubs asked about adding a category for multiple rookies sharing a
single station – such as a club station.  Beginning with the April 2012
contest, a multioperator category has been added!  Any number of rookies
can participate – assisted by any number of non-rookie helpers and
Elmers – as long as a single transmitter is used.  This is a bit
different than the usual Multioperator, Single Transmitter category
which allows a second radio to make contacts.  Certainly, the rookies
not making contacts can tune around and find other stations to work –
the contacts have to be made from one operating position, though.

There are no restrictions on what type of station may be used, the
number of rookies, the number of helpers and mentors – it’s very much
like Field Day or a regular contest multioperator effort.  You can go
fast or slow, call CQ or search and pounce.  This is not only a great,
low-pressure way for newcomers to try HF operating and get comfortable
with a microphone, key, or keyboard but it’s great training for Field
Day, too!  These new operators will be able to contribute at a much
higher level having had experience in the Rookie Roundup.

Team Competition

Another requested feature for Rookie Roundup was to support team
competition.  In response, we added a competition for five
single-operator Rookie category entrants to add their scores together to
create a single team score.  A Rookie’s individual score will still be
listed separately so now they can compete in two ways at once!  Note
that multioperator entries can not be included in team scores.

A team registration form will be available on the ARRL Rookie Roundup
website before the contest – watch the website for information on how to
submit and deadlines for submitting team information.

Contest Ideas

In no particular order, here are some ideas to jump-start your club’s
thinking about operating in Rookie Roundup – use one of these ideas or
make up your own!  As the note at the end of this article suggests, be
sure to let us know about your ideas, too.

ü Break out the club’s emergency communications gear and set up an HF
station

ü Create two teams of rookies and have a competition within your club

ü Challenge another local club to a multioperator competition

ü Combine Rookie Roundup with a post-contest pizza feed to share stories

ü Pair up individual mentors and rookies and form teams to combine scores

ü Set up a “mini-Field Day” station in a public place for some ham radio
publicity

ü Invite non-hams to participate as spectators

ü Have young rookies challenge the older rookies

ü Award prizes for most contacts made, most states contacted, most
rookies worked, etc

You’ll find plenty of other ideas to try – have fun with the contest!

Other Notes

Since 6 meters did not turn out to attract much attention, we dropped 6
meters from the Rookie Roundup effective with the April 2012 contest.
We will continue to publish the results of Rookie Roundup during the
same week of the contest.  Score submissions will still be required 72
hours after the contest.

N1MM Logger (hyperlink to n1mm.com) remains the only standalone package
supporting Rookie Roundup along with the online logging website, In The
Log (hyperlink to inthelog.com).  You may also log on paper log sheets –
a downloadable log sheet is available on the contest’s website.

Tell Us About It!

If you do host or enable a Rookie Roundup operation, be sure to let
everyone know by taking photos and posting them to the ARRL Soapbox web
page (hyperlink to www.arrl.org/soapbox <http://www.arrl.org/soapbox>).
Send a copy of your story to contests at arrl.org
<mailto:contests at arrl.org>, as well.  Success breeds success – by
publishing your account, other clubs will be encouraged to help their
own rookies “break into the big leagues”, too!

73,

Sean Kutzko, KX9X
Contest Branch Manager

ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio™
225 Main St.
Newington, CT 06111
860-594-0232
skutzko at arrl.org <mailto:skutzko at arrl.org>

-- 
Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW - kb8nw at barf80.nshore.org --or-- kb8nw at arrl.net
Editor of the "Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin" (OPDX - "DXer's Tool of Excellence")
President of the "Northern Ohio DX Association" (NODXA)
DX Chairman for the "Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society
ARRL Assistant Director of the Great Lakes Division
Sysop of the "Basic Amateur Radio Frequency BBS" (BARF80.ORG)