[RTTY] 2 weeks to go: Great RTTY face-off

[Andrew O'Brien]

Well , it is not exactly a face-off but since the contest ends just as
the North American RTTY QSO Party starts, it gives you a chance to
really test this mode and see if it out performs RTTY in contest
conditions.



Purpose : This contest is intended to test the viability of DominoEX
as a digital contest mode,  since it compares favourably to RTTY
and may better  under certain conditions. Digital mode experimenters and
RTTY contesters are encouraged to particpate and provide feedback.
A prefix related contest has been chosen so that people within the same country
can work eachother as well as encourage DX contacts.  (see scoring , below).

Contest Name: " DominoEX Prefix Contest".

Suggested Contest Call: "CQ DominoEx Contest"  or "CQ DPC"

Date:  July 15, 2006

Time: 0000 UTC to 1800 UTC

Bands: 160,80,40,20,15, 10.

Mode :  DominoEX only

DominoEx is developed by Wassilieff ZL2AFP and Murray Greenman ZL1BPU
DominoEx has a variety of baud rates that can be used.  Entrants are
encouraged to read
the techical details of each baud rate via
http://www.qsl.net/zl1bpu/DOMINO/Index.htm

The baud rates are fast enough for contesting  yet do not occupy a
large bandwidth .
The lower baud rates are more effective, generally, for lower bands
such as 80 Meters.

Contest entrants are free to choose any of the available baud rates
but  11 baud is suggested as a standard .

Examples of  baud rate characteristics:
DominoEx 5  occipies 244 Hz and transmist charecters at 35 WPM.
DominoEX 11 occupies approximately 262 Hz of bandwdth and transmits at 70WPM.
DominoEX 16 occupies approximately 355 Hz of bandwdth and transmits at 100 WPM.
DominoEx 22 will oocupy 524  Hz and can transmit at 140WPM.
DominEx 8 is 346 bandwidth  and  will do 50 WPM..  According to ZL1BPU,
"...8 baud is wider than 11 baud because it uses double spacing in order to
combat ionospheric Doppler, which becomes quite a problem with narrow signals.
Depending on conditions, you can expect 1Hz per MHz operating
frequency of Doppler,
so 8 baud on 80m under severe NVIS conditions works well, and
significantly better than
11 baud single spaced."

This mode may be found in three software applications,:

ZL2AFP DominoEX Software    (
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~coombedn/FILES/DominoEXj.zip)
or
MULTIPSK

(http://f6cte.free.fr/index_anglais.htm )

                                      and possiblly  for Linux
http://gmfsk.connect.fi/index.html

Suggested Frequencies :
Please consult your region's band plan for digital modes.  Recently
reported DominioEx QSOs have been found on

141075.0, 14107.0 , 14080.0, 14077.0  14076.07072.0 3584.0
Please consider joining the following  groups for discussion of other
suggested frequencies
Digitalradio http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/
MFSK       http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mfsk/


Classification 1.  Single Operator Multi Band
                       2.   Single Operator Single Band


Use of DX Clusters IS allowed. Please consider using the K3UK DX
Cluster during this contest ( telnet://cluster.dynalias.org )

Exchange: RS(T) report plus a progressive contact three-digit serial
number starting with 001 for the first contact. Your log MUST show the
correct serial number sent and received for each contact.

Scoring:  To facilitate easy use of contesting sofware,  we have
chosen a format that is widely supported. This contest will use the
same scoring method and rules as
the CQ RTTY WPX 2006 contest . CQ WPX Contests are organized  by CQ
Magazine , a leading amateur radio publication . This contest is NOT a
CQ sponsored contest.

"QSO Points:1. Contacts between stations on different continents are
worth three(3) points on 28, 21, and 14 MHz and six (6) points on 7
and 3.5 MHz.2. Contacts between stations on the same continent but in
different countries, and contacts with maritime mobile stations, are
worth two (2)points on 28, 21, and 14 MHz and four (4) points on 7 and
3.5 MHz.3. Contacts between stations in the same country are worth one
(1)point on 28, 21, and 14 MHz, and two (2) points on 7 and 3.5
MHz.IX. Multiplier: The multiplier is the number of "valid" prefixes
worked.  A prefix is counted only once regardless of the number of
times the same prefix is worked.1. A prefix is the letter/numeral
combination which forms the first part of the amateur call. Examples:
N8, W8, AB8, DL5, DJ2, HG1, WD200,WF96, 3DAØ, GB75, ZS66, U3, etc. Any
difference in the numbering,lettering, or order of same shall
constitute a separate prefix. A station operating from a DXCC country
different from that indicated by its call-sign is required to sign
portable. The portable prefix must be an authorized prefix of the
country/call area of operation. In cases of portable operation the
portable designator will then become the prefix. Example:AB5KD
operating from Wake Island would sign AB5KD/KH9 orAB5KD/NH9. American
DX (KL7, KH6, KP2, KH3, etc.) operating with-in the 48 states must
sign with a full designator of their choice. KH6XXX operating from
Ohio must use an authorized prefix for the U.S. 8th dis-district (W8,
K8, etc.). United States portable stations are not permitted to select
a portable prefix designation. For example, WS7I/2 is permitted,but
WS7I/WY2 or WS7I/KZ2 is not. Portable designators without numbers will
be assigned a zero (Ø) after the second letter of the portable
designator to form a prefix. Example: N8BJQ/PA would become PAØ.All
calls without numbers will be assigned a zero (Ø) after the first two
letters to form the prefix. Example: XEFTJW would count as
XEØ.Maritime mobile, mobile, /A, /E, /J, /P, or interim license class
identifiers do not count as prefixes.2. Special event, commemorative,
and other unique prefix stations are encouraged to participate.
Prefixes must be assigned by the licensing authority of the country of
operation"

Scoring:

Multiband  score = total QSO points from all bands
multiplied by the number of different prefixes worked (prefixes are
counted only once).
Single Band score = total QSO points on the band multiplied by the
number of different prefixes worked.--

Log Submission:  email to dominoexcontest at gmail.com
Usual contest format for logs.  PLEASE include comments about how well
this mode worked for you.
Each Entrant will receive a certificate via email.
Results will be posted on the web at
http://www.obriensweb.com/dominoexresults.htm


Andy K3UK (k3uk at obriensweb.com)
Fredonia, New York.
Skype Me :  callto://andyobrien73
Also available via Echolink


-- 
Andy K3UK
Fredonia, New York.
Skype Me :  callto://andyobrien73
Also available via Echolink