[SCCC] FT8 Roundup rules and sponsorship

[Wayne Overbeck]

Jim, K6ZH, asked a good question:

>Hi Wayne  - I guess I wasn't paying attention, although I'm a frequent FT8
>and MSK144 user.  When was the "roundup?"  Is it intended to be a period
>event?  Just curious.  73 - Jim K6ZH


The FT8 Roundup began at 1800z on Saturday and ended at 2359z Sunday.
The full rules and supporting information are at:

www.rttycontesting.com

Cabrillo logs go to:

 ft8-ru at cqww.com.

I think the FT8 development team played a major role in writing the 
rules, patterning them after the rules of the ARRL RTTY Roundup, which 
will include FT8 for the first time this year.  But since the logs go to 
CQWW.com, I assume it's affiliated with the CQ Worldwide contests.

The ARRL Contest Newsletter published information about this contest 
recently, but I don't think it's intended to be an ARRL-sponsored contest.  
I do think it's intended to be an annual event on the first weekend in 
December.

Already about 80 scores from the FT8 Roundup have been posted on 
3830.  I'm in about 65th place in SOLP and headed downhill from there.  
Inasmuch as the power limit is 100 watts, the rules say those who run 
SOHP will be checklogged!

As of this writing, the highest claimed QSO totals are just below 800 Qs,
which isn't bad for a 24-hour contest where most Qs take 60 seconds to 
complete.  (The rules say to operate no more than 24 hours of the 
30-hour contest period.)

One attraction of this mode, of course, is that it makes it possible to work 
much weaker signals than on CW, RTTY or SSB.  It means guys with an 
MFJ-1775 (a 14-foot loaded dipole for 40-10) hidden below their roofline 
can work worldwide DX on 40 on a daily basis.  It also means DXers with 
power and good antennas can work quintuple-hop sporadic E on six 
meters better than ever before.

73,
Wayne, N6NB