[SECC] This Weekend's Contests

[John Laney]

1.  ARRL 160-Meter Contest.  22Z Fri to 16Z Sun.  160 CW only. 
Exchange:  RST + ARRL/RAC Section (like SS). MM or AM stations send RST 
+ ITU region.  Other DX send nothing but RST. 
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/1004/160-Meters.html.

2.  TARA RTTY Melee.  00Z - 24Z Sat.  80-10M.  Exchange:  RST + S/P for 
US/Canada and RST + serial # for DX. 
http://www/n2ty/org/seasons/tara_melee_rules.html.

3.  Waku Up QRP Sprint.  04 - 06 Z Sat.  40 and 20 M.  Exchange:  RST + 
serial # + suffix of last station worked (start with "QRP". 
http://ruqrp.narod.ru/sprint_e.htm.

4.  ARCI Holiday Spirits Homebrew Sprint.  20-24Z Sun.  160 - 10 M CW. 
Exchange:  RST + SPC + QRPARCI member # or power output.  Bonus points 
for homebrew gear and for portable stations on battery power. 
http://2hams.net/ARCI/holiday%20spirits%20homebrew%20contest.htm.

Note:  QRP frequencies in US are generally around 1810, 3560, 7040, 
14060, 21060 and 28060.  I understand European QRP stations use 7028 on 
40 meters.

I did not list a couple of contest in which I have never heard any 
activity, but you can find them on the SM3CER or WA7BNM webpages.

Hope everyone has a lot of fun and many QSOs this weekend.  I'll try to 
get on in the 160 M contest some and also in some of the QRP contests. 
Last night the QRPARCI had a 160M Sprint contest and I was able to work 
only a few with 5 watts on that band.  I thought I had tuned up my end 
fed wire arrangement through the MFJ tuner feeding the center conductor 
of the 80 meter inverted vee.  Only figured out this morning that it was 
the center conductor to my tribander.  Didn't notice the difference. 
Worked 3E1A on first call for a new country on 160 and had a long 
ragchew with VE3FGU.  Guess that shows what a poor antenna system I have 
for that band when I don't even notice the difference when I hook up the 
wrong antenna feedline.  Surprised that it resonated!

73,


John, K4BAI.