Topband: [CQ-Contest] The 11th Edition of The Stew Perry TopBand DX Challenge

[Milt, N5IA]

lew at dsl-only.net wrote the following and Milt, N5IA added comments below

Hello Contesters, 160M addicts and Thrill Seekers everywhere,

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KL7RA               Highest Number of QSO's
W7TMT             Top Score, Low Power, First time entry
KB7Q                 Top Score in Grid Field "DM"
N5IA                  Most Grid Squares worked
N7JW                 Top Score South of the Equator
K7CA                 Top Score Asiatic Russia
N0TT                 Top Score USA Op < 21 y/o & > 100 QSO
VK6VZ              Top Score with antenna in a space < 20m X 10m
        winner receives an official Royal Flying Doctors of Australia cap
NA0Y                Top Score USA
K1PX                Top Score, Low Power, Europe
K7FL                 Top Score 100% Search and Pounce
K8ND                Top Score, Single Op, Caribbean
N7KQ                Top Score Central/South America
GMCC              Top Score by Station >4000' above sea level- High Power
GMCC              Top Score by Station >4000' above sea level- Low Power
       GMCC= Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado
KR2Q               Top Score with Golden Log (no busts)
N9ADG             We're considering several possibilities with this grant
WA2DFI           Top Score VE
W2GD Team     Top Score High Power Europe
AE6RF              Third Lowest score by a First Time Entrant(Ya Got Heart, 
Rookie)
AC6DD             Top Score by Portable Station within own Country
KI7Y                 Top JA Score (Sandy Lynch W7BX/7J1ABV Memorial)
N2WN               Top Low Power or QRP Score by self constructed or 
modified Radio
VE3KZ              Top Number of QSOs Stew Perry and RAC Combined
KB5NJD            Top Number of Unique Grid Squares utilizing Vertical < 10m 
tall

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First, the disclaimer.  I have no membership the Boring Amateur Radio Club. 
I do not know any of the members of the BARC other than casual contest 
contacts on the air.  My only reason for sending thes few words is for the 
explicit purpose of encouraging even more activity for this fine event.

I have been fortunate to have participated in all previous TEN runnings of 
the SPDC.  What a contest!!!!!!!    Here follows some of the highlights.

1.  It is on 160 Meters!!!!    Top Band!!!!!    THE BAND!!!!!!  And the 
contest nearest the winter (northern hemisphere) solstice.

2.  It is one night only.  AND, on top of that only 14 hours maximum out of 
24.  For the diehards, you can work 14 hours under one call sign and power 
level, and work the other 10 hours under another callsign and power level. 
With nearly 500 logs entered last year, this one is shaping up to be the 
biggest one yet.  Low spot of the sunspot cycle!  More Top Band stations on 
the air!  More antenna work has been done.

3.  CW only.  You don't even have to open your mouth.

4.  Distance scoring.  Exchange Grid Square numbers, and the farther your 
contact is from you, the more points you get.

5.  Power level equalization.  HP points are what you get from the distance. 
LP, multiply the distance score by 2.  QRP, multiply the distance score by 
4.  And you don't even have to do the mulitplication; the contest judges 
will do that for you.  The bonus for the HP and LP stations is their points 
for a particular contact are multiplied by 2 if the other station is LP and 
multiplied by 4 if the other station is QRP.  SO, take the time to work the 
weaker ones.  It is usually worth the time.  The station is either farther 
away, running lower power, or is vying for one of the plaques for little 
antennas.

6.  With this combination, any location in the world can be at the top of 
the heap if the Top Band spotlight happens to shine on your little piece of 
Tierra Firma.  Take a look at the Top Score, World for the last 10 years and 
see how it moves around.

        1996 -- GM3POI,   1997 -- GM3POI,   1998 -- K1ZM,    1999 -- VK6VZ, 
2000 -- N7GP,   2001 -- K1ZM,    2002 -- VY2ZM,   2003 -- VY2ZM,   2004 --  
K7CA,  2005 -- K7NJ

7.  You can sponsor your own choice of plaques(s).  Compete for the one 
which most fits your MO and you might qualify for another.  Take a look at 
the list above to see the great opportunities.  Pick a deserving one of your 
own, and submit it to Lew at w7ew at arrl.net.  Here is a partial list of some 
that have been sponsored over the last 10 years which so far are not on this 
year's list that you can pick from.  Anything that will increase activity.


        Top SO Score World
        Longest (great circle distance) contact by an LP station
        Longest (great circle distance) contact by an QRP station
        Most number of QRP stations worked
        Longest contact within 30 minutes of local High Noon
        Top Score with all contacts less than 18 WPM (pick your speed if you 
sponsor this one)

Review the results of the last 10 years at 
http://www.jzap.com/k7rat/stew.html for more ideas.

8.  Complete rules are at http://jzap.com/k7rat/stew.rules.txt

CU on for the 11th running of the SPDC at N7GP High Power for 10 hours and 
N5IA QRP for 14 hours.

Milt, N5IA