Topband: The 15th Annual Stew Perry TopBand DX Challenge

[Lew Sayre]

Greetings Denizens of The TopBand,
      It is that time of year again to bring notice to the contesting
community about the 15th running of the Stew Perry TopBand DX Challenge.
 For those of you new to this contest or awakening from a politically
induced long term coma, this is a CW only contest held on the 160M band
during late December.  The Boring Amateur Radio Club  has developed unique
rules such as rewarding  longer distance QSOs with more points than shorter
distance QSOs. We also reward  stations who actually hear the brave souls
who do QRP or low power on this calamitous band with additional points. If
you're reading this then you most likely have a computer which can be driven
to:     http://jzap.com/k7rat/stew.html    for all the cool details and
information.
     This year's Stew Perry TopBand DX Challenge sponsored by The Boring
Amateur Radio Club will be run from 1500Z Dec 18 to 1500Z Dec. 19. If you
operate more than 14 hours during this time period then a special chant will
be used to have QRN and QRM peaks happen to you on needed QSOs for the next
11 years. Plus it's against the rules. The contest exchange is your call and
your actual Maidenhead Grid Square 4 character locator.
     A unique aspect of this contest is to have the contesters decide what
heroic actions should be rewarded by a plaque.  Please research the website
and you can see what stellar categories have been proffered in the past. The
Stalwarts who donate these plaques understand the importance that a simple,
but beautiful piece of wood can mean to the people vying for the top. When I
activated this email address to begin the Stew Notification Program there
were already donor stalwarts in line:
Donor                             Category
KL7RA                           Highest number of QSOs
KL7RA                           Being cogitated upon
W2GD Contest Team      Top Score Multi-Multi- World
TF3KX                            Aurora Borealis (Top Score > 60deg N.
geomagnetic latitude
W7KF                            Oldest Operator making > 50 QSOs
KB7Q                             Top Score QRP- World
SP4K                              Being cogitated upon

    When you meet these fine examples of contesting spirit be sure to give
them a firm handshake and offer to buy them a beverage!  If you wish to
sponsor a plaque please notify me at the email address at the end of this
note of what category you'd like to sponsor. The cost remains $55 per
plaque.  Checks and PayPal are good things.  Keep in mind that The Stew
Perry TopBand DX Challenge Plaque program is a family time process and final
decisions about categories will be at the discretion of The Boring Amateur
Radio Club.  The 2009 plaques are being constructed as we speak and will be
sent off to the winners when they have been fully crafted- the plaques that
is- not the contesters.
     So you have a bit over a month to get ready for The Stew Perry TopBand
DX Challenge. If you're not really good at CW go practice every night and
come to the contest with what you've got because you understand the power of
QRS.
If you don't have a 160M antenna go put one up or wire your gutters all
together and load that. If you don't have a radio then go to a friends QTH
and do a multioperator effort, which will work much better if your friend
has a radio.
     Keep in mind that this year's contest is one week before Christmas.
This means that you should really operate this contest because it will
probably be the only calm, non-stressful time from Dec 18 until Jan. 2,
2011. There will be more notices such as this coming to a computer near you
in the future.
     73 and I remain,
    Lew   W7EW The Boring Amateur Radio Club Plaquester
   w7ew at arrl.net