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The ARRL Contest Update

June 29, 2016
Editor: Brian Moran, N9ADG


IN THIS ISSUE
 *  New HF Operators: RAC Canada Day, Slow Speed Sprint, IARU Contest
 *  Bulletins: IOTA Contest Information
 *  Contest Summary:
 *  News: Rotator Controllers, Antenna Switches, IARU HQ Station Lists, Ham
    Garage, and more
 *  Word to the Wise: Pack Roving
 *  Sights and Sounds: Vintage Field Day, W3LPL Tower
 *  Results: Minor Article Updates, WRTC Qualifications
 *  Operating Tip: Shorter CQs
 *  Technical Topics and Information: Antenna Switches, Mumble Servers,
    Wireless Test Equipment and more
 *  Conversation: Building on LOTW
 *  Contests
 *  Log Due Dates



NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO

This Thursday evening to Friday evening in the US time zones, there will be
plenty of activity in the RAC Canada Day contest. Commemorating Canada's
Confederation, CW and phone modes are encouraged, including AM and FM on bands
where appropriate. Check out the 2016 rules, then plan your operation. For
four hours on Friday evening, you can work on your CW in the FISTS Slow-speed
Sprint. Speeds 13 WPM and slower are encouraged, and a log submission could
earn you a prize. As July 2 and 3 is Independence Day weekend, the domestic
contest calendar is otherwise light.

The weekend of July 9 and 10, the IARU HF Championship contest will be prime.
CW and Phone can be used, singly or mixed, depending on your entry category.
Remember that if you're entering multi in this contest, only one transmitted
signal is allowed at a time. IARU Headquarter stations, ITU zones, and certain
IARU personnel are multipliers.

For a downloadable list of the 2016 IARU Headquarter stations, see the item in
the News section below.


BULLETINS

NG3K requests that if you're participating in the RSGB IOTA 2016 contest using
a special call sign, or will be fielding a DXpedition, to please provide this
information to his website, so that it can be announced to the IOTA list.


BUSTED QSOS

Jonesy, W3DHJ, noted that I typo'd Radio in the last issue, but was kind
enough to leave open the possibility that I meant "Whirling" in Malagasy.


CONTEST SUMMARY

Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section

June 30

 *  CWops Mini-CWT Test

July 1

 *  RAC Canada Day Contest
 *  NCCC RTTY Sprint
 *  NCCC Sprint

July 2

 *  Venezuelan Independence Day Contest
 *  FISTS Summer Slow Speed Sprint
 *  DL-DX RTTY Contest
 *  Marconi Memorial HF Contest
 *  Original QRP Contest
 *  PODXS 070 Club 40m Firecracker Sprint

July 3

 *  DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest

July 4

 *  10-10 Int. Spirit of 76 QSO Party
 *  RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW

July 5

 *  ARS Spartan Sprint

July 6

 *  Phone Fray
 *  CWops Mini-CWT Test

July 7

 *  CWops Mini-CWT Test
 *  NRAU 10m Activity Contest

July 8

 *  NCCC RTTY Sprint
 *  NCCC Sprint

July 9

 *  FISTS Summer Sprint
 *  SKCC Weekend Sprintathon
 *  IARU HF World Championship

July 10

 *  CQC Great Colorado Gold Rush

July 13

 *  Phone Fray
 *  CWops Mini-CWT Test
 *  RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB



NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST

If you're participating in the IARU Contest July 9 and 10, you can find a list
of IARU headquarter stations compiled and publicized by Joe, OZ0J and Bob,
N6TV. At the time of this writing, the link still points to 2015 stations. It
will be updated with 2016 information in the next few days. Make sure that you
download the most up to date version just before contest start, as changes are
likely.

Array Solutions has announced two new products that may be useful in an
automated contest station. The RA-S1 Universal Digital Rotator controller
claims manual or automatic control of nearly any rotator brand and model.
Manual positioning is possible via knob and button, and it can also be
controlled via the popular Yaesu G232A protocol through the built-in serial or
USB port. The RAM-34 Pre-amplifier system is designed to make operation on 160
meters through 40 meters easier, more reliable, and more controllable by
combining switching, filtering, preamplification, and attenuation
functions into one unit. Settings can be kept per-band, and functionality is
also controllable via the Shacklan network interface.

Imagine if you could drop by the shacks, or garages, of some amateur radio
operators that are specialists in a particular area, for example contesting,
of VHF/UHF operation, and you could ask them anything you like. This is the
concept behind the monthly paid website QSOTodayCommunity.com. Randy, K5ZD, is
currently taking contest-related questions.

Scientists have found bacteria that directly live off of electricity. They
were found by looking in locations that are rich in minerals, but poor in
typical bacterial foodstuffs, for example a gold mine. Now, if we can just get
them to copy CW!

Scott, N3FJP, announces the availability of Amateur Contact Log 5.6, as well
as updates to all his contest logging programs. The list of new features and
capabilities is long, and includes improvements in API functionality and the
sharing of CW sending between applications. Of particular note to contesters
is Scott's explanation of his change of opinion on call history databases,
resulting in implementation of call history functions. You can read all about
it in his announcement.

Bizarre lightning phenomena have occasionally been described in discussions
involving antennas, towers, and grounding. One type is 'ball lightning' which
generally describes an observation of a spherical glowing shape of light
associated with traditional lightning conditions. Hypotheses have been
developed that link the cause of ball lighting to plasmas or clouds of very
small particles, and a new article in Nature proposes that ball lightning
consists of confined bubble of intense microwave radiation. If ball lightning
is explained by this theory, protecting against it would present challenges
beyond those of conventional lightning. Ball lightning has been observed to
pass through glass, form inside of closed rooms, or inside of metal-skinned
aircraft. Additional protective measures would be necessary to deal with any
strong microwave component.

Bob, K8IA, analyzed the values of the exchange used by operators he worked in
the recent All Asian DX CW Contest. As this number is supposed to be the age
of the operator, it appears to mirror the operator age demographics noted by
the CQ WW Contest survey.

The Potomac Valley Radio Club (PVRC) recently received an ARRL Certificate of
Merit for Outstanding Service to the Amateur Radio Community. ARRL Section
Manager Marty Pittinger, KB3MXM, presented the award to PVRC President Bud,
W3LL, with Tom Abernethy, W3TOM, ARRL Atlantic Division Director in attendance.

Dave, K1NYK, enjoyed the positive tone in the recent ARS Technica article on
Amateur Radio, which likened characteristics of our community to members of
the Maker movement.


WORD TO THE WISE

Pack Roving

Pack Roving is a technique that mobile or portable VHF/UHF contest stations
use to take advantage of particular multiplier scoring rules in a contest. It
involves multiple rover stations moving in concert and making contacts with
one another while visiting new grid squares. Depending on a particular
contest's rules, if four rovers each visit a different grid square, work each
other, then change position to a new grid square six times, each rover could
earn six multipliers plus eighteen contacts per band. Some contests also count
grid square visits as a multiplier. As rovers are often equipped with multiple
bands, scores can add up quickly. Roving techniques and contest rules have
co-evolved through the years. The Southern California Contest Club has used
this technique with great success, and N6NB's roving website provides some
historical perspective.


SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Eric, NO3M, built a replica 1930's era transmitter from scratch for 2016 field
day, and was using it under the call W8CDX. Featuring a four-tube exciter and
203A amplifier stage, he eventually achieved over 100 watts output. One cannot
help thinking that we take modern gear too much for granted as he describes
using hand capacitance to zero-beat the transmitter to the stations worked.
Eric's article includes links to additional pictures, and WA3TTS's video of
the transmitter in operation. Eric and friends had such a blast that they're
going to be adding 20 and 80 meters next year, and operate the entire weekend.

This is a sight you do NOT want to see. Frank, W3LPL, experienced an EF0
tornado on June 21, which caused the failure of this 200-foot AB-105 tower.
Frank intends to have its replacement in the air by the fall.


RESULTS AND RECORDS

The 2015 ARRL RTTY Roundup and 2015 ARRL 10 meter Full Results articles had
minor changes which are now reflected on the website.

New scores have been incorporated into the qualification standings for
WRTC-2018. IARU Region 1 Field Day scores have been taken into account.


OPERATING TIP

Shorten your CQs

Under most circumstances, keep your CQs brief. Any potential callers are going
to tune to your frequency, hear your CQ message, and decide whether to call
you based on how workable you are. Workability is subjective. Unless you're a
multiplier or valuable in points, potential callers probably won't hang around
for slow or sloppy sending, or anything that indicates the potential to waste
time, like a long CQ. Time is rate, after all. There are times to have a
longer CQ, such as when you need to get spotted by the RBN, or when on RTTY
using 75 WPM Baudot and the short CQ message time may be too short to allow
callers to get zero beat.


TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION

RemoteQTH.com has a new modular antenna switch kit that could be useful in
your station-building activities. By combining multiple modules, it can scale
in the number of antennas or in the number of transceiver to what the
application requires.

Trung, W6TN, details how a Mumble server can be set up to serve audio from a
remote radio, in the context of accessing a remote Elecraft KX3 from a mobile
phone. A Mumble audio server could be a component you need for your remote
station.

Adding wireless network capability to some of our serial-attached contest gear
is easier with inexpensive chips like the ESP8266. There's a wealth of
information now available on how to utilize this chip, and one person went so
far as to WiFi enable his Fluke Multimeter.

With 6-26 MHz coverage, Tim, K3HX, suggests with tongue firmly in cheek that
one of these 200-ton monster antennas (PDF) would make for a memorable 2017
Field Day.

The Senior Director of Audio Engineering for NPR suggested a method for not
allowing changes to certain microphone settings: using epoxy to make the
setting permanent. The complete interview also discusses other details which
broadcasters are concerned about in a 'commercial' environment.


CONVERSATION

Building on LOTW

Here's something I've not heard lately with regards to ARRL Logbook of the
World (LOTW) usage: "It's too hard to set up and use." Sure, there were
teething pains. In those early days, some of the concepts and details needed
to set up and maintain the chain of trust for QSO confirmations were new and
unfamiliar. My perception in speaking with other hams is the complaints have
diminished as LOTW utility and benefits have become apparent.

Most of us didn't realize it at the time, but amateurs were on the cutting
edge of technology when we used LOTW, as the procedures LOTW uses for signing
and uploading are essentially the same thing that many people now casually use
years later for electronic signing of documents.

Perhaps the earliest enthusiastic contest supporters of LOTW were RTTY
operators. In the first few years of LOTW operation, I recall being very
impressed that a double-digit percentage of my ARRL RTTY Roundup QSOs were
confirmed when I uploaded my log five hours after the contest ended.

The LOTW log submission process has been made even easier over time by the
excellent built-in support of logging programs. Whether in batches or
contact-by-contact, it's become nearly effortless to get contacts into LOTW
once the setup has been done in your logging program.

With millions of confirmed QSOs now in the LOTW database, we're beginning to
see non-ARRL entities using LOTW information as the 'ground truth' for
certificates and achievements. They're doing so by using LOTW's programming
interfaces with appropriate credentials to 'view' QSO information.

One example of this is Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC)'s WRTC-2018 Worked
WRTC Qualification Regions Award, which for the years 2015, 2016, and upcoming
2017 recognizes confirmed contacts with the 29 WRTC Qualification Regions.
Rather than requiring what could be tedious record keeping, uploading, and
submission, by allowing the DARC Community Logbook site to access your LOTW
records the process is streamlined, as LOTW is directly queried for qualifying
contacts.


Anticipating the future, I hope we see a substantial number of 3rd party
applications or contests-within-a-contests built to use LOTW data and
programming interfaces, and the signup for those applications simplified to
the point that we can access those applications with just a few clicks.

That's all for this time. Remember to send contesting related stories, book
reviews, tips, techniques, press releases, errata, schematics, club
information, pictures, stories, blog links, predictions, and radio-related
jokes to contest-update@arrl.org

73, Brian N9ADG


CONTESTS

30 Jun - 13 Jul 2016

An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format is
available. Check the sponsor's Web site for information on operating time
restrictions and other instructions.

HF CONTESTS

CWops Mini-CWT Test, Jun 30, 0300z to Jun 30, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40,
20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (stat
/province/country); Logs due: July 2.

RAC Canada Day Contest, Jul 1, 0000z to Jul 1, 2359z; CW, Phone; Bands: 160,
80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2m; VE: RS(T) + province/territory, non-VE: RS(T) +
Serial No.; Logs due: July 31.

NCCC RTTY Sprint, Jul 1, 0145z to Jul 1, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules);
Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: July 3.

NCCC Sprint, Jul 1, 0230z to Jul 1, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No.
+ Name + QTH; Logs due: July 3.

Venezuelan Independence Day Contest, Jul 2, 0000z to Jul 3, 2359z; CW, SSB,
PSK; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: July 31.

FISTS Summer Slow Speed Sprint, Jul 2, 0000z to Jul 2, 0400z; CW; Bands: 80,
40, 20, 15, 10m; FISTS: RST + (state/province/country) + first name + FISTS
No., non-FISTS: RST + (state/province/country) + first name + power; Logs due:
August 1.

DL-DX RTTY Contest, Jul 2, 1100z to Jul 3, 1059z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15,
10m; RST + QSO No.; Logs due: July 10.

Marconi Memorial HF Contest, Jul 2, 1400z to Jul 3, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80,
40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: July 17.

Original QRP Contest, Jul 2, 1500z to Jul 3, 1500z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20m;
RST + Serial No. + "/" + Power category; Logs due: July 31.

PODXS 070 Club 40m Firecracker Sprint, Jul 2, 2000z to Jul 3, 2000z; PSK31;
Bands: 40m Only; RST + (state/province/country); Logs due: July 16.

DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest, Jul 3, 1100z to Jul 3, 1700z; RTTY, Amtor,
Clover, PSK31, Pactor; Bands: 10m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: July 18.

10-10 Int. Spirit of 76 QSO Party, Jul 4, 0001z to Jul 11, 0000z; CW, SSB,
PSK31, RTTY, FM, AM; Bands: 10m Only; 10-10 Member: Name + 10-10 number +
(state/province/country), Non-Member: Name + 0 + (state/province/country);
Logs due: July 25.

RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW, Jul 4, 1900z to Jul 4, 2030z; CW; Bands: 80m
Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: July 11.

ARS Spartan Sprint, Jul 5, 0100z to Jul 5, 0300z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15,
10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Power; Logs due: July 7.

Phone Fray, Jul 6, 0230z to Jul 6, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m;
NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: July 8.

CWops Mini-CWT Test, Jul 6, 1300z to Jul 6, 1400z, Jul 6, 1900z to Jul 6,
2000z, Jul 7, 0300z to Jul 7, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m;
Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs
due: July 9.

NRAU 10m Activity Contest, Jul 7, 1700z to Jul 7, 1800z (CW), Jul 7, 1800z to
Jul 7, 1900z (SSB), Jul 7, 1900z to Jul 7, 2000z (FM), Jul 7, 2000z to Jul 7,
2100z (Dig); CW, SSB, FM, Digital; Bands: 10m Only; RS(T) + 6-character grid
square; Logs due: July 21.

NCCC RTTY Sprint, Jul 8, 0145z to Jul 8, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules);
Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: July 10.

NCCC Sprint, Jul 8, 0230z to Jul 8, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No.
+ Name + QTH; Logs due: July 10.

FISTS Summer Sprint, Jul 9, 0000z to Jul 9, 0400z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15,
10m; FISTS: RST + (state/province/country) + first name + FISTS No.,
non-FISTS: RST + (state/province/country) + first name + power; Logs due:
August 8.

SKCC Weekend Sprintathon, Jul 9, 1200z to Jul 11, 0000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80,
40, 20, 15, 10, 6m; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE");
Logs due: July 17.

IARU HF World Championship, Jul 9, 1200z to Jul 10, 1200z; CW, Phone; Bands:
160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; IARU HQ: RS(T) + IARU Society, Non-HQ: RS(T) + ITU
Zone No.; Logs due: August 9.

CQC Great Colorado Gold Rush, Jul 10, 2000z to Jul 10, 2159z; CW; Bands: 20m
Only; RST + (state/province/country) + class + (member no./power output); Logs
due: August 9.

Phone Fray, Jul 13, 0230z to Jul 13, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m;
NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: July 15.

CWops Mini-CWT Test, Jul 13, 1300z to Jul 13, 1400z, Jul 13, 1900z to Jul 13,
2000z, Jul 14, 0300z to Jul 14, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m;
Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs
due: July 16.

RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB, Jul 13, 1900z to Jul 13, 2030z; SSB; Bands:
80m Only; RS + Serial No.; Logs due: July 14.

VHF+ CONTESTS

See SKCC Weekend Sprintathon and RAC Canada Day events, above

LOG DUE DATES

June 30, 2016

 *  MARAC USA QSO Party
 *  IARU Region 1 Field Day, CW
 *  RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB

July 1, 2016

 *  UKSMG Summer Contest
 *  VK Shires Contest
 *  Phone Fray

July 3, 2016

 *  IARU Region 1 50 MHz Contest
 *  SEANET Contest

July 4, 2016

 *  Stew Perry Topband Challenge
 *  AGCW VHF/UHF Contest
 *  Alabama QSO Party
 *  Ukrainian DX Classic RTTY Contest

July 6, 2016

 *  West Virginia QSO Party

July 10, 2016

 *  WAB 50 MHz Phone

July 11, 2016

 *  His Majesty King of Spain Contest, SSB

July 12, 2016

 *  REF DDFM 6m Contest

July 13, 2016

 *  ARRL June VHF Contest

____________________________________________________________________________


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest
Calendar and SM3CER's Contest Calendar.

____________________________________________________________________________


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