Tiny Elephant's Contest Corner

The Latest Contest News -
A NARC Bulletin Exclusive

A monthly column by Ed Deichler, K2TE

DAH-DI-DAH-DIT DAH-DAH-DI-DAH DI-DI-DAH-DIT DAH-DI-DIT
DAH-DIT DI-DAH-DAH-DAH-DAH DAH-DIT DI-DI-DI-DIT

There... those of you who think code is a four-letter word can now say you copied N1NH for the NARC Field Day 1995. I hope everyone has had a chance to get at least some of the gear put away since breaking down a month ago. I managed to get my station back on the air in just a few days but it took a couple of weeks before I got everything back and running. I enjoyed myself as always even though I didn't stay out at the site for the full 24 hours. I thought I was well prepared this year for the elements that are unique to the NARC Field Day site. I liberally doused myself with Citronella #5 and the Odeur d' New Hampshire (smells a lot like OFF!), but it was my old nemesis that left me its calling card: POISON IVY. The discoloration has finally left. I thought of possibly two good things that could come of having poison ivy: (1) revenge on mosquitoes if they bite one of the blisters; and (2) deliberately hug your ex-spouse. `1Y told me that, because mosquitoes are a pest, they would probably survive biting a blister and spread it back on to me (arrrrgggh !). As for the second benefit...

Anyway, this year's field day was the largest yet for NARC - literally. Field Day chairman Al, WA1TYB, managed to pull together operating positions for 24 STATIONS, giving us a 24A class. I understand that another station ran 30 stations, believe it or not. Towers 1 and 3 hinted at a Field Day larger than a normal NARC effort with up to half a dozen antennas on each tower. The 20 meter CW station managed to cram the massive 4-element 20 meter beam up through the trees at tower 1. I think Ernie, NO1V, may be on to something with the "rotating horizontal" polarization that the beam exhibited after it was up. Go ahead and laugh; Ernie worked over 800 stations for a new NARC CW record. On phone, Rex, K1HI, outdid himself this year, rigging up two 3-element 20 meter beams on tower 3, switching between them or running them in phase. This more traditional approach to serious contesting netted Rex and his crew a new sideband record as well.

Preliminary tally shows that we had about 3000 points more than last year and about 300 more QSOs. It looks like we set an all-time record for CW QSOs with over 2700 contacts. The NARC team of "Bert and Ernie" (WS1E and NO1V) accounted for a combined 1600 CW contacts on 40 and 20 meters, respectively. The big CW story this year was 80 meters. Stationmaster Mike, NE1V, and his team amassed 530 QSOs on the band, breaking the paltry 403 Qs from watshizname (me) of last year by a DX mile. This year we were honored to have our Field Day callsake, N1NH (Jim), show up to do some serious operating on 80. Jim joined the team of Mutt and Jeff (NE1V and K2TE) to drool over a brand-new, first-in-the-country ICOM 775 HF doeverythinger as he let his fingers do the talking. (A NARC EXCLUSIVE ! CHECK MY REVIEW ELSEWHERE !). A special thanks to Chris, KA1SIE, of HRO for hustling the home office to let us beta test the rig (even if it was only on one band for a weekend).

Now its time to start thinking about next year's Field Day. Do we try for 31A? 100 Qs on satellite? Filet mignon for Saturday night? With Al steering the ship, who knows what we can do?

As we head into the dog days of August and settle down from the rigors of Field Day, its time to take a look at what is out there for contest tune-up time. This month contains a modest DX contest (North American QSO Party), several stateside QSO parties, and a RTTY contest.

North American QSO Party. 5-6 August (CW), 19-20 August (Phone)

The North American QSO Party covers two weekends in August for the respective modes. The CW contests runs from 1800Z 5 August to 0600Z 6 August, and the phone contest covers the same hours on the 19th and 20th. Both contests cover 160 through 10 meters. Operating categories are single op and multiop 2-transmitter. Like many ARRL contests, there is a 10 minute rule on band changes. Single operators are limited to 10 hours for each contest period while multiop stations are unrestricted. Exchange: name/state/province/DXCC country; 160-10 meters. Frequencies for CW are: +10 KHz above Extra part of bands while the Phone frequencies start at the general class band edge. Multipliers are states, VE provinces, and other NA countries. Score: 1 pt/QSO x # of multipliers. Logs are due 30 days after each contest to W9NQ (CW) and N4TQQ (Phone).

Stateside QSO Parties
Maryland-DC QSO Party. 12-13 August.

The Maryland-DC QSO Party runs 1600Z-0300Z 12 August and 1600Z-2400Z 13 August. Operating modes cover Phone, CW, and RTTY on 80 through 10 meters. CW/RTTY QSOs are worth 3 points each and Phone QSOs count 1 point. The contest highlights other stations by awarding 4 points for working QRP or Novice/Technician stations. Working Maryland mobiles is worth an extra 5 points; and Club stations are a prized 10 points extra. Multipliers: Total of MD counties, Baltimore City, and DC x (total number of points).

Great New Mexico Chile Chase,19 August

I gotta hand it to New Mexico for a creative name for a QSO party. The "Chase starts 1800Z August 19 and runs 24 hours. Operation is permitted on 160-2 meters and includes CW (3 points/QSO) and Phone (2 points/QSO). The object is to work all 32 NM counties, including mobiles when they change counties. Exchange is RST/state. Score: (total number of points) x (number of NM counties worked). Logs by 1 September to Gila ARS, POB 1874, Silver City, NM 88062

I remember being in Las Cruces, NM several years ago on business. I took along my FT010B (yes - it is quite heavy !) and a Hustler whip. I threw the rig in the rental car and drove over to Arizona one night and up to Socorro county the following day. Working CW is pretty easy out in the open country and it sure helps fight the boredom..

NJ QSO Party. 19-20 August.

The NJ QSO Party covers 2000Z 19 August to 0700Z 20 August, and 1300Z 20 August to 0200Z on 21 August. Phone and CW operation are encouraged on 160 through 6 meters. Score 3 points/QSO regardless of mode. Exchange: signal report and state. Score is total number of NJ counties worked (21 maximum) x QSO points.

SARTG Worldwide RTTY. 19-20 August.

The Swedes sponsor a RTTY contest that is just the ticket for a newcomer to RTTY contesting like myself. The contest time blocks are 0000Z to 0800Z, 19 August, and 0800Z to 1600Z 20 August. Operation is on 80 through 10 meters featuring several operating classes: single op, single op/single band, and multiop/single transmitter. Contest exchange is RST and a QSO #. Scoring: 5 points/QSO (own country), 10 points/QSO (same continent), and 15 points/QSO (different continent). Call areas in US, VE, VK, and JA count as separate countries (figure that out !). Multipliers are countries worked/band. Logs by 10 October to SARTG Contest Manager SM4CMG.

So it looks like the dog days provide some good opportunities for checking out those station projects as you get ready for the contest season.

CU next month !

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