Hello all:
Of course, the big contest this weekend is CQ WPX CW. Don't forget that
it has Rookie and Tribander-Single Element comptitions. You will want
to follow instructions on the website to get the Category-Overlay
information correct for the Cabrillo log file.
CQ WPX runs the full 48 hours of Saturday and Sunday UTC. The exchange
is RST plus serial number beginning with 001. Single Ops are limited to
36 hours and off times must be at least 60 minutes. 160 through 10 M
CW. No self spotting even for multi op or assisted categories.
Contacts are worth more points on 160, 80, and 40 than on 20, 15, and
10. Multipliers are once per contest, not per band. Stations within
ones own country may be worked for both multiplier and QSO point credit.
There will be some very unusual and interesting prefixes QRV. My
friend, Mario, S56A, in Solvenia will be signing S5046A. This is to
celebrate the entry of Slovenia into the EU in the year 04. There will
be a number of DXpedition like contest operations QRV, including
possible Bob, K4UEE, from Chile (with NP4FW/6) as CE3AQI or another
Chilean call. QRZ DX this week had a list of announced operations or
you can find them on the NG3K website. Lots of plaques and
certificates. http://home.woh.rr.com/wpx/WPXRules2004.pdf.
2. Running exactly the same 48 hours as CQ WPX CW is the Great Lakes
QSO Party, a regional QSO party on CW and SSB. This covers, MI, IL, IN,
WI, MN, OH, PA, NY, and ON. A list of counties in each state is on the
website. Exchange for us, Name and SPC. For Great Lakes area stations:
Name and S/P, and County. Obviously, on CW you could add RST and
serial number to count for both CQ WPX and the QSO Party if you could
get the RST and serial number back. I predict little to no CW activity
in the QSO Party even though they have a CW emphasis in the scoring. No
county lines from mobiles. Suggested frequencies: CW: 3550, 7050,
14050. SSB: 3890, 7230, 14290, 21350, 28430. Clearly you can work
also 6 and 2 M. It's not clear if you can make QSOs on 160 or not. I
guess since it isn't prohibited, it must be OK. Note to QRP ops: The
rules seem to require that you include QRP in your exchange. I guess
you can take care of that by signing /QRP after your call. There is
offered a plaque for the highest CW total score. I assume you would
have little chance to win that unless you are from the target region,
but you never know. Apparently you can get free software for this
contest and the N3FJP program covers it too. Interesting note: "We do
not recommend nor support the use of WriteLog modules for our contests."
http://mdxal.org/GLQPRULESOG.html.
There are two QRP contests this holiday weekend.
3. Hoot Owl Sprint. Sponsored by QRPARCI. Strange rule: runs 8 PM to
midnight your own local time. I guess that means you can't work in the
contest any DX station more than 4 time zones away because he couldn't
be operating in the contest the same time you could be operating in the
contest. (I'd go ahead and work any DX I could anyway.) 160-10 CW.
Exchange: RST, SPC, QRPARCI membership number or power if you don't
have one. This one will start for us in the EDT zone immediately after
the end of CQ WPX CW and will run for 4 hours for us. Extra points for
operating portable with a battery and temporary antenna. SPC count as
multipliers on each band. Suggested frequencies: up 5 khz and down 10
khz from: 1810 (watch the bottom edge of the band, hi), 3560, 7040,
14060, 21060, 28060. Paper logs are required to use an entry form that
can be downloaded from the webpage. Note that there is an Online
Contest Entry Form that can be accessed from the webpage. Click on
"Contest Home" to find it. WB5KHC wants everyone to use that form and
then either send logpages and the PDF form from the webpage to him by
mail or by e-mail by use of a .log and a .sum file. NA supports all QRP
contests (except those that are both modes, for some reason).
http://2hams.net/ARCI/hoot.htm.
4. Mi-QRP Club Memorial Day Sprint. Since I get federal holidays off
work, I nearly always enjoy holiday sprints. This one apparently starts
as usual at 2300 UTC on Monday May 31 and runs for 4 hours until 0300
UTC on Tuesday. However, the website says May 30 to May 31. WA7BNM
gives it as Mon to Sun and I am sure that is correct. Otherwise, it
would be contrary to all the previous holiday sprints sponsored by this
club and would start one hour before CQ WPX CW is over and would
conflict with the Hoot Owl Sprint on the same frequencies for the next
three hours. I have e-mailed the contest manager N8CQA (bounced) and
the Mi-QRP webmaster, KB8APS, with no response so far.
Exchange: RST, SPC, Mi QRP number (or power output if no number). 160
to 6 CW. Same spot frequencies as above. SPC count as mults on each
band added together. Bonus multiplier for homebrew gear, including
kits, no matter who built it. NA module for this contest is available
from N8CQA. http://www/qsl.net/miqrpclub/contest.html.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend and holiday with many enjoyable QSOs
and points.
There is a club competition in WPX (combined CW and SSB), so be sure to
include "South East Contest Club" on your Cabrillo log file heading.
73,
John, K4BAI.
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