Announcing the ARRL Contest Rate Sheet
Editor - Ward Silver, N0AX
(email: rate-sheet@arrl.org)
The ARRL is pleased to announce the ARRL Contest Rate Sheet - to be
published every other week by the ARRL! It's intended to be a useful source
of timely information for both the active and casual contester. The Rate
Sheet will include information about events during the following two-week
period and time-sensitive news items.
The first issue will be published March 13. ARRL Members may subscribe to
the ARRL Contest Rate Sheet by going to the Member Data Page at:
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html?modify=1
Note that you must be logged in to the site to access this page. Scroll down
to the section "Which of the following would you like to receive
automatically via email from ARRL?" Check the box for "ARRL Contest Rate
Sheet (biweekly contest newsletter)" and you're all set.
We're going to start with a simple format. To keep the newsletter light and
tight, we'll rely heavily on summaries and links to web pages that make
available more extensive information. Additions and changes will be made
over time as the best use of the newsletter format becomes clearer.
In the meantime, suggestions for content and organization are welcome!
Please send your ideas to rate-sheet@arrl.org.
73, Ward N0AX
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Here's the overall format and a sample of typical items...
Each issue will begin with a Summary followed by critical bulletin-level
items, such as FCC communications emergencies, short-notice rule changes,
and so forth.
Announcements and Notices for the two-week period being covered will come
next. This will include notices of what contests are running the coming
weekends with Contest Corral text (including web links) and pending log
submission deadlines.
News for this issue follows the announcements section and will include
newsworthy items received during the preceding two weeks. Look for news
reports from the ARRL Contest Desk, announcements of results availability,
changes in contest data bases, software releases, and other news from
contributors.
Technical and Technique items will be included as they are available. I'll
try to include a Contest Tip or very short technical/technique item in each
issue.
Conversational pieces will be included if they're of general interest, such
as limited press releases about contests, products, conventions, or
contesters. And I'll to slip in a humorous aside now and then, such as the
occasional limerick.
The following are samples of the type of information that will be included
in the Rate Sheet:
Announcement - Virginia QSO Party, Phone and CW, sponsored by the Sterling
Park ARC 1800Z, Mar 16 - 0200Z, Mar 18. Frequencies: CW - 1.805 and 50 kHz
up; Phone -1.845 3.860 7.260 14.270 21.370 28.370 kHz; Novice/Tech -- 10 kHz
up and 28.370; VHF/UHF - 50.125 144.200, 146.58, 223.50 446.00 MHz. No
repeater or cross-mode QSOs. SO, MS, MM fixed station and mobile
categories, no time limit, QSOs once per band/mode/VA QTH, VA stations work
everyone, others work VA stations only. Exchange: serial number and SPC or
VA county/city. QSO Points: Phone - 1pt, CW - 2 pts, Mobile - 3 pts.
Multipliers - VA city/counties + SPC. Score: QSO Points x Multipliers
(counted only once). VA mobiles add 100 pts per VA city/county activated.
Add 500 pts for QSO with K4NVA. For more information -
www.qsl.net/sterling. Logs must be emailed or postmarked by Apr 15 to
ks4ii@arrl.net or Virginia QSO Party, Call Box 599, Sterling, VA 20167.
Notice - Log Deadline: New Hampshire QSO Party - March 31 - arrl@nhradio.org
or NH-ARRL, POB 119 Goffstown, NH 03045-0119.
News from the ARRL Contest Desk - The list of Logs Received for the 2001
ARRL International EME Competition was posted after the logs were verified
against the server - see www.arrl.org/contests.
Contest Tip - When operating QRP, don't append "/QRP" to your callsign. At
best it slows your contacts and at worst makes it much harder for the
receiving station to copy your call correctly. You're already running low
power, maximize the probability of correct copy by only sending what's
necessary to get through.
Press Release - N6TR released version 6.63 of TR-LOG on 24 February. Zipped
versions were sent to all subscribed users. A corrected version of the
companion log-processing program POST was also sent as POST 6.63a.
www.qth.com/tr/
McDuff had just worked his Clean Sweep
But he found that the cost was quite steep.
He called for an hour
Running maximum power
And his new amp collapsed in a heap.
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