Contester's Rate Sheet for October 5, 2005
*********************** Contester's Rate Sheet 5 October 2005 *********************** Edited by Ward Silver N0AX SUMMARY o The Three B's - Part II BULLETINS o No bulletins this issue BUSTED QSOS o The editor, being at sea or on Kure Island, is blissfully unaware of any errors that he may have made or promulgated. ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICES FOR 5 OCTOBER TO 18 OCTOBER 2005 Please check http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/duedates.php or http://www.sk3bg.se/contest for log due dates during this period. The following contests are scheduled: Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the contest rules summaries: SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multi-Op - 2 Transmitters; MO - Multi-Op; MS - Multi-Op, Single Transmitter; MM - Multi-Op, Multiple Transmitters; AB - All Band; SB - Single Band; S/P/C - State/Province/DXCC Entity; HP - High Power; LP - Low Power; Entity - DXCC Entity HF CONTESTS YLRL Anniversary Party--CW, sponsored by the YLRL, 1400Z Oct 5 - 0200Z Oct 7. (phone Oct 14 - Oct 16) Frequencies: 160 - 10 meters. Exchange: serial number, RS(T), and ARRL section/VE province/country. QSO Points: US or VE YL's--1 pt, DX YLs--2 pts. Score: QSO points x S/P/C. For more information: www.qsl.net/ylrl/ylcontests.html. Logs due 30 days after the contest to wx4mm@tm-moore.com or to WX4MM, Mary Moore, 1593 Lee Road 375, Valley, Alabama 36854. 10-10 Day Sprint--Phone/CW/Digital, 0001Z - 2359Z, Oct 10. One QSO per station, regardless of mode. Logs due 25 Oct. (see August QST, p 85 or www.ten-ten.org) Oceania DX Contest--CW, supported by the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) and New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART), 0800Z Oct 9 - 0800Z Oct 10. Frequencies: 160-10 meters, work VK/ZL/Oceania stations only. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MS, MM, SWL. Exchange: RS(T) and serial number. QSO Points: 160--20 pts, 80--10 pts, 40--5 pts, 20--1 pt, 15--2 pts, 10--3 pts. Score: QSO points × WPX prefixes counted once per band. For more information: http://www.oceaniadxcontest.com/. Logs due Nov 6 in Cabrillo format (required for logs with more than 50 QSOs) to cw@oceaniadxcontest.com) or paper logs (if less than 50 QSOs) to Oceania DX Contest, c/o Wellington Amateur Radio Club Inc., PO Box 6464, Wellington 6030, New Zealand. EU Autumn Sprint--CW, sponsored by the EU Sprint gang, from 1500Z - 1859Z Oct 8. Frequencies: 80-20 meters, stations outside EU work EU stations only. SOAB category only. Exchange: your call, serial number, name, other station's call. Special QSY rule--see Web site. Score is number of QSOs. For more information: http://www.eusprint.com/. Logs due 15 days after the contest to eusprint@kkn.net or Paolo Cortese, I2UIY, PO Box 14, I-27043 Broni (PV), Italy (CW logs to Karel Karmasin, OK2FD, Gen Svobody 636, CZ-674 01 Trebic, Czech Republic). Pennsylvania QSO Party--CW/Phone, sponsored by the Nittany ARC, 1600Z Oct 8 - 0500Z Oct 9 and 1300Z - 2200Z Oct 9. Frequencies (MHz): CW--1.810 and 40 kHz above band edge; Phone--1.850, 3.980, 7.280, 14.280, 21.380, 28.480; Novice/Tech--10 kHz above edge of segment; mobiles 5 kHz below the listed frequencies. Work mobiles and rovers in each county. Categories: SO (HP >150W, LP, or QRP <5W), MS, MM, SO or MS Portable, Novice/Tech/TechPlus, Mobile, Rover. Exchange: serial number and ARRL/RAC section (PA stations send PA county). QSO Points: CW--2 pts on 160 and 80, 1.5 pts on other bands; Phone--1 pt. Score: QSO points x PA counties (PA stations use PA counties + ARRL/RAC sections + 1 for a DX QSO) x 2 if QRP or x 3 if Novice/Tech. Add 200 points for each QSO with the bonus station (see Web site). PA mobiles and rovers add 500 points for each county with 10 or more QSOs. For more information: www.nittany-arc.net/paqso.html. Logs due Nov 15 to paqsolog@nittany-arc.net (paper summary sheet also required) or PA QSO Party, c/o NARC, PO Box 614, State College, PA 16804-0614. FISTS Fall Sprint--CW, sponsored by FISTS CW Club from 1700Z - 2100Z Oct 8. Frequencies: 80-10 meters. Categories: SOAB (QRP (<5W) and QRO), Club. Exchange: RST, QTH (S/P/C), Name, FISTS number if member, nonmembers send power output. QSO points: member - 5 pts, nonmembers - 2 pts. Score: QSO points x S/P/C (count S/P only once, count DXCC each time). For more information: www.fists.org. Logs due 30 days after the contest to w8pig@yahoo.com or Dan Shepherd N8IE, 1900 Pittsfield St, Kettering, OH 45420 North American RTTY Sprint--sponsored by the National Contest Journal, 0000Z - 0400Z Oct 9. Frequencies 80 -- 20 meters. North American stations work everyone; others work NA stations only. Exchange both callsigns, serial number, name, and S/P/C. The same station can be worked multiple times provided 3 contacts separate the contact in both logs, regardless of band. QSY rule: Stations calling CQ, QRZ, etc, may only work one station in response to that call; they must then move at least 1 kHz before working another station or 5 kHz before soliciting another call. Once you are required to QSY, you may not make a new QSO on the previous frequency until you have made a contact at least 1 or 5 kHz (as required) away. For more information: www.ncjweb.com. Logs due 7 days after the contest via Web form at www.ncjweb.com/sprintlogsubmit.php, rttysprint@ncjweb.com or Douglas McDuff, W4OX, 10380 SW 112th Street, Miami, FL 33176, USA. YLRL Anniversary Party--SSB, 1400Z Oct 14 - 0200Z Oct 16 (see Oct 5-9) Worked All Germany--CW/SSB, sponsored by The Deutscher Amateur Radio Club, 1500Z Oct 15 - 1459Z Oct 16. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters, work German stations only. Categories: SOAB (HP >100W , LP, QRP <5W in Mixed only) CW or Mixed Mode, MS, SWL, packet spotting allowed for all classes. Exchange: RS(T) and serial number or DOK code. QSO Points: 3 pts/QSO. Germans count DXCC/WAE countries per band. Score: QSO points x first letters of DOK codes (Germans use DXCC entities or WAE countries) counted once per band and mode. For more information: www.darc.de/referate/dx/fedcg.htm. Logs due Nov 20 to wag@dxhf.darc.de or to WAG Contestmanager, PO Box 12 09 37, D-01010 Dresden, Germany. JARTS WW RTTY Contest, sponsored by the Japanese Amateur Radio Teleprinter Society, 0000Z Oct 15 - 2400Z Oct 16. Frequencies: 80 - 10 meters. Categories: SOAB (HP >100W, LP), MO, SWL. Exchange: RST and age (Multiop sends 99, YL may send 00). QSO Points: own continent--2 pts, diff cont--3 pts per QSO. Score: QSO points x DXCC entities + JA, W, VE and VK call areas counted once per band. For more information: www.edsoftz.com/JARTS. Logs in Cabrillo format due Nov 30 to www.edsoftz.com/JARTS/2005/log_submit_form.php or jarts2005@edsoftz.com (electronic logs only). Asia-Pacific Sprint--CW, sponsored by the Asia-Pacific Sprint Contest Committee, 0000Z - 0200Z Oct 16. Frequencies (MHz): 14.030-14.050 and 21.030-21.050. Categories: SO <150W only. Work Asia-Pacific stations only. Exchange: RST and serial number. Special QSY rule. Score: QSOs x WPX prefixes counted once only. For more information and AP country list: jsfc.org/apsprint. Logs due 7 days after contest to apsprint@jsfc.org (Cabrillo format encouraged, no paper logs accepted). RSGB 21/28 MHz Contest--CW, 0700Z - 1900Z Oct 16. RSGB 21/28 MHz. Frequencies: 15 and 10 meters (see Web site for band plan), work UK stations only. Categories: UK and DX SO or MS (Open, Restricted, QRP <10W) and SWL (Open and Restricted). Exchange: serial number and UK district. QSO Points: 3 pts/QSO. Score QSO points x UK districts (UK stations use DXCC entities plus JA, W, VE, VK, ZL and ZS call areas) counted once per band. For more information: http://www.rsgbhfcc.org/. Logs due Nov 17 to 2128cw.logs@rsgbhfcc.org for CW logs or to RSGB--G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7AF, England. Illinois QSO Party--CW/Phone, sponsored by the Radio Amateur Megacycle Society (RAMS). 1700Z Oct 16 - 0100Z Oct 17. Frequencies (MHz): 160-2 meters, CW--50 kHz above band edge, Phone--3.890, 7.290, 14.290, 21.390, 28.390; Novice/Tech--30 kHz above edge of segment. Categories: SO, MS, Mobile. Work stations in each county, county line contacts count for 1 QSO from each county. Exchange: RS(T) and S/P/C (IL stations send county). QSO Points: Phone--1 pt/QSO, CW--2 pts. Score: QSO points x IL counties (IL stations use states + IL counties + VE provinces + up to 5 DXCC entities). Count additional DX for points, but not multipliers. For more information: http://my.core.com/~jematz/rams.html. Logs due Nov 14 to jfunk@fossnorthamerica.com (Cabrillo format) or RAMS, c/o John Matz, KB9II, 7079 West Ave,Hanover Park, IL 60133. Bill Windle QSO Party--CW, sponsored by First Class Operator's Club (FOC), from 0000Z -- 2359Z Oct 15. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters, 6 & 2 meters. Call "CQ BW" from 15 to 45 kHz above band edge, open to all hams, not just FOC members. Exchange: RST and name or FOC number, if member. Report total QSOs with FOC members, counted once per band, FOC members report total QSOs and total FOC QSOs. For more information: www.firstclasscw.org.uk. QSO totals due Oct 23 to KZ5D@aol.com. VHF+ CONTESTS VHF Fall Sprints--CW/Phone/Digital--sponsored by the Southeastern VHF Society as follows: 432 MHz--7-11 PM Oct 5; Microwave--902 MHz and higher--6 AM -- 1 PM Oct 15. Fixed and Rover categories. Exchange: Grid Square. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score is QSO Points x Grid Squares, score each sprint separately. Rovers all grids worked from each grid. For more information: svhfs.org/fall_sprint_rules.htm. Logs must be emailed or postmarked within four weeks of the contest. 432 MHz logs to w4kxy@arrl.net or Jim Worsham W4KXY, 1915 Oak Wind Lane, Buford, GA 30519-6766. Microwave logs to rover@wireco.net or Greg Robinson KB4NVD, 208 Dogwood Acres Rd, Hampton, TN 37658-3348. CONVERSATION The Three B's - Part III Part II Behavior is the reef on which amateur spectrum regulation is currently grounded. Regulation based solely on signal type is insufficient to allow a satisfactory band plan to be written such that the users can all get along, even with all their various intents and technology. It should be obvious that behavior is nearly impossible to regulate. Just try to agree on a definition of "willful interference" with two different spectrum occupants. You'll find that the definition depends on who is on the receiving end, so to speak. Nevertheless, behavior is primarily what makes for happy or upset hams. If we have gotten along so well for so long without regulating behavior, why should we need it now? For starters, we didn't always get along "so well." The tales of early radio are rife with conflict between the various users, leading to the first allocations by band in the 1920's. This occurred even though all stations used similar bandwidth signals - spark followed by CW. Later came AM and then SSB and the first behavior-driven partition of amateur spectrum into phone and CW sub-bands. You might say, "Well, phone and CW modes are incompatible!" From a technical point of view, this is false - SSB receivers can hear CW just fine and vice versa. Cross-mode QSOs, while rare, are easily made. What's important is that the nature of the modes and they way they're used are sufficiently different in operator behavior to require their segregation. Stated another way, CW and SSB are behaviorally incompatible. Lately, another type of behavioral incompatibility has come into play; digital versus analog signaling. This isn't completely accurate, because CW is really a digital mode. Perhaps a better way to group the signals is by whether or not a human translates the signal to meaning; human-copy and machine-copy (which includes computers and all sorts of signal-copying gadgetry). The conflict arises when a transceiver used for a machine-copy signal, hearing nothing that would encumber it from initiating a contact, makes a transmission near enough (or right on top of) a human-copy signal. This has been a persistent point of contention between RTTY and CW operators since RTTY was introduced to the ham bands. Machine-copy QRM often has a more debilitating effect on the human operator who is even denied the satisfaction of calling the digital station, "You lid!" The digital station, through persistence or software, blasts away until the data gets through or it is unable to establish the link. The relatively un-level playing field has created fears that machine-copy is going to take over and the only way to keep the peace is to keep the two completely separate through regulatory barriers. I understand the emotion, but there is no guarantee that such regulation will have the desired effect, particularly as machine-copy grows at the expense of human copy. Further, what human-copy operator hasn't experienced man-made QRM from another human-copy signal? Is there no QRM now? Speaking delicately, if one wants to be a butt-head, it can be done on any kind of mode and with any kind of signal. What is getting people upset, proposal or not, is behavior. Machine-copy systems enable and even encourage on-the-air behavior that is incompatible with human-copy behavior. Why? The main reason is that a human is not involved in the demodulation and decoding process, and so it is not generally necessary for a machine-copy operator to listen before transmitting, since the computer or TNC or modem does all of that. And if the computer or TNC or modem does not recognize that the channel is occupied with another signal, you have interference - not necessarily willful, but definitely destructive. The increasing number of machine-copy stations behaving as the current protocols are designed mixed with human-copy stations will (and is) causing significant interference problems. There is merit to recognizing that mixing signals with incompatible behaviors will generate friction. What can be done that administers the legitimate needs of both machine- and human-copy users without ladling an excessive amount of regulation over amateur radio, stifling development of useful and progressive technology? To Be Continued... 73, Ward N0AX ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Contester's Rate Sheet wishes to acknowledge information from the following sources: WA7BNM's Contest Calendar Web page - http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal ARRL Contest page - http://www.arrl.org/contests SM3CER's Web site - http://www.sk3bg.se/contest
