Tag: #contest

Operating

CW Contesting – Announcing the New Slow Way to Go!

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

“Pi” Pugh, K1RV, writes:

Announcing the New Slow Way to Go!

K1USN’s New Weekly Slow Speed Test

Inaugural session Monday, Sept 14, 2020 @  0000 UTC, (Sunday, Sept 13 @ 8:00 PM EDT)

The CWops Club (CWops) promotes the art of CW for those who wish to expand and improve their on-the-air experiences. CWops’ CW Academy (CWA) program has produced thousands of successful graduates who have gone on to become everyday CW operators. Hundreds of CWA grads have become CWops members after demonstrating their ability to understand and communicate in CW at speeds of 25 WPM and higher!

CWops’ three weekly 25 to 40+ WPM CWT sprints are exciting, stimulating and a great way to improve CW copying ability, operating skills, and propagation knowledge. The CWTs create bonds of friendship among CW-loving operators around the world.

Now, for those just getting started in CW contesting and others who prefer a more leisurely pace, several members of both the K1USN Radio Club and CWops are starting a weekly one-hour slow speed CW contest, the SST. Please join us!

K1USN’s new Slow Speed Test is designed to encourage and assist those who signed up for CWA to learn CW or to improve their CW skills but are not yet copying 25 WPM, as well as all others who feel like “taking it slow and easy” once per week both for their own pleasure and to help others out.

CWops currently offers a total of nine “slow speed” CWT’s per year just after the three CWA graduations where all are asked to slow down to 20 WPM. Many CWA grads make contacts in those sessions, enjoying a well-earned rush of accomplishment. The SST will expand those opportunities for success to 52 weeks per year!

All of us old enough to remember our Novice days recall the rush of adrenalin and the sweaty grip on our J-38 (or Radio Shack) keys during those very first CW QSOs. This is what it must feel like for the new CW operators we want to encourage.

The weekly slow speed SST is also for operators who currently participate in regular CWT sessions, but only as S & P (Search and Pounce) entrants. The weekly 20 WPM or slower SSTs can build their confidence to find open frequencies and begin calling CQ, first in the SSTs and then in the more crowded and frenetic full speed CWTs. Successfully crossing that CQing threshold is another real accomplishment!

We hope many SST participants become sufficiently comfortable with CW contesting to enjoy the regular higher speed CWT sessions, other big CW contests, and smaller local and regional QSO parties, using N1MM+ (or other) computer loggers, spotting networks, call history files, live online scoring, etc. We welcome everybody to join in the SSTs whether high speed CW contesting is your goal or not, including new ops making their first attempts at completing a CW QSO.

In addition to SST’s 20 WPM upper speed limit, we ask all to be patient, supportive, and willing to slow down further as necessary to assist another op in completing an SST QSO.

CWA recommends using electronic keyers and paddles, but if you are more comfortable with some other device, please feel free to join us in the SSTs using a straight key, cootie key, bug or paddles. Unlike high speed contests, where QSO rate is king and a CQing/“running” station expects only the required exchange and confirms a contact with simply “dit” or “R”, the SST encourages sending brief friendly greetings to the other Op.

Friendliness is part of taking it slow and easy! So please join us in the SSTs! All you need is an HF radio, an antenna, and the desire to become, and assist others to become, better CW operators!

 Time and Day:  0000 UTC Monday (Sunday 8 PM EDT)  

Suggested initial SST frequencies:

  • 80 meters 3.532 – 3.539
  • 40 meters 7.032 – 7.039
  • 20 meters 14.032 – 14.039

Exchange: Name + state/province/country

Sample SST QSO
K1RV: CQ SST K1RV
N1DC: N1DC
K1RV: N1DC Pi MA
N1DC: GE Pi RICK MA
K1RV: GL RICK TU K1RV SST

For more info or questions about our SST, please email us at: k1usn.radioclub.sst@gmail.com or visit us at http://www.k1usn.com/sst

Additional info about our SST will be found at: https://www.contestcalendar.com/weeklycont.php

The K1USN SST N1MM+ UDC (User defined Contest) file will available for download here – https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/manual-supported/contests-setup/setup-udc-contests/

See also: http://www.arrl.org/news/k1usn-radio-club-announces-new-weekly-slow-speed-cw-contest

Licensing Education & Training

Final Reminder: Contest University Online, May 14, 2020

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John Dorr, K1AR, writes on the Yankee Clipper Contest Club mailing list:

Good morning everyone!

Just a final reminder that CTU On-Line will be held this Thursday, May 14. Be especially sure to stay connected at the end of the day as there will be a very special presentation of great interest to YCCC members.

Check out https://www.contestuniversity.com/course-outline/ to pre-register
and be ready to go!

[See also: https://ema.arrl.org/2020/04/15/contest-university-usa-2020-on-line-may-14-2020/]
Operating

North American SSB Sprint, April 4, 2020

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Randy Thompson, K5ZD, writes on the YCCC reflector:

The SSB sprint is tonight (April 4 2020).  It is four hours (8-12 PM local) on 20, 40, and 80 M. The easiest way to participate is just to search and pounce to find someone calling CQ.  You’ll copy his number, name and state.

Then you give:

  • His call
  • QSO number
  • Your name
  • Your state
  • *Your call

At the end of the QSO, you may have someone call you.  The exchange is the same but you give your call as the second item rather than the last.

  • His call
  • *Your call
  • QSO number
  • Your state
  • Your call

QSY and find someone else calling CQ. Tips and tricks are here.  https://ssbsprint.com/tips-tricks/

Operating

FP/KV1J QRV from Miquelon, IOTA NA-032, September 24-October 8, 2019

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From the Algonquin ARC list and ARRL DX  Bulletin 037:
 
ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON, FP–Eric Wiliams, KV1J, will be QRV as FP/KV1J from Miquelon, IOTA NA-032, from Tuesday September 24 to Tuesday October 8.  Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using primarily SSB, RTTY and FT8 with some CW.  This includes some activity on the analog satellites, as well as being an entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide RTTY DX contest.  QSL to home call.
 
Operating

K1SIG, Unlimited Rover, in ARRL VHF Contest, September 14-16, 2019

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Sean Waite, WA1TE writes on the YCCC mailing list:

Alright…no minute like last minute. Chris KG6CIH and I have finally decided what our route for the contest is going to be.

Saturday:
FN34wa – Bradford Information Center
FN33xi – Sunapee High Point
FN43fb – Quincy Mountain

Sunday:
FN42fg – Westborough Water Tower (we may pick another FN42 site, depends on
where we end up Saturday night)
FN41cu – Apple orchard/cell site
FN31tx – Soapstone Mountain
FN32ou – Hogback Mountain

Times for this will be fuzzy. Maybe 2 hours at each site, maybe longer on
Sunday sites as we have more time.

Our setup:
6m – IC-7000, 100W to moxon
2m – IC-910H, 100W to 7el
1.25m – FT818 w/ Ukranian Xvrtr w/ amp, 130ishW to 9el
70cm – IC-910H, 75(ish)W to 11el
33cm – FT818 w/ SG Lab xvrtr, 3W to 11el
23cm – FT818 w/ SG Lab xvrtr, 2W to 14el
13cm, FT818 w/ SG Lab xvrr, 2W to 21el
9cm, FT818 w/SG Lab xvrtr, 3W to 45el

Nothing on 6cm, I didn’t get that gear working yet. Maybe I’ll get it together. Depends on whether or not I decide sleep is important before roving.

3cm I have 10mW to a small horn if I can pull some stuff together tonight. 1.2cm I have 0.1mW to an even smaller horn that is totally untested and might actually work.

As per usual, some of this gear is used but new-to-us and we’re pretty sure it’ll work but also who knows. We’ll be running as Unlimited Rover.

Good luck in the contest and 73,
Sean Waite, WA1TE

All / Operating

WRTC 2014 Testing – Volunteers Sought

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Mark Pride, K1RX writes:

Hello from the WRTC 2014 organizing committee!

Thanks too all of you who have stepped forward and volunteered to help with the WRTC testing effort we’re planning for this July (trial run). And for those that yet to sign up, please review the following with your fellow club members and contact me if you can volunteer for this July (or beyond).

We’re interested to making sure that the sites we have approval to use will work as well as we hope they will (and are not too good or too bad), and we need to work through the process of setting up and taking down stations using the configuration we are planning to use in 2014.

There are three parts of the process:

Station set-up Operating Station tear-down

Full details on WRTC 2014 can be found at: http://www.wrtc2014.org/

Station Set-Up

The set-up process is currently estimated to take 5-6 hours, and would take place on Thursday or Friday. A team of at least four people will be needed for each location.

Each site runs independently, with a 1kw generator, tent, table, etc. We have successfully tested a tilt-over Rohn 25 tower with tri-bander and 40/80m dipoles. All of this should fit in a pick-up truck and weighs roughly 350 pounds.

The tower/antennas use the falling-derrick method to get them up – no climbing needed (nor wanted).

Once installed, we will need someone to spend the night to monitor the equipment until the contest starts (Saturday morning at 8am).

Operating

The contest runs from 8am Saturday until 8am Sunday. We would like to see the station active for the full time period if possible. For 2012 we are only envisioning one station and one operator but if you want to be ambitious and plan for two, go for it. You will need a triplexer if there are two stations using the tribander.

During the contest we will be monitoring all stations .

Two demonstration events are planned leading up to the July, 2012 trial run.

1. May 4 and 5, 2012 at the NEARfest event in Deerfield, NH

2. At the QTH of Mark, K1RX in Kensington, NH on June 2 (directions and RSVP can be found at the YCCC.org web site)

I am inviting participation from ALL New England based amateur radio clubs to join us at the NEARfest or at my place on June 2 to get first hand training and experience with every aspect of the tower and antenna assembly and operation.

Note also that the towers, generators, antennas will be offered to clubs that help in this significant undertaking at a considerable discount. More details to follow on this opportunity to help the local clubs in New England.