Posts Tagged ‘Contesting’
Contest Skeeter Hunt wallpaper
December 9th, 2012 | 
Author:  |
| Just waiting to be framed and hung on the "I love me" wall |
One step forward two steps back…..
I should practice what I preach…………
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| All is going well.....for now |
Last weekend I participated in the CQ WW CW contest and in a post just before the contest I shared some things I included and avoided regarding contests. One would think that because it's my list and I was "preaching" about it on my blog that I for sure would be one to follow it.........WRONG and boy did I pay for it!! The contest was going along just fine the propagation was great, 10m was wide open and my QRP signal seemed to be getting out just fine. Now this being a CW contest and a world wide one at that I found the CW was being sent as fast as a bullet. To copy these fast calls was taking more time than I wanted to
spend, but the stations were much needed multi's or possible DXCC's. In the past this is were my trusty Elecraft K3 has helped me out. The K3 has the ability to copy code and scroll it at the bottom of my Elecraft P3.......but it was not happening and no matter what I adjusted I could not get the rig to read the code.
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| Firmware download going well |
I have started to slow down in the CQ WW CW contest
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| The action on 15m this morning |
Contest on......well easier said than done...
Two things
Two topics that I wanted to bring up today:
Number One – Don’t forget that this weekend (starting in about 45 minutes from the time that I am typing this out) is the CQWW DX Contest – CW. The exchange on this is soooooooo simple – RST and your CQ Zone (in my case, that would be 5).
If you are thinking of starting QRP DXCC, in the middle of working on QRP DXCC, or towards the end of reaching QRP DXCC – this contest is a good way of helping to achieve your goal.
Don’t be put off by the high speed and don’t be put off with the fact that you are running 5 Watts or less.
A) There will be plenty of DX stations on the air. You WILL find ones that you will be able to copy. Search and pounce until you find someone that doesn’t sound like a buzzsaw to you. Hey, I’ve been at this for over 30 years and I still run into stations where I just shake my head and say,”Huh?” If you’re not 10000% confident in your CW copying capabilities, you will have the chance to hear that one station give out their call a jazillion times as they run stations. And if that still doesn’t work for you, and you can only copy a partial call – it’s not a mortal sin to log onto DX Summit or some other DX Cluster to see if you can find that station listed by someone else on the band/frequency that you are hearing them (as long as you are not “officially” entering the contest – then I believe the use of spotting is not allowed). But make your best effort. By the end of the contest you will be amazed at how much your CW copying ability can improve in the course of a weekend.
B) Put out of your mind that you are QRP. I really mean that. Approach the contest just like anyone else running a 100 Watt barefoot rig. Look, you’re not going to be able to work everyone you hear – but concentrate on the loud ones at first and don’t be afraid to throw out your call. Contesting brings out the bionic ears on some of these guys and it’s amazing what they can pull out of the aether – ESPECIALLY towards the end of the contest when they are still hungry for points. Serious DX contest stations that might not otherwise give you the time of day under normal circumstances WILL go out of their way to pump up their contest score. Take advantage of that. As the contest progresses (especially the last 24 hours) you will find that you will be able to work stations other than just the loudest ones, too. But don’t beat your head against a wall. If you’re trying and you’re just not being heard, move on and come back and try a little bit later. Propagation may improve and work in your favor.
Number Two – The Android tablet has some Ham apps available that I didn’t even think of when I purchased mine – namely the Zinio and Kindle apps, which are both free by the way.
“Ham related?” you ask? Yes, through Zinio, I can read both CQ Digital and WorldRadio Online (Note – the subscriptions for these are NOT free). And since the tablet is small and is a WiFi device, I can take it with me into “The Library” to read, if I choose to – or just about anywhere else for that matter.
The Kindle app is strange in a way. For books, I actually prefer using my Kindle. But for e-zines that come in a .pdf format? It’s perfect! I could never get the “K9YA Telegraph” to load into my Kindle properly. But with the Kindle app on the tablet, it’s better than sliced bread! Prior to this, when I wanted to read “The Telegraph”, I had to sit in front of the desktop or the netbook. Not always the most convenient situation. I loaded the latest issue onto my tablet just to see how it would work; and I was like a kid on Christmas. I have a whole bunch of back issues on my desktop computer that I am going to move onto the tablet via DropBox. Now I will be able to enjoy them in a more relaxing setting.
The ARRL just recently introduced an app for idevices for QST Digital. Hopefully, they will come out with an Android app soon and I can do all my Ham Radio magazine reading on my tablet – with the exception of QRP Quarterly, of course ……. although………… anybody from QRP-ARCI reading? 😉
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!
Some things to avoid and include in contests
Never update your contesting software the day of the contest....... "Software surprise" is not needed during a contest.
Never assume your contest station is running great just because it was last time. ..........Give the station a workout a few days before the contest.
Never update the rigs firmware just before a contest.......firmware glitches will throw your contesting off.
Never forget about the family during a contest weekend.......an hour away here or there can be a refreshing break.
Never get upset and frustrated......it's a contest have fun, know from the outset there is going to be poor op's out there.
Never think you are NOT going to get board at times.....there will be slow times have other things planned.
Never forget about non-contesters and respect mode allocations on the bands.......it's not intentional most times we just get carried away.
Always make sure the YL's "honey do" list has no outstanding promised items for that weekend.
Always understand that things never go as planned.
Always have some exercise, break times and eating times planned, a crock pot menu is a great way to have good dinners with very little work.
Always use headphones (especially CW contests) it may sound like sweet music to you but to the rest of the family (pets included) it's NOISE!!
Always have some goals for the contest.....and understand they can change.
Always make sure you are comfortable....cool in summer, warm in the winter, good chair and operating position just to mention a few things.
Always investigate if other major contests are going on the same weekend.......it can get frustrating when two stations from separate contests are giving exchanges neither can understand.
Always read and understand contest rules before the contest..........self explanatory.
Contest on!!!
P.S.....please leave your comments with more includes or avoids
2012 Zombie Shuffle has been moved
to Christmas time!
From Paul NA5N:
“Zombies, World Wide DX Contests, Sweepstakes, etc. made it impossible to schedule a nice, enjoyable Zombie Shuffle around Halloween, particularly on the traditional Friday evening. We were ready to schedule it for this Friday, Nov. 7. Then came Hurricane Sandy that has left some of our QRP friends without antennas, and some still without electricity. I have been unable to email two of our arranged Elvis stations, presumably due to no electricity or internet yet. I don’t know how many are still recovering from Sandy.
So here’s the deal …
The Zombie Shuffle for 2012 has been scheduled for: FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 2012
That’s right, the very last day of the Mayan calendar, which conveniently falls on a Friday. As most of you know, this could very well be the end of the world. At least that’s what they say. Zap – lights out for the human race. What a better way for a QRP Zombie to go than with his/her earphones and boots on? When the great galactic cataclysm or Planet X hits, I want to be on the air. Vaporized with all my QRP Zombie friends. I know you feel the same.
No major contests that night; hopefully a few hours on the air the Friday before Christmas won’t interfere with your family or holiday plans. It might even keep you out of WalMart or Target for the night. That probably just saved you $150!
I’ll update the rules, summary sheet and website this weekend and get them posted. If you have any unique ideas for the Zombie Shuffle on how to spend your last few minutes on planet Earth, let me know.
In the meantime, if you don’t have a Zombie number, you can request one by an email to Jan, the Witchess and Grand Zombie at [email protected]. Don’t wait – this could be your last chance. Nobody wants to go out without a number!
72, Paul NA5N Zombie #004
PS – In the slim chance we survive December 21, we’ll have a regular old Zombie Shuffle again next year, likely the Friday after ARRL Sweepstakes.”
So there you go – I know Christmas and Zombies aren’t what you’d call a “good fit” – but Paul humorously tied the event into the end of the Mayan calendar – or have some have called it – “The Coming Zombie Apocolypse”! In any event, it’s always a fun sprint.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!
Zombie # 858
