The ARRL Contest Branch now has their own Blog

click here to see it

It is a step in the right direction,
in fact a big step !

I would however like to see it changed to encourage feedback, but maybe they (the contest branch of the ARRL) feel that feedback is best handled via email and comments and critique are best placed in eham or qrz.com

73
steve
KG5VK

LA Special Olympics Event This week-end

How would you like a chance to check out your emergency response gear?

How about a 'no pressure' test of your emergency communications
skills?

What about the opportunity to demonstrate ham radio to hundreds of
appreciative
folks and get to feel good about it?

Well, here is the chance to do all three!!

This weekend in on the Southeastern Louisiana University campus in
Hammond, we
could use some ham radio volunteers to assist with the 'health and
welfare' of
the many athletes from all across the state. You are welcome to
volunteer for
any part of the day, or all day, or all three days if you can on May
23, 24 &
25.

The schedule begins Friday morning at 7:30am and continues through the
afternoon. Saturday events will run from 7:30am until around 5:30pm;
and Sunday
events will be in the morning only (7:30am until noon or 1:00pm).

Just send a REPLY back to me if you would like to participate and I
will pass
your name and preferred time(s) on to Harris Miller, KB5BFK. Non-ham
members of
your family or friends are also welcome to participate in a non-amateur
radio
role, so pass the word around!

TNX & 73,
Bob WB5FBS
Bob Priez [wb5fbs@arrl.net]

ITU Chief Links Contesting, Emergency Communications

The Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) says contesting is among '”the best training for all of us” in emergency communications, in an article in the June 2008 issue of CQ Magazine. In an interview with International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Secretary Dave Summer, K1ZZ, ITU Secretary-General Dr. Hamadoun I. Toure', HB9EHT, says "participation in radioamateur contests, field days or any amateur service exercises and activities are the best training for all of us, and during non-disaster periods it's also a great fun and sport competition -- part of our hobby." See the May 2008 issue of QST for the full interview.

Also, those at the 2008 Dayton Hamvention Contest Dinner, Saturday night, May 17, heard FCC Special Counsel Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, make similar comments. He praised contests as an effective training activity for emergency communications operators.

73, Marsh, KA5M

Contest Error Rates a look at ours in ARRL SS over the past five years...

I went to the ARRL website and downloaded the error rates for our ARRL SS Phone contest logs submitted. The highest error rate we ever had was 8.5% in 2003
The lowest was in 2007 (last year) with 6.9%
But the effect of even a 6.9% error cost us 105 QSO's and we only needed another 108 Q's to be in first place
My point, while I know we will never have zero errors if we are working on higher rates of Q's
we must work to keep the errors down.
Accuracy counts !

Here are the stats.....

2007

SCORE SUMMARY

-------------

    Raw QSOs = 1166

       Dupes = 27

 Busted QSOs = 79

Penalty QSOs = 26

Time Expired = 0

  Final QSOs = 1034   Band Breakdown (160-10):     0  390   76  542   26    0

  QSO Points = 2068

  Multiplier = 80

--------------------------

 Final score = 165440

  Error rate =  6.9% (100 X (Busted QSOs / Duped QSO total))

We missed attaining 1^st place in Division and state by 108 QSO’s !

We lost a total of 105 Q’s to busted calls.

We fell to Third place in Division and second in our state.

2006

SCORE SUMMARY

-------------

    Raw QSOs = 1177

       Dupes = 21

 Busted QSOs = 82

Penalty QSOs = 28

Time Expired = 0

  Final QSOs = 1046   Band Breakdown (160-10):     0   80  449  418   99    0

  QSO Points = 2092

  Multiplier = 79

--------------------------

 Final score = 165268

  Error rate =  7.1% (100 X (Busted QSOs / Duped QSO total))

Even though we busted the sweep, we rcvd first place division this year.

First State and Division, Fourth place in our region (Southeast Region)

2005

SCORE SUMMARY

-------------

    Raw QSOs = 1173

Time Expired = 0

       Dupes = 22

 Busted QSOs = 91

  Valid QSOs = 1060    0   98  415  344  176    0

Penalty QSOs = 27

  QSO Points = 2066

  Multiplier = 80

--------------------------

 Final score = 165280

  Error rate =  7.9% (100 X (Busted QSOs / Duped QSO total))

Fifth place in our region, Second in Division and first place State

2004

SCORE SUMMARY

-------------

    Raw QSOs = 1352

Time Expired = 0

       Dupes = 34

 Busted QSOs = 109

  Valid QSOs = 1209    0   10  387  513  278    0

Penalty QSOs = 21

  QSO Points = 2376

  Multiplier = 79

--------------------------

 Final score = 187704

  Error rate =  8.3% (100 X (Busted QSOs / Duped QSO total))

Fifth place Division, second place state

2003

SCORE SUMMARY

-------------

    Raw QSOs = 993

Time Expired = 0

       Dupes = 35

 Busted QSOs = 81

  Valid QSOs = 877    0  196   44  314  302    0

Penalty QSOs = 21

  QSO Points = 1712

  Multiplier = 78

--------------------------

 Final score = 133536

  Error rate =  8.5% (100 X (Busted QSOs / Duped QSO total))

We managed 856 Q’s Made the sweep and first place in state, Second in Delta division

Bottom line is we always manage to have fun, and that shall continue
but lets be a bit more precise in our copy of the exchange.

73
steve
KG5VK

Eddy Shell is now a silent key

just in case you missed it in the paper Eddy Shell is now a Silent Key
he passed away Friday
from Cancer

http://www.legacy.com/Link.asp?I=LS000108951042X

He served at BPCC (Bossier Parish Community College) since 1967 and was a member of SARA as well as PPLA (Professional Photographers of America) and even a past president of PPLA
he was a fellow Ham radio operator and a friend.

73
steve

congrats to AE5T and N5OZB for 1st place Delta and Louisiana in ARRL SS phone

#	Call	Score	QSOs	Mult	Class	Section	Check	Hours	160	80	40	20	15	10	Club	Ops
1	AE5T (N5OZB, op)	182,560	1,141	80	M	LA	89	24		78	470	537	56			(+ packet)
2	W5JJ	174,880	1,093	80	M	AR	97	22		419	213	418	43			(+ K5DB)
3	KG5VK	165,440	1,034	80	M	LA	72	24		390	76	542	26		Shreveport ARA	(+ KA5M, KF5XV, N5VU, N5FH, N5SH, K5SL)
4	AB5GG	112,970	715	79	M	AR	91	22		293	153	251	18			(+ WF5X)
5	NW5U	106,400	665	80	M	AR	92	18		339	122	159	45			(+ NW8U, KC0NLQ)

This said news from Wx0B about W4RNL is now SK

LB Cebik, W4RNL a great friend of mine and Array Solutions has passed away last week.

I just learned this from some mutual friends and the ARRL website, and have found it hard to believe.

He was a major contributor to the ham radio community with his awesome and tireless work on his website. And personally I will miss working with him. He and I had worked together on several professional antenna jobs where he did awesome work on the NEC-4 models.

His wife Jean, passed away several years earlier and LB now joins her. He was only 68.

RIP Mr. Cebik

Jay Terleski
Array Solutions
972 203 2008
Military Communications Systems, Phased Arrays, RF Switches, Antennas & Towers
http://www.arraysolutions.com

His key may be silent but albeit he is having a blast with all kinds of software and antenna tools in the big sky here in after

steve

no it's not Dx but it is kewel......

Yes I have embraced D Star
I now have two D star radios
my first was the Icom 2200H adding the d star chip to it about a year ago

Most recently I bought an Icom 91AD and I love this new radio !

Most D star systems are converting to G2 software
if you have not registered on g2 do so now !!!!!!!!
D Star

ARRL FD Station locator

click here

ARRL Field day web page 2008 is live !

click here

Field Day 2008 New Rules.......

2008 Rules Changes

GOTA (Get on the Air) stations are those stations set aside by Field Day teams designed to get non-hams or newly licensed hams on the air. Unlike in past years where GOTA stations were limited to only the HF bands, the 2008 rules state that these stations may operate on any authorized HF or VHF Field Day band. Keep in mind that only one signal may be transmitted from the GOTA station at any time.

Henderson said the eligibility for operating the GOTA station has changed slightly: Anyone who has been licensed since Field Day 2007 is eligible to operate the GOTA station, regardless of license class.

For 2008, the Demonstration Mode Bonus category has been eliminated and replaced by an Educational Activity Bonus worth 100 points. "This bonus is intended to encourage clubs and groups to do some more formal educational activity during their Field Day operation," Henderson said. If you have any questions concerning what activities might be appropriate for this bonus, Henderson said you should submit them via e-mail.

Be sure to read the Field Day rules and FAQs in the 2008 Field Day Packet for details of these changes. There are also numerous small changes in the FAQs and support materials in the packet that should help groups and individuals as they plan their Field Day activities, Henderson said.

Get the Word Out!

new stuff for copy of stations sending code.....

It's Called Skimmer
and there exist already a great debate on legality of use in contesting as in is it un sportsman like to us it, yes it is that powerful !
http://www.pvrc.org/~n4zr/Articles/Skimmer.pdf
It can copy every single code stations call sign on the band at one time !!!
Tell you the call and the operating frequency !!!
Talk about a new edge to cw contesting
Packet spotting has nothing over this tool !

Ducie Island VP6DX as seen from google satelite

VP6DX

DUCIE ISLAND, VP6. A group of operators are QRV as VP6DX until the
end of February. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and
RTTY with 7 stations active simultaneously 24 hours a day. QSL
direct to DL6LAU.

VP6DX

Hello World,
>
> I got the information that all members and equipment is loaded and that the Braveheart is on its way
> to Ducie Island (thanks WA6ZVP). Maybe you can hear them when they work with /MM. Reports are always
> welcome.
>
> We would be delighted if DX editors would publish this information as widely as possible and DXers
> bring it to the attention of their clubs and fellow DXers.
>
> An update of the website follows this evening (Germany).
>
> Best 73s
>
> Chris DL1MGB
> Webmaster VP6DX

iCal (a Google On-Line Contest Calendar)

click here

also a note from the original creator/maintainer of this calendar........

Greetings!

I have had a number of enquiries recently about the whereabouts of the
iCal contest calendar I was maintaining. I say 'was', because a number
of things have conspired to prevent me from providing and updating the
calendar as I used to. Firstly. for a number of reasons, I decided not
to renew the .Mac account where the calendar lived, so the previously
posted link to it no longer works. Secondly, and more detrimentally (for
the calendar, at least!), I have a young and active family and no longer
have even the relatively small amount of time it takes to keep the
calendar up to date.

What I have done is transfer the calendar to Google Calendars where it
can be maintained by more than one person for the benefit of all. If you
have a Google account and would be willing to assist with keeping the
calendar up to date, please let me know off list and I'll set you up.

The calendar is at
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=2ma3qii1ef1u59sec4pf19epnc%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Vancouver

and an iCal version is at
http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/2ma3qii1ef1u59sec4pf19epnc%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

I really hope that we can keep this thing going as a group - I know a
lot of people find it useful.

73 de Anthony VA7IRL
______________________________

I find this pretty neat Tool Bar app

http://haminfobar.myradiotoolbar.com

pretty awesome free app and is available for Firefox browser or IE

73
steve

ARRL RTTY Round Up

The first weekend of 2008 provides an opportunity to enjoy some healthy competition. The ARRL RTTY Roundup has quickly become one of the best contests using the digital modes. RTTY, PSK31, and several other digital modes are used to communicate with other amateurs all around the world. If you've wanted to try your hand at digital operating, this contest is an exciting way to get your feet wet. The ARRL RTTY Roundup is from 0000 January 5, 2008-2400 UTC January 6, 2008. Complete rules can be found on page 97 of the December QST.

need a Smith Chart or just a pc of graph paper

try this FREE site and download what you need
no registration or signup required and it's FREE

73
steve

A couple of OPS at the Helm of KG5VK during ARRL SS

Ray AD5ZT
making his first ever DX Phone contact
during a visit to KG5vk

N5VU Marcel & Ka5M Marsh
at
KG5VK
During ARRL Sweepstakes Phone Contest 2007