3830 Claimed Scores | 2010 NS Ladder Winter I | Low Power

East of Mississippi Single Operator.

• W9RE | 61 Qs | 40 Mults | 2,440 Points [SMC].
• N4OGW | 51 Qs | 38 Mults | 1,938 Points [ACG].
• K8MM | 47 Qs | 37 Mults | 1,739 Points [Thumb Area Contester].
  

n = 28 scores submitted in this division.

West of Mississippi Single Operator.

• N0KK | 45 Qs | 34 Mults | 1,530 Points [MWA].
• W0BH | 44 Qs | 32 Mults | 1,408 Points.
• KZ5D | 42 Qs | 30 Mults | 1,260 Points [CTDXCC].

n = 16 scores submitted in this division.

NCCC Member (CA/NV) Single Operator.

• N6RO | 53 Qs | 34 Mults | 1,802 Points.
• K6VVA | 48 Qs | 31 Mults | 1,488 Points.
• N6ZFO | 46 Qs | 32 Mults | 1,472 Points.

n = 5 scores submitted in this division.

The fastest 30-minutes in RadioSport completes another week of friendly competition as The Society of Midwest Contesters (SMC) wins top banner position.

I'm looking at the ratio of logged Qs against that of multipliers given W9RE's average of two Qs per minute as 1.52 multiplier(s) per contact whereas N6RO's average was 1.55 multiplier(s) per contact. Perhaps a question to ask of the data, "Is there an upper regional multiplier limit in relationship to band conditions?"

The results from last week suggested an influence of a gray line multiplier waterfall; upper limit 41 multipliers (east of Mississippi) and lower limit 25 (west coast) suggesting an average total of 33 multipliers per participant?

What would be N6RO's strategy given the availability of multipliers at an upper limit of 41 and a lower limit of 25 with an average of 33 multipliers per participant?

If upper reach is 41 multipliers from the east and upper reach is 34 from the west then increased regional participation on bands like 80m and/or 160m is an option after exceeding multiplier average and regional multiplier upper limit.

I'm working with Google documents to learn how-to scatter plot in the near future. Hypothetically, N6RO needed to log 73 Qs at an average rate of 1.21 per minute times a total of 34 multipliers subsequently an additional 20 Qs is the range when not accounting for any additional multipliers.

Congratulations Mike Wetzel, W9RE and The Society of Midwest Contesters on a banner week!

73 from the shackadelic on the beach.

This Weekend In RadioSport | 160m Is Monster Fun

RadioSport USA | CQ World Wide 160-Meter.
I wager that CQ Magazine has the best RadioSport franchise including this weekend's 160m event in a stable that includes CQ World Wide DX, CQ World Wide WPX, CQ WPX RTTY, and CQ VHF.

The event covers serious ionospheric territory in the spirit of a 48-hour marathon. The focus is ham radio fun on the Top Band with a minimum of 2-points for a logged Q within one's country. Admittedly, I'm sulking in shackadelic however we are working on my 160m vertical later in the weekend.

Wishing everyone best results and lots of ham radio fun on the monster wavelength!

Rules (link).

Pour on the CQ.

RadioSport History | CQ World Wide DX CW 1973

I have never actually sat in an operating chair and tuned around a band much less actually key a Collins KWM-2A using Morse code. However I remember dreaming as a novice about owning a legendary high frequency radio like this one and one day in the future I want to make it a reality.

One will note throughout the 1970s the number of Collins transceivers populating RadioSport desktops. There is good reason why superior quality and craftsmanship wins at the end of the day. I'm thinking of manufacturing attributes as exemplified by Collins while shackadelic takes shape through this year.

Propagation.
Is Cycle 24 and current band conditions as problematic for operators as generally understood? Can one imagine calling an answering machine for propagation updates? According to the article, George, W3ASK provided Dial-A-Prop service, for those earnest operators seeking additional data. That is an interesting idea to re-visit given the proliferation of mobile devices and Internet services.

However Frank Anzalone, W1WY commented that band conditions were acting recessionary because 10m was almost closed while 15m/20m were "fairly productive."

Does this propagation pattern sound familiar? Although the author points out that a shift in modes is underway because sideband continued trending upward.

Trends.
Anzalone (1974) stated for the first time in RadioSport history sideband submissions (n = 1746) increased as Morse code entries (n = 1704) declined by 4-percent. Additionally, international Morse code participation outpaced that of the United States as reported in the article.

RadioSport Ethics.
Disqualifications remain front page news as one station violated the rules for a second time in a row. This multi-multi in the United States earned itself a one year suspension as covered on paragraph seven of the lead page. An international station refused to comply when counting multipliers and was suspended for a period of one year as well.

Multi-multi titans in 1973 were W3AU, W2PV, and W4BVV.

Single Operator All Band in the United States was W3LPL.

Top Three Clubs in the United States were Potomac Valley Amateur Radio Club, Frankford Radio Club, and Murphy Marauders.

Top Three International Clubs were Rhine-Ruhr DX Association, South German DX Group, and Chelyabinsk Radio Club.

The year was 1973 when inflation in the United States was 6.16 percent, average income was $12,900, and the Odd Couple was at its zenith on television.

73 from the shackadelic on the beach.

Reference: Anzalone, F. W1WY (1974, August). CQ Magazine: 1973 CQ World Wide DX Contest: C.W. Results. pp. 33-40, 74-78.

3830 Claimed Scores | 2010 ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes | Low Power

Single Operator.

• N3ALN | 369 Qs | 81 Mults | 20hrs | 43,173 Points [PVRC].
• K9MU (@W0AIH) | 244 Qs | 98 Mults | 30,772 Points [Chippewa Valley VHF].
• K4LY | 176 Qs | 83 Mults | 16hrs | 20,501 Points [Carolina DX Association].

n = 26 scores submitted in this division.

Very high frequency (VHF) RadioSport is an exercise in patience in addition to facing down elements of weather and/or gutting out lonely hours in the operating chair this weekend. A job well done to each of the Top Three 3830 Claimed Scores!

One will notice a club screenshot leading my post. I'm a firm believer in celebrating hard work and effort especially when scoring a top three position in RadioSport. Additionally, I came from a school of example, where we congratulated each other on our successes; big or small.

It is a personal philosophy of mine, one that is best said like this, "You can take the man out of the uniform but you can't take the uniform out of the man."

Furthermore, I believe amateur radio clubs have a fundamental role to execute in the furtherance of our hobby. I want to celebrate 2010 as the Year of Amateur Radio Clubs. Therefore, as a campaign to raise awareness on the positive impact clubs have on our hobby, I will post a screenshot of the club whose member scored the number one 3830 Claimed Score.

Pour on the CQ!

2010 RadioSport Schedule

I recommend developing a RadioSport schedule as a template for constructing one's station asking, "What do I want from RadioSport?"

I want to build my station to a specific standard, basically, find an example of quality craftsmanship and build to that example. My station is rudiment that is a transceiver, an antenna match, a ground mounted three band trap vertical with radial system, and a bent center fed (450 Ohm window line) doublet supported by a push up 33-foot fiberglass mast.

I'm focusing time, energy, and financial resources on antenna system(s) through Q1 and Q2 of this year because effective radiated power counts at the end of a low power, low profile RadioSport weekend. My focus is shifting toward the loss in the system versus 1:1 SWR remembering that a match does not tune an antenna.

I can hear our elder statesmen in RadioSport say, "Effective radiated power is as important as the antenna itself."

Overall, carefully choose rather than hurriedly tossing something up, because instant gratification will produce disappointing results. Plan, plan, plan is as important as practice, practice, practice. At the end of the day I ask myself, "Am I proud of my accomplishment?"

2010 RadioSport Schedule.

• 7 February -- North American Sprint CW.
• 20 March -- Russian DX Contest.
• 10 April -- JIDX CW.
• 24 April -- Florida and Nebraska QSO Parties.
• 1 May -- 7th Call Area QSO Party.
• 29 May -- CQ World Wide WPX CW.
• 10 July -- IARU HF World Championship.
• 21 August -- North American QSO Party CW.
• 12 September -- North American Sprint CW.
• 25 September -- Texas QSO Party.
• 2 October -- California QSO Party.
• 6 November -- ARRL Sweepstakes CW.
• 27 November -- CQ World Wide DX CW.
• 3 December -- ARRL 160m.
• 11 December -- ARRL 10m.

Fred, KI6QDH and I ramped up work on K6MM's 160 Meter No Excuses Vertical through Saturday afternoon. We are modifying the design using threaded PVC reducers for ease of deployment and antenna guying. Additionally, as suggested, four alligators clips will connect the circuit at the mid-section instead of one continuous line of #22 AWG wire to capacitance hat.

I opted for black paint for night operation in front of the first floor terrace. Currently, I'm brainstorming where-to-deploy 1/4 wavelength radials for the antenna. Fred, KI6QDH and I will begin major assemble work next Saturday afternoon in his garage.

73 from the shackadelic on the beach.