New Mexico State Convention/DCHF Albuquerque, NM Aug 20, 2005

1. New Mexico State Convention/DCHFAlbuquerque, NM Aug 20, 2005 Bruce Draper, AA5B Getting Started in Contesting Much of this material was originally created by Gary Schmidt W5ZL Gale Zeiler WB0YEA Susan King K5DU of the Central Texas DX and Contest Club

2. AB5K Big Gun or Little Pistol WB0YEA No matter what size station you’re operating, it’s a thrill to talk to somebody far away. Contests let you do that many times in one weekend!

3. What We’ll Cover • What kind of ham enters a contest? • What’s the object? • Getting started in contesting • The variety of contest types • How to win a contest • Online contesting resources

4. CQ Contest! Who enters a contest? Why? • The Casual Contester A desire to just have some fun, improve operating skills, and work new countries, states, counties, etc. from the smorgasbord of participating stations • The Feisty Contester A desire to compete … individually, or as part of a club. • The Committed Contester Able to leap tall buildings with a single bound Able to master the art of sleep deprivation N2IC in action

5. Benefits of Contesting • It’s just FUN • Gets the competitive juices flowing • Improves operating skills • Excellent preparation for emergency operations • An excellent use of our allocated spectrum Remember: “Use it or lose it.”

6. Do I Have to Have a “Contest Station”? • Plenty of Big Gun contest stations • Multiple radios • Multiple towers • Serious station automation • Also plenty of “normal” stations • There are opportunities for “guest operating” You don’t have to be a Big Gun to have Big Fun contesting!

7. How to Win a Contest • Work a lot of stations • Work as many “multipliers” as possible • Work smart • Make good band change decisions • Use efficient operating techniques • Don’t waste time or words (similar to emergency operations) • Know when to “Run” and when to “Search & Pounce” • Know when to take a break

8. Efficient Techniques • When you’re getting started, spend a lot of time listening to other stations. After a little while, it’ll be obvious to you who’s doing it right. • Simple things can make a big difference. • On CW, “TEST N2UT” vs “CQ TEST DE N2UT” can save enough time during the weekend to work a hundred more stations! • On phone, “Thanks, VP5K” vs “Thank you, QRZed contest, this is VP5K” can save enough time (AND YOUR VOICE) to work hundreds more QSOs.

9. Many different types of contests • SSB, CW, RTTY • DX ARRL, CQWW, IARU, WPX, foreign hosted, etc. • National Field Day, Sweepstakes, NAQP, VHF/UHF, State QSO Parties, etc. • Specialty Sprints, FOC Marathon, SOC, SKN, etc.

10. A Contest for All Seasons/Tastes Beginner to Expert ARRL RTTY ARRL SKN Jan NAQP ARRL VHF Sprint ARRL DX CQ WPX ARRL Field Day ARRL VHF IARU HF World Championships State QSO Parties (Many) ARRL UHF NAQP Sprint CQ WW DX TQP ARRL Sweepstakes ARRL 160 ARRL 10 Dec

11. Multiple categories . . . designed to let you compete on a level playing field  Single operator  Packet-assisted or unassisted  Power  QRP, low, high • Single band and/or mode (some contests)  Multi-op, single transmitter • Multi-op, multi-transmitter

12. When are contests run?  Almost always on weekends • Starting/ending times vary by contest • Durations as short as 4 hours • As long as 48 hours • Maximum allowed operating hours also vary  Good on-line contest calendar: www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/

13. Online Contesting Resources • ARRL www.arrl.org • “ARRL Rate Sheet” newsletter http://www.arrl.org/contests/rate-sheet/ • Contesting.com www.contesting.com • National Contest Journal www.ncjweb.com

14. Best contests for getting your feet wet  Field Day  Straight Key Night • State QSO Parties (many!)

15. What’s Req’d to Get Started?  A radio and antennas  A logging system  Pencil & paper o Tried and true, but hard to keep track of dupes  Computer-based logging software o Many options from freeware to networked • DOS-based: •TR Log ($60-75) www.trlog.com •NA ($90) www.datomonline.com •CT (free) www.k1ea.com  Windows-based  N1MM (free) www.n1mm.com  WriteLog (~$75) www.writelog.com  N3FJP ($39-49) www.n3fjp.com o Can even trigger pre-recorded voice, CW, or RTTY exchanges

16. Advanced Operation:Interfacing Your Radio • Serial, USB and Parallel Options • Why do it? • Logging automation: less work for you = higher QSO rates • Date/time • Freq/mode • Contest exchange • Integrated “point-and-shoot” DX cluster operation • Trigger transmitted exchanges

17. How do I report my results? • Officially • Snail mail • eMail • Cabrillo file generated by most computerized logging programs (may be required to be declared a winner) • Unofficially • “3830” • On the air (right after the contest, 3830 kHz) • http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/

18. What Can I Win? • Trophies, plaques, certificates • Goodies • Example: WA State QSO Party “Salmon Run” category winners receive smoked salmon • Trips! • QSOs toward non-contest awards  The awe and respect of your fellow competitors (aka “bragging rights”)

19. Local Help ARRL-affiliated “local” club: New Mexico Big River Contesters Informal NM group, with eMail reflector: nmcontesters (send eMail to n2ic@arrl.net for info)