Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC)

1. Virginia QSO Party Get Ready for 2007 Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC) http://www.qsl.net/sterling/VA_QSO_Party/QSOParty.htm Gordon Miller, NQ4K nq4k@arrl.net

2. Sterling ParkAmateur Radio Club (SPARC) • A friendly club • Meet once a month • Sponsor the Annual Virginia QSO Party. • Manage the the U.S. 4th call area, two-letter prefix, incoming QSL Bureau. • Participate in ARRL Field Day • Operate a radio station at Sterlingfest, the annual hometown street festival • Enjoy working a few amateur radio contests as a club entry • Web site: www.qsl.net/sterling Appreciation

3. Topics • Appreciation • Planning and Execution Process • 2007 Rules • Meta-Analysis of the 2006 QSO Party • Description of Certificates • Including related certificates • All Time High Scores • Gordon’s Tips for Winning in the Virginia QSO Party

4. Appreciation • Hams Everywhere • For enthusiastically participating • Members of SPARC • Committee Members • Dick, W2YE, for rules and club station • Jim, AF4MO, for working County and Independent City coverage • Henry, K2BFY, for a scoring program • Ray, KD4RSL, for photographs and handling money • Jim, KF4PQL, for assisting with ceremony • All members for • Calling Virginia hams to foster interest • K4NVA operation • Advice, and • Log scoring • Plaque Sponsors • Others • Manassas Hamfest: Offering time and space • Dennis, W4PWF: Emailing all hams in VA Topics

5. 2005 Awards Ceremony Audience

6. 2006 VQP Awards Ceremony Jim, KF4PQL Henry, K2BFY Dick, W2YE Gordon, NQ4K Dick, W2YE Ray, KD4RSL Henry, K2BFY

7. 2006 Scoring Party Paper log scoring party at Gordon’s QTH (NQ4K). Dick, W2YE; Jim, AF4MO; Henry, K2BFY Appreciation

8. 2006 VQP Club Station – K4NVA Shack of Dick, W2YE Certificates Heil Head-sets Linear Amp Antenna cables QSO Card sorting bins Linear Amp Gordon, NQ4K Don, K7CS Photog: Dick, W2YE

9. 2006 VQPPlaque Sponsors Appreciation Est in 2005 Est in 2006,

10. Virginia QSO Party How We Do It The Annual Cycle

11. Virginia QSO Party Schedule Rules Review Basic Activities Plaque Sponsor Solicitation Verify counties and independent cities Logging Software K4NVA Station Operation Planning Club Presentations Submit notice to ARRL for QST / Calendar Coverage Solicitation Participation Activities Flyers to VA clubs Email to VA arrl.net ham addresses Telephone calls to VA hams Presentations to clubs Virginia QSO Party Log Submissions Log Scoring / Post Metadata Recognition Activities Identify Plaque Recipients Print and Distribute Plaques and Certificates Awards Ceremony at Manassas Hamfest

12. Virginia QSO Party Trying To Do Better

13. Publicity • Emails appeared to raise participation • Need more emails • Participants from last year • Encourage them to solicit one additional participant • Clubs – Only 23 of 49 clubs in VA were represented • ARRL emailing • County and Independent City Coverage • Jim, AF4MO, at jaschappell@cox.net • Calls to Virginia Hams • Presentations to Interested Groups

14. Logging • Different formats – made electronic analysis hard • Publish cabrillo format • Coordinate with software developers • Encourage additional logging programs to support VQP • Encourage electronic submission START­OF­LOG: QTH: LDN CALLSIGN: K4NVA CATEGORY: MULTI-MULTI LOW FIXED CLAIMED­SCORE: 12345 CLUB: Sterling Park ARC CONTEST: Virginia QSO Party CREATED­BY: Gordon's Fat Fingers NAME: Gordon R Miller ADDRESS: 12314 STREAMVALE CIRCLE ADDRESS: HERNDON, VA 20170 OPERATORS: NQ4K W2YE KD4RSL SOAPBOX: THE GREATEST CONTEST EVER. QSO: 14255 PH 2001­10­06 0711 K4NVA         001 LDN           W1AW          002 CT QSO: 14000 PH 2001-10-06 0712 K4NVA         002 LDN           KD4RSL        019 FFX QSO: 14000 PH 2001-10-06 0713 K4NVA         003 LDN           KD4RSP       1235 FFX QSO: 14000 PH 2001-10-06 0714 K4NVA         004 LDN           DL7TG         001 GERMANY END­OF­LOG:

15. Logging Programs • VA QSO Party Logger (Andy Arnold, WV8AA) • WriteLog (N9OH) • N1MM Logger • Amateur Contact Log (Scott & Kimberly, N3FJP & KA3SEQ)

16. SPARC VQP Scoring Program • Stand-along scoring program • Developed by Henry, K2BFY • Available from web site • Works under Windows as executable • Put .cbr file in same directory • Run vqp.exe • Just released – looking for comments

17. Virginia QSO Party 2007 Rules

18. 2007 RulesObjective and Dates To promote amateur radio activity in the 95 Virginia Counties and 39 Virginia Independent Cities. Saturday, 17 Mar, 1800 UTC Monday, 19 March, 0200 UTC Saturday,18 Mar, 1300 Local Sunday, 19 Mar, 2100 Local

19. 2007 RulesEntry Categories Operator Categories Station Categories Single Operator Fixed Station Multi Operator / Single Trans Mobile Multi Operator / Multi Trans Expedition     Power Categories Band Categories QRP (5 watts or less) Multi-Band High/Low Single Band Mode CategoriesPhone (SSB/FM) CW Club Entry Digital (RTTY/PSK) Mixed * * All considered for Mixed

20. 2007 RulesValid Contacts • Virginia stations work all stations. • Out-of-State stations work Virginia stations only. • Work fixed stations once per band/mode. • Work Virginia Mobiles and Expeditions in each Virginia County or Independent City from which they operate. • Stations on County or Independent City lines count as one QSO and only one County/Independent City multiplier. • No cross-mode or repeater QSO's. • Spotting nets, DX clusters, etc., may be used to locate other stations - no self-spotting permitted.

21. 2007 RulesExchange • QSO number and QTH • Virginia County or Independent City for VA stations; • State, Province or DX Country for others • Virginia Mobile and Expedition Stations log QSO's by Virginia Independent City or County of operation. • Identify all QSO's with band, mode, sequential QSO number sent/received and date/time of contact in UTC. • Please follow standard contest practices by making and responding to "CQ Virginia QSO Party" calls. • Multiple Transmitter stations may maintain sequential QSO numbers independently for each transmitter.

22. 2007 RulesScoring • QSO Points • Phone: 1 pt • CW 2 pts • Digital 2 pts • Virginia Mobile 3 pts • Multipliers • Multipliers are only counted onceVirginia Station multipliers are • VA counties and independent cities • US States • Canadian Provinces • DX Countries • No DX multiplier for US (including AL, HI), VA and Canada • Mobile / Expedition stations that contact 10 or more different stations while operating from a county or independent city may claim it as a multiplier, if not otherwise worked. • Outside of Virginia station • Virginia Counties and Independent Cities

23. 2007 RulesScoring • Bonus Points • Virginia Mobile and Expedition stations: 100 points for each Virginia County/Independent City from which they log a valid QSO. • Contact with K4NVA: 500 bonus points (one time only) • Final score • QSO Points X Multipliers + Bonus Points

24. 2007 RulesEntries • Fixed, Expedition, and Mobile operations will be considered separately. • Please submit separate logs. • Multiple operator stations should indicate all operators by name / call sign. • Electronic (preferred) or paper logs, summary and dupe sheets (200 or more QSO’s) are required for all entries. • The summary and 'dupe sheet' requirements are waived if recognized contesting software is used. • For Club Competition purposes, be sure to indicate club name on summary sheet and log. • Submit entries by April 15, 2007 by mail to the VA QSO Party, Call Box 599, Sterling, VA 20167 or by email to nq4k@arrl.net. • A $1.00 donation to help defray the costs of printing and mailing is encouraged.

25. 2007 RulesAwards • All participants submitting a log will receive a certificate. • Plaques are identified on the contest web site. Adding 3 new plaques for a total of 22 plaques: High Virginia QRP CW High Outside Virginia QRP CW High Rookie

26. 2007 Plaques and Sponsors

27. 2006 Virginia QSO Party Log Metadata AnalysisandQSO Analysis

28. Log MetaData Hams chase propagation Significant increase Extras are the norm!

29. Log MetaData High is not as high. Most hams use phone only. * 3 entries ** 1 entry N4NW, K4NVA, K4EG, W4CAR, W4WVP K4TS Most hams use low-high power. W4ML, K4M

30. 2005 Log MetadataLogs from Locations Not in Virginia Increased no. of states with 4 or more logs (3 to 8) Location Summary

31. Log MetadataLogs from Locations in Virginia Logs from 51 C&C

32. Logging Programs

33. 2005 QSO Analysis • Based upon electronic logs only • 11,150 QSOs = 22,300 contacts • 7,335 Non-Virginia contacts • ~ 1/3 of contacts • Other states, Canadian Providences, DX Antigua & Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azores Belgium BosniaHerzegovina Brazil Bulgaria China Columbia Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Dem. Rep. Congo England France Georgian Republic Germany Guyana Honduras Hungary Ireland Japan Lebanon Lithuania Netherlands Netherlands Poland Russia Slovak Republic Spain Suriname Svalbard Island Switzerland Tunisia Turks & Caicos Ukraine Wales Yugoslavia Others I was too lazy to type in Remember this number

34. 2006 QSO Analysis • Based upon electronic logs only • 25,524 QSOs = 51,048 contacts • 16,308 Non-Virginia contacts ~ 1/3 of contacts • 50 of 50 states and District of Columbia • 10 of 13 provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, New Foundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan) (missing Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon) • DX 68(Algeria, Antigua_and_Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia_Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Costa_Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech_Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican_Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Great_Britain, Greece, Grenada, Hawaii, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New_Zealand, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Puerto_Rico, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovak_Republic, Slovenia, South_Africa, Spain, St_Lucia, St_Vincent, Sweden, Switzerland, The_Gambia, Tonga, Trinidad_and_Tobago, Ukraine, United_Nations, Uruguay, Venezuela, Virgin_Islands, Yugoslavia) and maybe a few more. More than doubled same ratio

35. QSO AnalysisCounties and Independent Cities 2005 15,000 Virginia contacts 18 of 134 C&C not activated. 2006 34,740 Virginia contacts 7 of 134 C&C not activated.

36. 2005 QSO Analysis

37. 2006 QSO Analysis

38. 2005 Club Scores and EntriesHigh Combined Score 30 Clubs had entries 19 from VA 49 Clubs in VA !!!

39. 2006 Club Scores and EntriesHigh Combined Score 40 Club Entries, 23 from VA

40. 2006 Club ScoresVA QSOs Only Ole Virginia Hams ARC        11,440 Frankford Radio Group        10,659 Colonial Capitol Contest Club    10,653 Tennessee Contest Group        9,216 K4EG Alamance ARC        6,004 Northern Illinois DX Association    5,915 Florida Contest Group        2,756 Woodbridge Wireless Inc.     2,170 Chesapeake Amateur Radio Service    2,015 Virginia Beach ARC, USS Wisconsin 1,386 Ashe County ARC            800 Lawton Fort Sill ARC        560 Central German Contest Group    532 Arlington Amateur Radio Club    150 Portsmouth ARC            110 Northern Shenandoah DX Assn    90 QWCA Chapter 119        40 Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado    1 None Stated            515,896 Fauquier ARA            508,474Potomac Valley Radio Club 147,420 Loudoun Amateur Radio Group    102,638 Central Virginia Contest Club  79,020 Rappahannock Valley ARC     71,759 South East Contest Club        60,975 W4HFH Alexandria Radio Club    36,190 Virginia DX Century Club    34,020 Contest Club Ontario        33,375 Society of Midwest Contesters    32,604 Yankee Clipper Contest Club    27,000 Western Tidewater Radio Association    23,220 Franklin County ARC        20,384 Sterling Park ARC         20,242 Vienna Wireless Society  20,064 Mad River Radio Club        14,148 Virginia Beach ARC        12,155 Radio Association of Erie 11,934

41. 2006 Plaque WinnersAll Time High Scores High Score Working Hard to Stay High Score Take it all over

42. Virginia QSO Party Certificates

44. 2005 Virginia QSO Party The Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club congratulates for promoting amateur radio activity in Virginia’s 95 Counties and 39 Independent Cities with your enthusiastic participation in this annual event. State Bird Cardinal Floral Emblem Dogwood Independent Cities Counties Accomack Albemarle Alleghany Amelia Amherst Appomattox Arlington Augusta Bath Bedford Bland Botetourt Brunswick Buchanan Buckingham Campbell Caroline Alexandria Fairfax Manassas Richmond Bedford Falls Church Manassas Park Roanoke Bristol Franklin Martinsville Salem Buena Vista Fredericksburg Newport News Staunton Charlottesville Galax Norfolk Suffolk Chesapeake Hampton Norton Virginia Beach Colonial Heights Harrisonburg Petersburg Waynesboro Covington Hopewell Carroll Charles City Charlotte Chesterfield Clarke Craig Culpeper Cumberland Dickenson Dinwiddie Essex Fairfax Fauquier Floyd Fluvanna Franklin Frederick Giles Glouchester Goochland Grayson Greene Greensville Halifax Hanover Henrico Henry Highland Isle of Wight James City King & Queen King George King William Lancaster Lee Loudoun Louisa Lunenburg Madison Mathews Mecklenburg Middlesex Montgomery Nelson New Kent Northampton Northumberland Nottoway Orange Page Patrick Pittsylvania Powhatan Prince Edward Prince George Prince William Pulaski Rappahannock Richmond Roanoke Rockbridge Rockingham Russell Scott Shenandoah Smyth Southampton Spotsylvania Stafford Surry Sussex Tazewell Warren Washington Westmoreland Wise Wythe York Poquoson Williamsburg Danville Lexington Portsmouth Winchester Emporia Lynchburg Radford

46. 2007 Virginia QSO Party The Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club congratulates for promoting amateur radio activity in Virginia’s 95 Counties and 39 Independent Cities with your enthusiastic participation in this annual event. State Fish Brook Trout (adopted in 1993) State Insect Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (adopted in 1991) Counties Independent Cities Accomack Albemarle Alleghany Amelia Amherst Appomattox Arlington Augusta Bath Bedford Bland Botetourt Brunswick Buchanan Buckingham Campbell Caroline Alexandria Bedford Bristol Buena Vista Charlottesville Chesapeake Colonial Heights Covington Danville Emporia Fairfax Falls Church Franklin Fredericksburg Galax Hampton Harrisonburg Hopewell Lexington Lynchburg Manassas Manassas Park Martinsville Newport News Norfolk Norton Petersburg Poquoson Portsmouth Radford Carroll Charles City Charlotte Chesterfield Clarke Craig Culpeper Cumberland Dickenson Dinwiddie Essex Fairfax Fauquier Floyd Fluvanna Franklin Frederick Giles Gloucester Goochland Grayson Greene Greensville Halifax Hanover Henrico Henry Highland Isle of Wight James City King & Queen King George King William Lancaster Lee Loudoun Louisa Lunenburg Madison Mathews Mecklenburg Middlesex Montgomery Nelson New Kent Northampton Northumberland Nottoway Orange Page Patrick Pittsylvania Powhatan Prince Edward Prince George Prince William Pulaski Rappahannock Richmond Roanoke Rockbridge Rockingham Russell Scott Shenandoah Smyth Southampton Spotsylvania Stafford Surry Sussex Tazewell Warren Washington Westmoreland Wise Wythe York Richmond Roanoke Salem Staunton Suffolk Virginia Beach Waynesboro Williamsburg Winchester

48. Virginia Quadricentennial Commemorative Amateur Radio Certificate • Sponsored by QCWA Vic Clark Chapter 91, Washington, DC Area • 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. • In 1607, the first permanent English settlement in the New World was founded on the banks of a river, on a spit of land 40 miles upstream from where the river empties into the Atlantic Ocean. • Its founders, some 100 in number, sailed over on three vessels: the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. • They landed first at Cape Henry, near Virginia Beach. • Seeking a more secure location, they ventured upstream into what is now known as the James River, and they named their new settlement Jamestown. • Both were named in honor of their king, James I. • The Commonwealth of Virginia will be celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding during the year of 2007. • The Vic Clark Chapter 91 of QCWA is joining in that celebration by offering an award to all licensed radio amateurs for confirmed contacts made on the amateur radio bands during 2007.

49. Virginia Quadricentennial Commemorative Amateur Radio Certificate 1. The award will be issued for confirmed two-way contacts with 25 different stations in the State of Virginia during the quadricentennial year of 2007. 2. Contacts must be made between 0000 UTC 1 January 2007 and 2400 UTC 31 December 2007. 3. Certificates will be serially numbered in the order issued and signed by the Chapter President and Treasurer. 4. Contacts may be made on any frequency authorized for amateur use. Contacts through a repeater will not be creditable. 5. Any mode legal on the frequency used will be acceptable. 6. Applicants must submit a list of contacts claimed including: call, date and time (UTC), band/frequency, mode, QTH, and name of operator. Each application must include a signed statement certifying the list to be accurate. 7. There will be a fee of $2.00 for applicants in North America. (Check, cash, or money order only. No credit cards or stamps accepted.) Certificates will be gratis to stations outside North America but donations will be accepted. 8. Applications for the award will be accepted until 1 July 2008 at:Vic Clark Chapter 91, QCWAP. O. Box 4112Merrifield, VA 22116-4112