Introduction to Contesting

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Introduction to Contesting
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What is Contesting?

• An on-air operating event
• An on-air competition
• Occurs during a set period of time
• Occurs on a set group of frequencies
• Has a set mode of operation (CW, SSB, etc)

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Why Did Contesting Start?

• To improve operator skills for traffic handling
  and during emergencies
• To be more accurate
• To be more efficient
• To deal with QRM better
• To improve operating skills while fatigue

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What are the some of the oldest contests?

• Two of the oldest contests are
• ARRL Sweepstakes - 1930
• ARRL International DX Contest - 1927

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Early Contests

• Lasted 14 days
• Exchange similar to standard message format
• Required minimum of 10 character text message
• Contained aspects of a message header
• Number, precedent, origin location, originating
  station

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Early Contests

• Scoring
• 1 point for sending a message
• 1 point for receiving a message
• Multipliers were different entities
• Countries or ARRL Sections
• Score (total points) X Multipliers

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Todays Contests

• Scoring QSO PTS X Multipliers
• Exchanges are typically short and defined
• Except ARRL November Sweepstakes
• Number, Precedent, Station, Check, Section
• Similar to Message Header
• Time periods are limited
• 4 hours to 48 hours
• On one weekend

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What frequencies do contests operate on?

• On almost all frequencies available to hams
• 160 Meter
• 10 Meter
• HF contest
• VHF Contest
• UHF Contest
• Excluded are WARC bands
• 12, 17, 30 Meters

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Geographical areas contests cover

• Local State QSO Parties
• National
• ARRL November Sweepstakes
• North American QSO Party
• International
• ARRL International DX Contest
• CQ World Wide DX Contest
• ARRL Ten Meter Contest

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What modes are used in contests?

• CW
• SSB
• RTTY
• PSK31
• Mixed modes
• Others?

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Are there power requirements?

• Some contests have power limitations
• i.e. all stations 100 watts or less
• Some contests have power categories
• QRP lt 5 watts
• Low power lt 100 or lt 150 watts
• High Power

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Are there different operating categories?

• Yes
• Single operator
• Multi-operator
• 1 XMTR, 2 XMTR, Multi XMTR
• With or without packet assistance

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With all the different power levels and operating
categories how are winners determined?

• A winner is determined for each category and
  power level based on highest score
• Winners are also determined by areas, such as
  countries, states, sections, etc.

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What are the benefits of contesting?

• Operator skill
• Advancing the start of the art of the hobby
• Improved radios
• Improved antennas
• Automation of stations
• Improved computer software

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Reasons for operating a contest

• Competition Win
• Award chasing
• WAS, DXCC, County Hunting, WPX, Grids
• Try out new equipment
• Radios antennas
• Skill Improvement

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Main Reasons for operating a contest

• Just to help out the people in the contest
• You dont have to be in the contest to make
  contacts with the participants
• TO HAVE FUN!

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• If you want to try a low key, friendly contest
  that you are the rare DX TRY
• 2008 Minnesota QSO Party

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Its Coming !!!!
The Minnesota QSO Party February 2, 2008
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What Is The Minnesota QSO Party?
An on-the-air operating event to allow stations
outside the state of Minnesota to make contacts
with as many Minnesota stations as
possible. Non-Minnesota stations make contacts
only with Minnesota stations while Minnesota
stations make contacts with anyone anywhere.
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What Is The Operating Objective In The Minnesota
QSO Party?
For Minnesota stations, it is to work as many
stations as possible in as many different States,
Provinces/Territories, Countries, and Minnesota
Counties as possible. For non-Minnesota
stations, it is to work as many Minnesota
stations as possible.
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When Is The Minnesota QSO Party ?
Saturday, February 2, 2008 8 AM to 6 PM Local
Time (1400 UTC 2400 UTC)
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What Bands and Modes Can Be Used?
160m through VHF. On HF, activity tends to
concentrate on 20 and 40 meters, then 40 75/80
meters towards evening. On VHF, look for
activity on 6m and 2m SSB as well as 2m FM (no
repeater contacts allowed). On each band, any
station may be worked twice - once on phone and
once on CW. Digital modes count as CW.
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What Are The Operating Classes For Minnesota
Stations ?

• HF Single-Op Low Power (100 watt max)
• HF Single-Op QRP (5 watts max)
• HF Multi-Single (One transmitter, many Ops)
• HF Mobile, Single Transmitter
• HF Mobile, Unlimited
• VHF (No repeater contacts allowed ! )
• Awards Are Issued To The
• Winners Of Each Operating Class

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Is there a Club Completion ?

• Yes !
• The Minnesota Wireless Association, sponsors of
  the MnQP, award a trophy to the Minnesota Club
  that has the highest collective score.
• Make sure that you indicate your Minnesota Club
  affiliation on your summary sheet !!!

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What Other Rules Apply To Mobiles ?

• All mobiles are limited to 100 watts or less.
• On CW, mobiles must sign their call with the
  appropriate three letter county location.
  Example W0AA/HEN
• When entering a new county mobiles are considered
  to be a new station and may be contacted again
  for QSO points and multiplier credit.
• A mobile station must move to a location clearly
  within any new county before claiming a county
  change.
• Common sense and safety should ALWAYS be
  considered.

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What Is The Exchange In The Minnesota QSO Party?

• Minnesota stations send their first name and the
  name of their Minnesota County. On CW, each
  County is assigned a three letter designator.
• Example John HEN
• Non-Minnesota stations send their first name and
  their State, Province (VE), or Country (DX)
• Example Paul NY

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How Is The Score Calculated In The Minnesota QSO
Party?

• Multipliers are counted only once regardless of
  the bands or modes that they are worked on.
• 151 Total Multipliers For Those In Minnesota
• 49 US States (excludes Minnesota)
• District of Columbia (DC)
• 14 Canadian Provinces or Territories
• 87 Minnesota Counties
• Multipliers For Those Outside of Minnesota
• 87 Minnesota Counties

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How Is The Score Calculated In The Minnesota QSO
Party?
QSO Points - CW/RTTY QSOs count for two points,
SSB/FM count for one point. Final Score - Your
final score is the total of all your QSO points
multiplied by the total number of multipliers
worked.
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Submitting A Log

• Logs must be submitted no later than March 15,
  2008.
• Electronic logs are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED.
• Free logging software and instructions on how to
  send your electronic log can be found on the MWA
  website at www.w0AA.org, then click on MnQP.
• Lane NE, Ham Lake, MN, 55304-5233. Both logs
  and summary sheets are available for downloading
  from the website listed above.

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Minnesota QSO Party Tips To Have Fun

• A big station is not necessary to do well.
• Call CQ Minnesota QSO Party a lot !! Remember
  that stations from all over the world will be
  looking for YOU. Do not be shy !
• Most HF activity is centered on 20 and 40M during
  the day, then shifts to 40 75/80m towards
  evening.
• Operate both CW and SSB to maximize QSO points.
• Watch for the mobiles who can be re-worked when
  they change counties and may provided you with
  new multipliers.

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Minnesota QSO Party
February 2, 2008 Get on the air and lets show the
World how active Minnesota is !