AmQRP Contesting Page

QRP Contesting

by Ken Newman, N2CQ

About the AmQRP Club
Frequently_Asked_Questions
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References
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QRP Contesters,

Please send me your sprint or contest information and we'll get it listed in our popular QRP Contesting calendar!

If you wish to have the Calendar sent to you directly, send an e-mail to N2CQ@ARRL.Net

QRP CONTEST CALENDAR
December 2011

QRP ARCI Topband CW & SSB Sprint *** QRP CONTEST ***
Dec 1, 0000z to 0600z
Rules: http://www.qrparci.org/content/view/5267/118/

40 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 2, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

ARRL 160 meter Contest (CW) ... QRP Category
Dec 2, 2200z to Dec 4, 1600z
Rules: http://www.arrl.org/160-meter

TARA RTTY Mêlée ... 150W category
Dec 3, 0000z to 2400z
Rules: http://www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_melee_rules.html

Wake-Up! QRP Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 3, 0600z to 0800z
Rules:
http://qrp.ru/modules/sections/index.php?op=viewarticle&artid=7&page=1

TOPS Activity 80 Meter Contest (80M CW) ... QRP Category
Dec 3, 1600z to Dec 4, 1759z
Rules:
http://procwclub.yo6ex.ro/TOP%20OF%20OPERATORS%20ACTIVITY%20CONTEST.pdf

Adventure Radio Spartan Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 6, 0200z to 0400z
Rules: http://adventure-radio.org/wiki/index.php?title=Spartan_Sprints

80 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 7, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

40 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 9, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

ARRL 10 Meter Contest (CW/SSB) ... QRP Category
Dec 10, 0000z to Dec 11, 2359z
Rules: http://www.arrl.org/10-meter

CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW) ... QRP Category
DEc 10, 1300z to 1400z and
Dec 10, 1900z to 2000z and
DEC 11, 0300z to 0400z
Rules: http://www.cwops.org/onair.html

UBA Low Band Winter Contest (CW/SSB/RTTY/PSK) .. QRP Category
Dec 10, 1700z to 2100z and
Dec 11, 0600z to 1000z
Rules: http://www.uba.be/hf/contest-rules/low-band-winter-contest

SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (Straight Key CW) ... QRP Category
Dec 11, 0000z to 2359z
Rules: http://www.skccgroup.com/sprint/wes/index-wes.html

The Great Colorado Snowshoe Run (20M CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 11, 2100z to 2259z
Rules: http://www.cqc.org/contests/snow2011.htm
vNAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 14, 0130Z to 0330Z
Rules: http://naqcc.info/contests.html

80 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 14, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW) ... QRP Category
DEc 14, 1300z to 1400z and
Dec 14, 1900z to 2000z and
DEC 13, 0300z to 0400z
Rules: http://www.cwops.org/onair.html

NAQCC-EU Monthly Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Nov 14, 1800z to 2000z
Rules: http://naqcc-eu.org/sprints

40 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 16, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

Feld Hell Club Sprint (Feld Hell) ... QRP Category
Dec 17, 0000z to 2400z
Rules: http://sites.google.com/site/feldhellclub/Home

OK DX RTTY Contest
Dec 17, 0000z to 2400z
Rules: http://www.crk.cz/ENG/DXCONTE
vRAC Canada Winter Contest (All) ... QRP Category
Dec 17, 0000z to 2359z
Rules: http://www.rac.ca/en/rac/programmes/contests/

Croatian CW Contest (CW) ... QRP Category
Dec 17, 1400z to Dec 18, 1400z
Rules: http://www.9acw.org

Stew Perry (W1BB)
Topband Distance Challenge (CW) ... QRP Category
Dec 17, 1500z to Dec 18, 1500z
Rules: http://jzap.com/k7rat/stew.rules.txt

Rookie Roundup (CW) 100W Max
Dec 18, 1800z to 2359z
Rules: http://www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup

Holiday Spirits Homebrew Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 18, 2000z to 2359z
Rules: http://www.qrparci.org/content/view/8108/118/

RUN FOR THE BACON (CW) *** QRP CONTEST ***
UTC: Dec 19, 0200z 0400z
Rules: http://fpqrp.org/

80 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 21, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

40 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 23, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

R A E M Contest (CW) .. Low Power category
Dec 25, 0000z to 1159z
Rules: http://www.srr.ru/CONTEST/cup_raem_engl_11.php

DARC Christmas Contest (CW/SSB) ... Low Power Category
Dec 25, 0830z to 1059z
Rules: http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/contest/xmas/en/rules/

SKCC Sprint (Straight Key CW) ... QRP Awards
Dec 28, 0000z to 0200z
Rules: http://www.skccgroup.com/sprint/sks/

80 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 28, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW) ... QRP Category
DEc 28, 1300z to 1400z and
Dec 28, 1900z to 2000z and
DEC 29, 0300z to 0400z
Rules: http://www.cwops.org/onair.html

NACC Straight Key/Bug Sprint (CW mw Special) ***QRPp Contest***
Dec 29, 0130z to 0330z
Rules: http://naqcc.info/contests.html

40 METER FOXHUNT (CW) *** QRP Contest ***
Dec 30, 0200z to 0329z
Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/

Thanks to SM3CER, WA7BNM, N0AX(ARRL), VA3JFF & G4GXL (QRPARCI)
N2APB (AmQRP), WB3AAL (EPAQRP) and others for assistance in compiling this calendar.

If you wish to subscribe to the Calendar, send an e-mail to N2CQ@...

Please forward the contest info you sponsor to N2CQ@... and we will post it and give it more publicity.
Anyone may use this "N2CQ QRP Contest Calendar" for your website, newsletter, e-mail list or other media as you choose.
(Include a credit to the source of this material of course.)
72 de
Ken Newman - N2CQ

N2CQ QRP Contest Calendar Links:
http://www.n3epa.org/Pages/Contest/contest.htm
http://www.amqrp.org/contesting/contesting.html
http://www.qrparci.org/content/view/6134/130/lang,en/

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QRP Contesting "Tips & Techniques"

I may not have anything new in contesting but it wouldn't hurt to review on these points. Anyone with more to add, PLEASE DO, and we'll add your input to the review.

ANTENNAS, ANTENNAS and ANTENNAS. Many would agree that antennas are the first three thing to improve our results in contesting for any kind, whether Sprint or Contest. For example ...

QRP Afield '96 was won easily by AC5AM, Bob Stolzle. Having been in the contest, we wondered how it could be that this guy was S9 the whole contest, and always there sending 950 MW power. Now we know. The complete story was published in the "72" of Jan. '97. Again, antennas. He found the highest point in the area which just happened to have an old, unused broadcast radio tower. He raised two full wave delta loops (20 and 40 meters) and inverted vee's (20/40 mtrs) at the 100' level. A coax switch is used to choose the best antenna for the incoming signals.

The 100' level probably made the difference, being a strong signal from a QRPp station. His point too is that resonant antennas do much better than those with tuners. The idea was to call CQ on the loop. If no answer, call CQ on the Vee, and so on. If answered on a weak signal, switch to the other one if received better.

Now on to the rest of the real QRP World. Not many are going to find a unused 100+ foot tower to raise these types of antennas. Given that for the Contest type of event, the next thing would be the Op.

For the Op, the biggest thing would be the amount of operation time he is having fun with. Very few put in the 24 hours for the QRP ARCI Spring and Fall contests. The ones in the "TOP TEN" list reached that level according to the hours spent, assuming they are more than average stations. How do they do that? First one have to have the desire. It becomes less desirable at the 15 hour level unless you had plenty of sleep before the contest. To stay there, you have to have the necessary operator comforts. You know what they are for you. Things like a comfortable chair and headphones will take you further.

The first thing that took me to longer operating duration was the memory keyer. With this you can be relaxed much longer and your fist won't give out.

In recent years, computer logging takes me even further. I use "NA" for the QRCI contests. When calling CQ, you can set a repeat every few seconds. All you need do is listen. If a station is answering, press the "ESC" key to stop the repeats, and enter his callsign. Press the "INSERT" key, and the station is answered and your info is sent. (You can input an RST if you wish). Enter his info and press the "=" key and you have sent an OK and a QRZ. That is it. (Except the log that is printed at the end.) Given that, you could be there a much longer time.

What else for the operator? Practice, practice, and practice! The more you do the better you get.

There are some excellent links to more contest tips. I would recommend the K3WWP link first. If you have been in contesting, chances are you worked John. He is using a homebrew QRP tube transmitter with an indoor antenna. If you don't have the antenna like AC5AM had, you can relate to K3WWP. Look for his tips at: http://home.alltel.net/johnshan/contest_ss_tips.html

After that, you may want to check the tips from the top contesters. Check them out at: http://www.contesting.com This is not QRP but many of the suggestions will help us all in contesting. This covers the pre-contesting, equipment, operating, and post-contesting. Most tips assume that you are running a KW, beams and contest software.

Anyone have more QRP contesting tips? I'm sure all would like to hear about them and we'll add any that can help us along.

CU in the next 'test!

72/73,
Ken Newman, N2CQ
Woodbury, NJ
n2cq@arrl.net

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