If you remember a few posts back I started to mention the CQ Contest when talking about how busy October was starting to look.. Well at the OARC (Ottawa Amateur Radio Club) Meeting (last nite) the topic of upcoming contests was also mentioned so….
I thought I would give you a short blurb on the big contests that will be happening in the next little while…. Follow the links for more infomation…
For some Contests are the only reason for radio and for others (like me) its a chance to raise my country count if I am lucky…
CQWW SSB Contest: 0000Z October 27 through 2359Z October 28 2012
ARRL November Sweepstakes CW)- November 3rd- 5th
ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB – November 17th-19th
CQWW CW Contest: 0000Z November 24 through 2359Z November 25 2012
Now if you are new to contesting OR you just want a fresh opinion on how you should want to be doing things I recommend you head over to Peter West’s blog (ve3hg.wordpress.com) where as I write this … he has just finished part 2 of what will be a 7 part article on Contesting. Here is the link to part 1 and you can follow from there… Peter is an accomplished contester who has done “fairly well” in the contesting scene… I’d suggest reading his articles and then see what improvements you can make to your contesting plans…
On the other hand I am not a contester…. I do enjoy giving out contacts in the contests and I do enjoy working new countries/states, and in a contest I expect to get a few “new ones” in the log… In addition to make things a bit more interesting I try and set a few simple goals for myself…
Normally they are:
Have Fun….
Try and operate for at least 50% of the contest
In a North American based contest I should be able to work at least 25 of the US States and most of the Provinces
In a world wide based contest I should be able to work at least 4 continents
In a world wide based contest I should be able to work at least 30 DXCC entities and hopefully a couple of new ones as well
In whatever contest and whatever catagory I participate in, my score should be in the top 50% at the end of the day
In the RAC Canada contests I should be able to work all the Provinces and Territorities (done it before but the North is rough)
If at the end of the day I can attain the above goals I will be happy with myself and my station. Remember no beams here… No amps either… 100w and a vertical is the best I can come up with…
At the end of contest I know that I will not be in the top 10 (best I ever did was top 10 in QRP SSB 2003 Canada Winter Contest) but I know that I will of had fun and really thats all that matters.
73bob
Tags: amateur radio contesting, Anateur Radio, ARRL Sweepstakes, CQ WW Contest, Ottawa Amateur Radio Club, VE3HG
