2012 and CTRI CG

I would like to wish all the great members of CTRI Contest Group a Happy New Year for 2012.  As a club, we have many things to look forward to, and I trust we will have many enjoyable opportunities to get together and enjoy our fabulous hobby.

So, what goals are you going to set for yourself for this coming year?  Personally, I want to continue persuing 5-Band DXCC.  I have completed the first 100 in 2011, and am rapidly closing in on 40-meter DXCC.  I have 96 confirmed on LoTW, and I have four cards that should put me right at the magic number!

One really good way, as you all know, to increase these numbers is to operate in the various DX contests!  And, submit your scores so the club aggregate can take advantage of your progress toward your personal goals.

I believe a good topic for our first meeting in 2012 would be to establish some club goals.  That way, we can keep an eye on our progress as the year passes beneath our feet as we trod along together.

Again, Happy New Year.  See you in the pile-ups, and at a club meeting now and then.  73, Mike, K1DM

CTRI Championship Leaderboard – 12/22/2011

Here is the final update for 2011 which includes results posted or emailed to me through the ARRL 10 Meter contest. The next contest in the Champions series is the ARRL RTTY RoundUp on the weekend of 7-8 January 2012. Rick, KI1G, has already posted an article about that contest. Before that contest, I will post an article where everyone can post their results by adding a “comment” to the posting.

Wishing everyone Happy Holidays and a healthy and prosperous 2012.

CTRI Champions Leaderboard

73, Ken K3IU, Current Keeper of the Leaderboard

2012 ARRL RTTY Roundup is coming soon

Hi everyone and Happy Holidays

 

Just a reminder that the 2012 ARRL RTTY Roundup is just a couple of weeks away. This is one of the more popular RTTY contests and it does not require an entire weekend commitment. The contest is 30 hours long of which single op’s may operate 24 hours. Lots of stations to work and alot of DX participation as well. Full rules at  http://www.arrl.org/rtty-roundup

 

Hope to hear some CTRI activity in the contest.

 

73,

Rick KI1G

1/2 way thru Operation 10m Contest

Great activity from CTRI CG in the ‘test so far…9 mbr stations were heard active from here with very good conditions today — and a few of our ‘big guns’ not even yet heard from.

First Europe in the log abt 6:30 A.M. local hr…lasted until around 11:30 A.M.  No real e-skip Friday night…just 2 stns worked in W9 just after 10:15 P.M. via ‘ESP’ as things never quite broke open.  Will check band again later tonite.  Unable to work JA/KH2 this eve …disappointing; too weak — maybe tomorrow.  Last mult/QSO was NV…in log 2 hrs 15m past sunset.

Bands were busy but not quite like CQWW…still, plenty of DX around.  And plenty of US/VE still to work.  Only 7 Mexico Q’s made.

Hope folks had fun through Day 1.  Hope to work a few more CTRI mbrs on day 2.  My numbers through the first day running LP:

Band  Mode  QSOs    Pts  Cty
28  CW     353    1412  114
28  USB     82     164   59
Total  Both   435    1576  173
Score: 272,648

73,  Bill  W1WBB

Less than 48 hrs until the big 10m Contest

Just a few items in preparing for the ARRL 10 Meter Contest this weekend…   At contest start Friday eve at 0000Z the band may be pretty much closed down, except for local contesters — of which I put many into the log (all good mults – CT, RI, MA, NH, NY) the first night the past few years.

Check the band every so often during each evening as it may open to sporadic-E skip or even meteor scatter.   A nice opening to the Midwest/Southeast in last year’s contest the first night lasted over 2 hours and went past local midnite!  Some nice state mults were worked then that may not otherwise be available during the contest.

Speaking of multipliers, there are 97 available mults just among the U.S., Canada and Mexico — all 50 U.S. states + D.C.,  the individual 14 VE provinces and territories as well as the recently added 32 Mexican states.  Maritime mobiles may be worked also as a mult — giving out their region: R1, R2 or R3.

Adding in all the DXCC mults that will be available may allow some single mode ops to push the 200 multiplier envelope!  For mixed mode ops (where multipliers count per *mode*) 300 mults will likely be achievable.  Bottom line…lots of multipliers to be had in this contest.

But with all the frequency space available on 28 MHz, operators should try to ‘run’ a frequency by calling CQ when possible to increase their QSO rate and because many multipliers will come to them.  During the recent CQWW SSB ‘test Phone stations were found calling CQ in the contest above 29.1 MHz due to the great activity on the band!  Expect more of that this weekend, for sure.

With the crowded conditions and great popularity of the spotting networks worldwide, DX and rare multiplier stations have commented how difficult it is now to separate the dozens (hundreds?) of callers (esp. on CW) who are ALL zero-beat together after pointing and clicking on their DX ‘spot’.  As a caller of the DX *a small change in your TX freq of a few Hz* either side of his TX frequency will likely help you be heard and get thru the pile more quickly.  A number of DX ops went ‘split operation’ temporarily to manage the pileups during CQWW.  Be sure you know how to quickly ‘go split’ with your radio when needed to get the DX!

The ARRL 10 Meter Contest is a great way for folks to work on their WAS award as well as DXCC.  Many contesters are active on the ARRL’s Logbook of the World (LoTW) so credits for worked entities can come quickly.  I personally need 5 more states for 10M WAS (all close in to New England) and hope to snag a few of those this weekend.

Conditions remain good on the band this week…China and Hong Kong were worked via Long Path in the A.M. early this week and many African stations have been heard to be active.  Openings to Europe Saturday and Sunday mornings could be earlier than 7 A.M. EST so don’t forget to check the band by then.

Operation:  ARRL 10 Meter ‘Test is almost upon us — Enjoy the contest and go CTRI CG!

73,

Bill  W1WBB

 

KI1G 2011 CQWW CW

From what I heard when I had the opportunity to operate, the bands sounded good. Congrats Ken on an excellent score.

Single op assisted

73,

Rick KI1G

 

QSOs QSO points Zones Countries Multipliers Score

160m: 4 10 4 4

80m: 42 102 14 30

40m: 184 532 24 78

20m: 112 313 28 80

15m: 160 462 28 91

10m: 110 303 28 94

Totals:612 1722 126 377 503 866166

 

 

Operation ARRL 10 Meter Contest this coming weekend!

I hope members are planning to support the club’s effort to get on-the-air for “Operation ARRL 10 Meter Contest” this coming weekend.

Similar to our efforts earlier this year in the New England QSO Party our goal is to *maximize club activity* and have fun.  Additional activity for this event by club members should make us competitive in the Affiliated Club Competition and perhaps, help us establish a new CTRI club combined high score compared to our own previous 10 Meter Contest club high.  Conditions on the band seem prime to help that happen.

The contest starts Friday evening at 7 P.M. EST (0000Z) and runs 48 hours until Sunday through 6:59 P.M. EST (2359Z).  Additional info on the contest can be found here:    http://www.arrl.org/10-meter

Folks can get a feel for the event and read the write-up about last year’s ARRL 10 Meter Contest here:  http://www.arrl.org/files/file/ContestResults/2010/2010-10M-Web-V1_0.pdf

And, additional info from members (including contest-specific tips and strategies from KS1J) can be found at this previous post from our website:  http://w1pn.com/wp/2011/10/27/operation-arrl-10-meter-contest-december-10-11-2011/

A reminder:  when submitting your log to ARRL ensure the club name appears on the club line only as:  CTRI CONTEST GROUP

This ensures each club member’s score is also credited to our specific club for the Club Competition.

Good luck with your planning and operating in this CTRI CG-focused “Operation ARRL 10 Meter Contest” event!  With the expected conditions this event should not be missed!!

73 and CU on 10 Meters…

Bill  W1WBB

This Contest Stinx! de W1XX

At the half-way point in the ARRL 160 Mtere Contest, things are not going well.  Condx are not very good.  Skip is very short.  Making contacts past 9-land and the Mississippi River has been a struggle.  So far I’ve only worked one station in California.  Did manage one WWA, a BC, and did work KH6LC, who was weak.  So far only 53 sections.  Went to bed at two different times last night in the hope it would be better later.  It wasn’t.  Did work a few Europeans early, but they were not on for their sunrise around midnight.  So far only 10 DXCC countires.  I’m way behind last year’s score.  Worked several CTRIers including K3IU who said he was running 10 watts!  Anyone having better luck?  Hope for better condx to the West Coast and EU afater 4 PM today.  Out!

GIN POLE NEEDED ASAP

Radio Ansonia calling…

The gin pole at W1AN’s is unfortunately up at 120′ and not readily available. So I would like to know if anyone has one I can borrow for this weekend.

Pat NG1G is travelng to Radio Ansonia located at the “western frontier of the CTRI empire” on Sunday to help me do some antenna/tower work and without a gin pole only 1/2 the work can be done.

I’m willing to drive to get it either Friday night or Saturday morning and will return it next weekend.

Drop me an email or call 203-735-9725 if you can lend me one.

73

Dave

W1CTN

Radio Ansonia