July 26, 2015 Tips, Tricks & Techniques Huntsville Hamfest 2015

Introductions K4TD & KY4F July 26, 2015

K4TD Add K4TD biographical information July 26, 2015

KY4F First licensed in 1970 as WN8HZG Etc. July 26, 2015

Agenda July 26, 2015 Sweepstakes RTTY CW Contest Training Morse Runner RufzXP N1MM Alabama Contest Group Web Page

Sweepstakes July 26, 2015

ACG View Stimulate Event Interest Promote CW & Phone weekends –CW folks...give phone a try! –Phone folks...give CW a try! Encourage Participation –Even a few Q's can make a difference in club score –If U/M category - spot everyone Post Score on 3830 Reflector ACG Iron Bowl

QSO Bread Basket July 26, 2015

Station Strategies ENSURE Equipment works BEFORE Contest Check Keyers, Antennas, Computers Make sure your SSB audio is optimized – have someone else check it out with you Use appropriate antennas –Dipole/Inv-V at 35 – 50 feet is EXCELLENT Be comfortable

July 26, 2015 Station Strategies 80/75 meters - VERY important! 50' w/500 watts very competative. 10 & 15 can be good bands however: –Use Common Sense –Don’t sacrifice early rate chasing the west coast Saturday afternoon here!

Low Power/Limited Antenna Late Saturday, all day Sunday - productive times. The “second” hottest band may actually be better Avoid large pileups – move on if you can’t work someone in several calls Pouncing? Listen and pre-fill the parts of the exchange so you copy the entire exchange before you call… July 26, 2015

Individual Strategies For full time efforts: –Start ON-TIME! –Listen to the bands BEFORE the contest to get an idea of propagation. –Operate until 02:00 – 03:00 Sunday morning –Don’t give up too early! –Save your off time for Sunday afternoon Limited time? –Show on Sunday (as fresh meat) for a great time running stations.

July 26, 2015 Individual Operating Strategies Each Station Worked Only Once, so... Play To Your Station's Strengths –Good 40m Antenna? Spend Lots of Time on 40 Meters! Work the Lowest Band Supporting Rate –Normally Lowest Open Band –Keeps QSO Focus in Densely Populated Areas –SS Is ALL About Rate. If you use packet –Don’t Waste Time in Pileups –Come Back Later –SS Has ONLY 83 Mults RATE…RATE…RATE

Go Low EARLY 80/75m & 40 Provide Amazing Rate Right Before & After Sundown 80/75m Keeps Your Signal In Bread Basket After Dark –40 Covers Remainder Switch Based On Rate July 26, 2015

CW Skimmer & RBN Change The Game Gives Pouncers Plenty to Work –Unlimited Categories –Multi-ops Helps Sunday Doldrums High Number of Spots Compared to Regular Packet July 26, 2015

Using Skimmer for Sweepstakes CW Add RBN to your packet nodes –telnet: telnet.reversebeacon.net 7000 Limit skimmers to USA only -Time out your packet spots for 10 minutes or sooner -EVERYBODY CQing gets spotted July 26, 2015

Operating Schedule Full Timers Start on 20 (if possible), then move to 40, then move to 80 when the rate drops Switch between 80 & 40 all evening Evaluate rate as evening progresses 40 Q's/hr at 12:30 am SUN morning is better than 15 Q's/hr at 3:00pm SUN afternoon Resume by 6:00am – 7:00am Sunday July 26, 2015

Operating Schedule Part Timers Sunday will be your most interesting day. People will flock to YOU for QSOs –Fresh meat syndrome 40m & 75m will be great evening bands. Any time you get on is better than NOT getting on Low dipoles and 500+ watts = GOOD! July 26, 2015

Not Operating? You can STILL HELP! Lend out your station to a guest operator Assist other ACGers with antenna and equipment “parties” Be a dedicated spotter and…get on the air and SPOT EVERYONE. This makes the game better for all of us. A surprising number of folks do NOT use skimmer yet! Spotting matters.

July 26, 2015 Individual Operating Strategies DO NOT GET HUNG UP IN PILE UPs. –SS is about RATE! –There are only 83 Mults Be Accurate – do NOT bust the call sign! –Don’t be afraid to ask for repeats –Get everything correct.

Log Submission ON TIME!!! Your effort ONLY counts if you SUBMIT your log on time. July 26, 2015

2015 Sweepstakes Dates CW: 2100Z, Nov 7 to 0259Z, Nov 9 SSB: 2100Z, Nov 21 to 0259Z, Nov 23 Operate no more than 24 of the 30 hours Off periods may not be less than 30 minutes in length. Listening time counts as operating time.

CW Contest Training With Morse Runner July 26, 2015

Components Of A Good Pileup Signal / Presence Consistency Accuracy Predictability Rhythm July 26, 2015

Consistency The Condition of Being Coherent or Retaining Form Do The Same Thing The Same Way Logging S/W – BIG help! Set up properly Know how to use July 26, 2015

Accuracy “Degree of Closeness to Truth” A Trainable Skill “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect” Practice Applies Equally to Both Copying – Mostly Mental Logging – Mostly Muscle Memory July 26, 2015

Predictability “Making Known In Advance What To Expect” In Contesting This Requires Situation Awareness Focus Communications July 26, 2015

Rhythm “Procedure With Uniform or Patterned Recurrence” Timing Flow Style July 26, 2015