KARC December Club Contest 10 Meter Contest: How to use your time efficiently & Optimize your score

Contest overview Date: – 7:00 pm Friday Dec 13 th thru – 6:59 pm Saturday Dec 15 th Band: 10 meters both CW and SSB Exchange: 59 ON (Ontario)

Time Management Plan to operate when the band is likely to be open: – Daylight hours through the early evening Dont waste time calling in a pile-up if your not getting through and the station is coming back to callers who are far away (and probably have preferential propagation at the time) Dont waste time on dupes

Optimize your score Know the rules and do the math: – SSB = 2 points per contact – CW = 4 points per contact – Total score = QSO points X the number of multipliers

Multipliers

Qs versus Mults Since theyre multiplied: both are important BUT as the contest progresses its easier to build up the Q count. for example; you may have 200 Qs and 50 mults. If you add a SSB Q; your score goes up by 100 points (2 x 50) a mult; your score goes up by 400 (assuming all SSB Qs)

Strategy for Qs versus Mults Early in the contest: build your Q count by – holding a frequency if you can and running – Hunting and pecking up and down the band. If you havent worked him yet; got for it Latter on, take the time hunt for Mults by – Following up on DX Cluster spots – Methodically hunting and pouncing up the band – Both on SSB and again on CW

Dupes a.k.a. duplicate contacts Dupes dont count and Waste your time and the other guys as well Contest loggers check for dupes If youre hunting and pecking; check before you call If youre running let him know were a dupe and keep calling

Logging software Popular general contest logging software: – N1MM – freeware – complex (but very goood) – N3FJP – up to $64.99 depending on the package – HRD version 6 (the paid version) – CT – getting long in the tooth 10 meter contest specific: – N3FJP – looks pretty good – costs $8.99 Get familiar with the program before the test

Paperwork ARRL: KARC: send VA3LX your claimed score calculation: Submit a separate score for CW and SSB if you operated both modes: – N of Qs CW (4 points each) X # of mults on CW – N of Qs SSB (2 points each) X # of mults on SSB

Prizes SSB: $10 Tim Hortons gift card for highest score CW: $10 Tim Hortons gift card for highest score Highest overall score: $5 Tim Hortons gift card for highest score