http://prarl.org/?p=4399

Field Day: What is it? Why Participate?

Hector Morales, NP3IR

Field Day 23 and June 24 at Parque Luis Muñoz Rivera, San Juan

As many know the Field Day is the last weekend of June, this year on 23 and 24 June and this is one event that draws more attention from amateurs. This event includes elements of nearly everything that makes amateur radio is the great love is, and we recommend that you make every effort to participate in  Field Day .This event got its start in 1933 as an exercise in emergency communications. The amateur radio operators drag their team to an area somewhere and will work with emergency power sources and / or alternatives. The goal is to see how to prepare ham radio operators and see how it responds to an emergency and learn how to do their best. Preparing for emergency communications is still the main purpose of Field Day . Amateur radio operators put their gasoline generators or solar panels to ensure they will be ready in case of an emergency.Furthermore, that using different equipment in these conditions, we learn that radios work best under those conditions. Of course, the only way to know how good your equipment will work under these conditions is like that. That's where the competitive aspects of Field Day comes into play. The stations earn points through contacts with other stations, and those who manage to win more points, on equal terms, the stations that work better and make the most of the contacts is the one that gets the highest score. Many stations Field Day have multiple transmitters, and when you have multiple transmitters, multiple antennas will need. Setting up a multi-transmitter operation can be a lot of work. That's why the Field Day is often a club activity. For some clubs, is the biggest event of the year. Besides all the technical activities, clubs use Field Day as a social event. There is food and drink, and remember " Field Days "of the past or some other activity. For some hams, it's more fun to operate in the event. Finally, why the Field Day is a big event?, the ARRL encourages us all to use the event to get public officials, elected officials, and agencies that offer their services during emergencies, such as the Office of Management Municipal Emergency and State, the Red Cross, among others and educate them about ham radio. Unlike many contests, in which to score points is just to make contacts, to the Field Day you get points for the celebration of its operation in a public place, by distributing leaflets to interested people that visit the area, and if Mayor gets to visit the area in the Field Day .
How to participate?
By participating in Field Day , you will learn more about amateur radio in a single day more than in almost any other activity. If you are a member of a club, ask how you can help organize the event for your club's Field Day . I'm sure you'll have one of the most fun and educational experiences of your life. Not yet a member of a club, or if you're going to be out of the country or to your city this week, you will find a Field Day by using the locator of the ARRL . The clubs listed insurance will welcome, especially if you arrive early, helps with the "set-up." I hope that has convinced you to participate in Field Day is coming. Not only will you have to learn a lot, you will also have a lot of fun. Do not forget to bring some sunscreen and mosquito repellent!

http://jabarfieldday.org/

‘When all else fails’: Ham radio operators prepare for emergencies during 2012 Field Day

http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/mobile/news_article/when_all_else_fails_ham_radio_operators_prepare_for_emergencies_during_2012/

‘When all else fails’: Ham radio operators prepare for emergencies during 2012 Field Day

Times-Mirror Staff Photo/Michelle Stevens

Gene May of the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group writes down the call sign of another amateur “ham” radio operator for a 24-hour contest called Ham Radio Field Day in Lovettsville June 24.

Voices and static mingled on the airwaves as amateur radio operators baked in the heat Saturday. “QR-Zed.” “Kilo Echo Four, Oscar Kilo Yankee.” “Oscar Kilo Yankee?” With contact established, the Lovettsville radio operator repeats the full call sign to the voice that originates from a Canadian boat.

The operator made contact as part of Field Day, a 24-hour contest where thousands of amateur radio operators, called “hams,” practice communicating off the grid with other hams in the United States and Canada. Around 60 hams in Loudoun County participated in two Field Day events, one at Park View High School in Sterling and the other in Lovettsville.

On Field Day, each amateur radio club attempts to earn points by making contacts and logging “call signs” – the unique letter and number code the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses to each ham radio operator.

The Loudoun Amateur Radio Group (LARG) in Lovettsville made nearly 4,500 contacts, and the Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club made around 2,000 contacts as radio operators worked in shifts through Saturday night into Sunday afternoon. The groups’ more unusual contacts included a 737 pilot over Utah and a ham in Puerto Rico.

Using ham radio satellites, a signal from Loudoun County can reach a radius of more than 1,000 miles. The hallmark achievement: making contact with the International Space Station, where many of the astronauts are also ham radio operators.

In an era of Facebook, cell phones and Skype, ham radio is a little-known form of communication. Yet hams pride themselves on being the first to contact the outside world after a large-scale natural disaster that knocks out the Internet and cell phone towers. Field Day allows hams to practice setting up their stations on solar, generator, and battery power. The National Association for Amateur Radio proudly asserts that amateur radio gets the message through “when all else fails.”

Ham radio attracts a fiercely loyal following, with around 700,000 operators across the country and 3 million around the world.

“Everyone’s experience getting into ham radio is different,” said Chris P., a ham who participated in the LARG Field Day event. (He requested his last name be withheld because he works for the federal government.)

Chris is proud to carry his great-grandfather’s call sign, though he says interest in ham radio “skipped two generations” in his family. He first became a ham in high school, when he got his license through the Boy Scouts.

When he was deployed overseas during the 1990s, he would travel to a Military Auxiliary Radio Service (MARS) station to call home. The MARS operator would radio a ham in his hometown and ask him to connect Chris to his family via telephone: “This was before the days of video chat, and you’d call up for about five minutes and say, ‘Hey, Mom, guess where I am?’”

Several years ago, he decided to get re-certified as a ham operator, and he’s been involved ever since.

Through the course of a year, hams participate in a variety of events, from launching and chasing weather balloons to volunteering as trained weather spotters for the National Weather Service’s Skywarn.

Hams provide vital information to Skywarn because they’re able to communicate directly from the ground, said LARG Field Day Chairman Gary Quinn: “When a ham operator can look out the window and call the weather service and say, ‘Yes that’s a tornado,’ it validates their data.”

When a disaster strikes, Quinn said, “We know before the general public. We’re the ones pushing out the information.”

http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/mobile/news_article/when_all_else_fails_ham_radio_operators_prepare_for_emergencies_during_2012/

WCA - World Castles Award

http://www.wcagroup.org/ENG/intro.html

WCA - World Castles Award

The International Award program “World Castles Award - WCA” devoted to work on the air from castles, fortresses and other fortification works. It's founded on January, 14th, 2009 by group of Russian radiohams, members of RZ1CWC Radioclub under the aegis of the International Organization “Castles On The Air - COTA”. 

The program goal is consolidation of radiohams from different countries for activation and popularization of historical objects – castles, fortresses etc all over the world, learning and maintenance of the historical Heritage in our countries including monuments and architectural constructions relating to fortification.

World Castles Award program includes 11 diplomas, 1 award plate and E-Awards series for QSOs/SWLs with radiostations working from world castles, fortresses etc all over the world. 

At present time World Castles Award program cooperates and keeps up a friendly relations with such well-known national castles' and fortresses' award programs as:

- “Belgium Castles Award” (BCA), Belgium 

- “Castles and Palaces of Belarus Award” (CPBA), Belarus 

- “Castles and Stately Homes On The Air” (CASHOTA), England 

- “Castles and Stately Homes On The Air - Ireland” (CASHOTA-EI), Ireland 

- “Castles and Stately Homes On The Air - Northern Ireland” (CASHOTA-NI), Northern Ireland 

- “Castles On The Air - Croatia” (COTA-9A), Croatia 

- “Castles On The Air - Netherland” (COTA-NL), The Netherlands 

- “Castles On The Air - Russia” (COTA-RU), Russia

- “Castles On The Air - Kazakhstan” (COTA-UN), Kazakhstan 

- “Castles On The Air - Latvia” (COTA-YL), Latvia 

- “Castles On The Air Team - Germany” (COTA-DL), Germany 

- “Czech Castles Award” (CCA), Czech Republic 

- “Diploma Castillos de Catalunya” (DCC), Spain 

- “Diploma Castillos de Espana” (DCE), Spain

- “Diploma Castillos de Espana 1.0” (DCE 1.0), Spain

- “Diploma dei Castelli d’Italia” (DCI), Italy 

- “Diploma dos Castelos e Fortalezas de Portugal " (DCFP), Portugal 

- “Diploma Monumentos Historicos Portugueses” (DMHP), Portugal 

- “Diplome des Chateaux de la Suisse-Romande” (DCSR), Switzerland 

- “Diplome des Forts et Chateaux de France” (DFCF), France 

- “Hungarian Castle Series” (HCS), Hungary

- “Imperios do Divino Espirito Santo” (IDES), Azores islands, Portugal 

- “Le Diplome des Chateaux Suisse” (DCS-SSD), Switzerland 

- “Slovakia Castles Award” (SCA), Slovakia 

- “Slovenia World Castles Award” (S5 WCA), Slovenia 

- “Romanian Historical Objectives” (RHO), Romania 

- “Ukrainian Castles and Fortress Awards” (UCFA), Ukraine 

- “Zamki w Polsce” ( ZWP), Poland 

Monuments and architectural constructions relating to fortification from countries of Asia, Europe and the South America are present in lists of Historical objects for World Castles Award program.

For the first time the diploma relating to fortification has appeared more than 10 years ago. Now this theme becomes more and more popular. Even more often we hear on the air amateur radio stations working from fortresses. Diplomas, clubs, web-sites of fortresses radiohams-activators are created.

In April, 2009 the official site of World Castles Award program was created. The main goal of them are:

- Information support and announcement of forthcoming expeditions; 

- Selection of radio amateur diplomas, references relating to theme of fortification; 

- Publication of articles and photoreports about expeditions.

We invite to cooperation the radio amateur organizations, radioclubs, radiohams of all countries to accept active participation, express an interest to historical places within the limits of our hobby. To learn history, to receive good unforgettable impression of work on the air from world fortresses!

Welcome!

de RZ1CWC team.

73 & 11! from Castles and Fortresses in the World! 

WCA - World Castles Award. Rules

1. International Program “World Castles Award” (WCA) has been instituted by group of the Russian radiohams, members of Radioclub RZ1CWC, founders of "Castles On The Air-Russia” (COTA-Russia) award program.

2. The Purpose of the program is joining of efforts of radiohams in different countries for activation and popularization historical objects relating to fortification (fortresses, castles, forts e.t.c) and attract attention to historical and architectural heritage as well as visiting extant historical monuments all over the world .

3. Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defense in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs. 

The term is derived from the Latin fortis ("strong") and facere ("to make").Fortification is usually divided into two branches, namely permanent fortification and field fortification. Permanent fortifications are erected at leisure, with all the resources that a state can supply of constructive and mechanical skill, and are built of enduring materials. Field fortifications are extemporized by troops in the field, perhaps assisted by such local labor and tools as may be procurable and with materials that do not require much preparation, such as earth, brushwood and light timber, or sandbags.4. Contacts with objects of permanent fortification such as castles, fortresses, forts, fortified areas (including their parts like gate, walls, towers etc) having obviously expressed signs of preservation or anew restored are valid for WCA.Contacts with anew restored objects of field fortification such as stockaded towns, fortified ancient settlement etc are valid too.5. World Castles Award Program (WCA) includes following diplomas:WCA 50 - for QSOs with 50 any objects in the world;WCA 100 - for QSOs with 100 any objects in the world;WCA 200 - for QSOs with 200 any objects in the world;WCA 300 - for QSOs with 300 any objects in the world;WCA 400 - for QSOs with 400 any objects in the world;WCA 500 - for QSOs with 500 any objects in the world;WCA 600 - for QSOs with 600 any objects in the world;WCA 700 - for QSOs with 700 any objects in the world;WCA 800 - for QSOs with 800 any objects in the world;WCA 900 - for QSOs with 900 any objects in the world.The Award certificate “World Castles Activator Award - WCAA” is issued for work on the air form historical objects (activation) such as castles, fortresses, forts etc.

WCA HONOUR ROLL PLATE - for QSOs with 1000 any objects in the world.

E-Awards:WCA - Hunter - for QSOs for each 500 objects in the world beginning with 1500.6. For WCA 50 – WCA 900 need to have QSOs with not less than 3 countries from any continents.For WCA HONOUR ROLL PLATE need to have QSOs with not less than 10 countries from 3 continents.For WCA-Hunter there are no limitations by number of countries and continents.7. Object activation has to take place on a distance no more than 1000 meters (1km) from the object.It is permissible to activate two and more objects if they are located on a distance no more than 1000 meters (1km) from each other.* The exception from basic rules about distance from historical object are the criteria which were established earlier by some national award programs (DFCF, DCI, ...etc)It is not necessary to notify WCA Committee about object activation.. WCA Committee can require necessary data (photos, videos etc) if some activation gives rise to doubt.8. For WCA activators any activated object is valid for all awards of WCA series (WCA-50, WCA-100 etc) on conditions that made not less than 50 QSO. In this case in application for the award need to mark activated objects.

9. Recommended frequencies for work on the air during expeditions on fortresses and castles. 

CW : 3.531; 7.031; 10.121; 14.031; 18.081; 21.031; 24.911; 28.031

SSB : 3.731; 7.131; 14.251; 18.131; 21.251; 24.951; 28.551

10. On the base of S50CLX Cerkno Linux DX Cluster http://s50clx.infrax.si was created WCA cluster to inform about expeditions on fortresses and castles.

11. WCA Committee have made a decision to institute greeting code during working from fortification objects.

Code "11" ("Two towers") means "best wishes form castles and fortresses of the world". Thanks a lot to Sergey Beresnev UR7UT (WCAG # 002) for idea.

12. The new system of WCA identification numbers is constituted since November, 1st, 2009. 

All objects (castles, fortresses, forts etc.) are identified by an alphanumeric designation. Letters indicates the country according to prefixes, for example: DL - (Germany), I - (Italy), LY - (Lithuania) etc., and next digits indicates the serial number of object. For example: DL-00001, I-00002, LY-00003 etcOficial WCA - LIST (Excel ~ 6 Mb) is distributed by countries.WCA-List is not final and will be constantly updated.* It is permissible not to transmit superfluous zero during QSO to simplify transmission and receiving of identification numbers.** Correspondence between identification numbers of national award programs (BCA, CASHOTA, CASHOTA-EI, CASHOTA-NI, CCA, COTA-9A, COTA-DL, COTA-NL, COTA-RU, COTA-UN, COTA-YL, CPBA, DCE, DCE 1.0, DCFP, DCI, DCS, DFCF, DMHP, HCS, IDES, RHO, S5-WCA, SCA, UCFA, ZWP) and WCA identification numbers is in the table WCA - LIST (Excel ~ 6 Mb).13. Repeated QSOs are not valid. The object is valid only once regardless of bands and any kind of mode.14. The same award rules are for SWL.15. QSOs/SWLs are valid since January 1st. 1995 on any bands (including WARC) by any kind of modes.16. Application for diploma is based on the received QSL cards according to Application WCA form and must be signed by two radio hams. QSL-card must have identification number according to WCA-List. WCA Committee recommends to use WCA Aplication form DATABASE (EXCEL) download to register and apply for awards

QSL-card having object name or identification number according to national castles and fortresses award programs are valid for the diploma.

No QSLs, only certified application is required. The award manager can require QSL for check.17. Since 1st of September 2010 begun to work WCA E-LOG which allows to check up data about made QSOs without QSL validation for all awards of WCA series and make application for awards online. Author and manager - Jiri Suchy OK 5 NN. 18. The award can be issued for separate MODE (optionally).19. The application should sent to award manager. By e-mail: rn1cw@rambler.ru or award@wcagroup.org Or by post: Andrey A. Petushkov, RN1CWP.O.Box 340/5, Sosnovyj Bor,Leningrad oblast, 188540Russia 20. - Since January, 1st, 2011 the order an issue of the  “World Castles” Award (WCA) and “Castles On The Air – Russia” Award (COTA-RU) will change. Awards will be issue by two means:- in electronic form in JPG (free of charge);- in print form.The fee of WCA and COTA-RU in print form will be:- For Russia 200 Roubles, for the CIS countries - 7 EURO, 7 USD, 7 IRC.- For the others - 10 EURO, 10 USD, 10 IRC.- Fee of HONOUR ROLL please ask Award Manager at the moment of application21. Award certificate “World Castles Activator Award - WCAA” and WCA - Hunter are free of charge. You can obtain it in electronic form - JPG file completely ready for printing in A4 format (297x240) will send by e-mail.

73 & 11! from Castles and Fortresses in the World! 

http://www.wcagroup.org/ENG/intro.html

YBDXC pada JakFox 2012

YBDXC  pada JakFox 2012, Lapangan IRTI-MONAS, 23-24 Juni 2012

Karsono Suyanto  - YBØNDT

YBDXC#008

Event JakFox adalah kegiatan field day  yang rutin di selenggarakan oleh Orari Daerah DKI Jakarta dalam rangka memperingati Hari Ulang Tahun DKI Jakarta. Tempat pelaksaaan pun masih seperti tahun-tahun sebelumnya yaitu di Lapangan IRTI MONAS.

Pada event tahun 2012 ini, YBDXC turut ambil bagian meramaikan event tersebut dengan membuka stand utk kegiatan eyeball qso,  private workshop tentang logger,software contest maupun LoTW. 

Tugu Monumen Nasional (Monas dari stand YBDXC)

Jam 09:00 WIB saya sudah tiba di lokasi. Stand YBDXC bersebelahan dengan stand OM Taufan YBØAI. Om Taufan YB0AI hampir tak pernah absen membuka stand pada acara-acara hamfest maupun field day. Stand Om Taufan sangat menarik, karena selain menjual peralatan komunikasi seperti radio HF, jumper Teflon, microphone homebrew, tuner, bracket antenna, antenna mobile dan antenna untuk base station. 

Kali ini ada hasil karya om Taufan yang baru yaitu Antenna Log Periodic. Antena made in YBØAI turut serta di pamerkan pada acara ini. Dan Om Taufan pun  dengan senang hati memasang radio HF ICOM IC 718 pada stand YBDXC. Antena hanya terpasang pada ketinggian kurang lebih 6 Meter.

Inilah Stand YBDXC, Om Djoko YB1TJ sudah tiba di lokasi .

Om Yongki YBØCOU, Om Djoko YB1TJ dan Om Taufan YBØAI memasang IC 718 pada stand YBDXC, Antena yang di pergunakan Log Periodik 5 Band (14 Mhz, 18Mhz,21Mhz,24Mhz, dan 28Mhz)

Om Taufan YB0AI sedang dial Frekwensi 

Saya dengarkan pada band 15 M, sangat jelas sekali terdengar station-station dari JA,BD,HL yang sedang melakukan Dx ing, antenna log periodik buatan Om Taufan YB0AI sangat baik receive nya.

Hari semakin siang, satu persatu kawan-kawan member YBDXC hadir di stand. Yang surprise buat saya adalah kehadiran Om Budi YF1AR. Spesial untuk Om Budi YF1AR terima kasih sudah menepati janjinya. Hehehehehehehhehe

Om Budi YF1AR dan Om Yongki YBØCOU. Om Yongki YB0COU terima kasih yah Roti nya. Enak sekali lho. 

 Om Djoko YB1TJ sedang menginstall Logger HRD di notebook nya Om Yongki YB0COU. 

Om Har YBØMWM dan Uncle Bam YBØKO mampir juga di stand YBDXC 

Om Hen YCØQR dan Om Mustafa YCØISE hadir juga di JakFox, membawa notebooknya untuk di install kan Logger32.

Suasana penuh tawa canda, saat menginstall Logger 32 pada notebook nya Om Hen YC0QR. Hehehehhehe

Menjelang petang Om Hotang YCØIEM juga menyempatkan diri untuk hadir di stand YBDXC

Saya pun berjalan mengelilingi arena JakFox, saya juga sempat mengunjungi stand ORARI DKI Jakarta

Inilah  Stand Orari DKI Jakarta. Wow Ternyata ada juga spanduk team contest saya YEØX, dan ada juga sebuah mobil Land Rover untuk mendukung komunikasi jika terjadi bencana.

Karena penasaran saya hampiri mobil tersebut . Wow ternyata di dalamnya terdapat radio komunikasi repeater yang siap di pergunakan sewaktu-waktu bila terjadi bencana. 

Ada juga gandengan  mobile yang di lengkapi dengan tower. Jika terjadi bencana, maka gandengan tsb akan langsung bisa di operasikan ke lokasi bencana dan sangat menunjang dukungan komunikasi bencana.

Demo mendirikan tower . Luar biasa, dan sangat membantu pada saat terjadi bencana. 

Tidak lupa juga saya mampir di Stand 7.070 Mhz. Ada Mbak Hani YCØUI di sana. 

Mampir dahulu sebelum pulang. Nah ini dia… lomba The best mobile antenna ukuran 2x5/8 lamda. Masih ramai dan seru. 

Hari sudah semakin gelap, lampu Monumen Nasional pun sudah menyala, waktunya  saya berpamitan dengan teman-teman semua. Sungguh sangat berkesan Jakfox 2012 kali ini. 

Regards:

Karsono Suyanto  - YBØNDT

YBDXC#008

The CW Operators's Club

http://www.cwops.org/index.html

The CW Operators's Club

Welcome !

Welcome to CWops!  Our goal is to bring together Amateur Radio operators who enjoy communicating by Morse Code (CW).  CWops encourages the use of CW in Amateur communications, and it supports CW activity through planned events.  CWops promotes goodwill among Amateurs throughout the world, and it fosters the education of young people and others in matters related to Amateur Radio.

CWops is International in scope, membership and management.  Its focus is the use of CW, whether for contesting, DXing or ragchewing.  Moreover, it supports every form of sending -- if it's CW, CWops supports it!

The procedure for becoming a member is explained on the Membership page.  See the Bylaws and the Articles of Incorporation for the details of how the Club is administered, its goals, and membership process.

To find CWops friends on the bands, look "on the 8's":  CWops Primary Frequencies (MHz): 1.818, 3.528, 7.028, 10.118, 14.028, 18.078, 21.028, 24.908, and 28.028

CU on the bands soon!

CWops Awards

There are several awards available for contacting a certain number of different club members. Qualifying CW contacts can be made on any ham band at any time.  Contacts during any contest will qualify as well as any QSOs made in non-contest time periods.  These awards will be available on our web site and are individually administered using the honor system.  Stations will be invited to post their cumulative totals to the appropriate listing on our web site.

• Free programs are now available for download to make tracking for these awards easy.
• You can print out your own award in PDF format, suitable for framing.
• For more information see "Awards" in the Members Only section Here

CWops ACA – This award is the Annual Competition Award.  Only one contact per member per calendar year can be counted for this award.  Contacts can be made on any amateur band. The award will be offered at five levels in 2010: ACA-100, ACA-250, ACA-400, ACA-600, and ACA-750.
CWops CMA – This award is the Cumulative Membership Award.  This award recognizes the total of the number of members contacted on each amateur band, beginning January 3, 2010 and continuing in perpetuity.  Initially, we will recognize accomplishments at these levels: CMA-250, CMA-500, CMA-750, CMA-1000, CMA-1250, and CMA-1500.
CWops WAS AWARD – This is the club Worked All States award for working the U.S. states. Every contact must be made with an active member of the club.  Feel free to use all amateur bands. This is a once in a lifetime award; however, you can also add single band endorsements to your CWops WAS Award.
CWops WORKED ALL EUROPE AWARD – This is the club award for contacts with the European countries.  Each contact must be with an active club member.  One contact per country is counted for this award, and every ham country in Europe counts.  This award is available for ALL BANDS, or for any single band.  There will be 2 levels of accomplishments recognized: QSOS with 40 European Countries and with ALL European countries (presently the WAE List is 72 countries).  We will publish an annual standing of stations with their number of European Countries worked on our web site.  Members will be directed when and where to submit information.
CWops DX AWARD – This award is for working CWops members in all of the DXCC countries. One contact per country is counted for this award. The award will be awarded for ALL BANDS, or for any single band. This award will be available at levels of 50 and 100 countries worked, with endorsements at 25 increments thereafter. We will publish an annual standing of stations with their number of DXCC Countries worked on our web site. Members will be directed when and where to submit information.

The 2012 CW Open - Sponsored by THE CW OPERATORS' CLUB

CWops is grateful to Icom America for sponsoring the CW OPEN awards

CWops - CW OPEN COMPETITION
Scheduled for September 1 and 2, 2012

Background: The CWops club has sponsored fun, monthly one hour competitions at times thought to be optimum for members in ITU Regions 1, 2, and 3.  For more information, seehttp://www.cwops.org/onair.html. The CW OPEN event (CWO) is aimed at the same idea, but expanded to be a more serious, annual competitive event.
Object:  Work as many CW stations as possible within the limited time frame(s).  Each station may be worked once per band.  There are three separate competitions at three separate times -- each is called a "Session".  Entry can be made to any or all of these competitions.  Each competition is scored separately.  Entry into multiple Sessions will be added together for a combined score in a separate, additional aspect to this competition.

Dates: September 1/2, 2012

Sessions and Times:

Session	Date	Time
1	September 1	1200-1559Z
2	September 1	2000-2359Z
3	September 2	0400-0759Z

Exchange: Sequential Serial Number and Name.
QSO Points: One point for every valid two way QSO with correct exchange of information. May contact for points only once per band, per time segment. Note: do not remove dupes from your log.

Multipliers: Each different call sign is a multiplier the first time it is worked on any band.  Note that a busted call sign is not a multiplier.

Score is simply the total QSO points times the total number of multipliers in a given time period. Note: If more than one time period is entered, a combined score totaling all time period scores will be reported separately in the results.

Mode: CW only

Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 meters

Class Entry: Single Operator only.  Indicate power level of QRP, Low, or High;
QRP is 5W or less; Low is 100W or less; High is any legal power above 100W

Packet, Skimmer, and Reverse Beacon systems are allowed.

Team Competition:
1. Teams with up to ten members can be organized and compete against each other.
2. There is no geographical restriction for a team.
3. A Team consists of TWO or more operators.
4. Team score is the sum of all team members' scores in all Sessions that they choose to enter.

Example 1: Team A enters Session 1 + 2 + 3. Total Score is sum of all 3 Sessions.
Example 2: Team B enters Sessions 1 and 3 only. Total Score is sum of just those two Sessions.

Note: Since there is only ONE overall Team Competition winner for the entire contest, those who enter ALL 3 Sessions obviously have a much better chance of winning.

Log Submission:
1. All logs must be in Cabrillo format. See FAQ below for details.
2. All logs must be submitted no later than 2400Z on 5 October 2012.
3. You must submit a CWO Cabrillo log for each Session. Don't forget to start
4. Name your logs for each Session by using 1, 2, or 3 after your callsign.

Sample Log Names for K3XYZ:
Session 1. K3XYZ1.log
Session 2. K3XYZ2.log
Session 3. K3XYZ3.log

5. Logs must be submitted in electronic format. A customized log submission form for CWO is available here:

http://www.b4h.net/cwops/

Click on "Log Submission" and you will be taken to a Log Submission page, which you can use in either of two ways.

Method A. Click "Browse": Let's you find and upload your Cabrillo file directly.

Method B. Paste Area: You can copy the information from your CWO Cabrillo file, and paste it directly into the text area shown.

After using either Method A or Method B mentioned above, simply click "Submit Log".

6. Please submit separate logs for each Session -- do not try to combine them into one for submitting purposes.

7. After the contest period ends, you can verify that your log has been received by returning to this page and clicking on "Logs Received".

http://www.b4h.net/cwops/

8. If you have any problems or questions, please contact us at: cwo@cwops.org

Logging Software: Several common contest loggers have been tested and approved for CW Open.

CQPWIN	by AE6Y; ver 12.5 or later	http://www.cqp.org/Software-AE6Y.html
CQ/X	by NO5W ver 1.7.9.5 or later	http://www.no5w.com/
DXLog	by 9A5K/K5CRO ver 1.025 or later	http://www.dxlog.net/sw/
GenLog	by W3KM ver 7.47 or later	http://www.qsl.net/w3km/gen_log.htm
N1MM	ver 11.06.01 or later	http://www.n1mm.com
SD	by EI5DI ver 15.43 or later	http://www.ei5di.com/
Skookum	by K1GQ ver 1.1.7 or later	http://web.me.com/wlmyers/K1GQ/SkookumLogger.html
TR4W	by UA4WLI; ver 4.235 or later	http://www.tr4w.com/
TR4W	by UA4WLI; ver 4.235 or later	How To Set Up TR4W For CWO (by Marv, N5AW)
Writelog	by K0PC requires 3rd party contest module	http://writelog.com/downloads/third-party
YFKtest	by DJ1YFK; a Linux/Unix logger	http://fkurz.net/ham/yfktest.html

Refer to the Software Page for more information.

Awards: (Sponsored by ICOM America)
Trophy for 1st place in each time period.
Plaque for 1st place in each power level in each time period
Trophy for over all combined score of all three time periods.
Plaque for 1st place for each power level in the combined score group.
Note: if the same entrant wins multiple awards, they may be combined.
Certificates for achieving more than 100 QSOs in any or all time periods.

FAQ:

• Log format should be Cabrillo v3.
• QSO template is similar to NA Sprint, but without the QTH columns:
  ------info sent----------- -------info rcvd-----------
• QSO: freq mo date time call nr ex1 call nr
• QSO: ***** ** yyyy-mm-dd nnnn ********** nnnn aaaaaaaaaa ********** nnnn aaaaaaaaaa
• QSO: 14042 CW 2011-09-20 0000 N5TJ 1 JEFF N6TR 1 TREE
• There are no time off periods.
• Serial numbers should start with 001 at the beginning of each time period and not accumulate over multiple time periods.
• At present, there are no multi-operator categories.
• While Packet (and similar 'help' such as skimmer and/or reverse beacon networks) are allowed, please indicate use of such 'help' on a voluntary basis in the log.  Entering as "S/O Assisted", or any multi-operator category will be taken to mean S/O with packet.  Results may indicate this status.
• All entries are single operator only. No assistance by another operator is allowed, locally or remotely, except for the use of Packet which must be a cluster arrangement providing spots to others besides yourself.  Packet data may be obtained by any means (telnet, VHF, etc)
• Duplicate contacts on the same band in the same time period count for zero points.  Do not remove such contacts from your log.  There is no penalty for duplicate contacts.
• Only one transmit signal allowed at any time.
• Multiplier: The first time you work a particular call sign, that is a multiplier.  If you then work the same call sign on a different band, it adds to your points but is not a new multiplier.  Thus, the total number of multipliers in your log is the number of different calls signs logged.  If any call is determined to be busted (wrong copy) during log checking, that multiplier is removed.

http://www.cwops.org/index.html