Trans Tasman Low Bands Challenge JULY 2015

[VK4TS]

PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE TO STOP CLASH WITH ZL CONTEST ON SAME WEEKEND

Trans Tasman Low Bands Challenge

Prepared by VK4TS and VK4SN

Last amendment 6th February 2015


1. Contest Introduction

This contest is to encourage Low Band Activity in Australia and New Zealand – The applicable bands are 160, 80 and 40M. The modes are SSB CW and Digital (RTTY and PSK only)

2. Objective

Amateurs in VK and ZL will endeavour to contact other amateurs in VK and ZL.

* VK and ZL, means any station operating within Australia or New Zealand and their external territories.

* Points are only awarded for valid contacts between VK and ZL stations.

The contest is made up of 3 individual two hour sessions – you are able to work another station once per band and mode in every session. Every different Prefix used by VK or ZL stations is a valid multiplier and credit can be claimed once per band per session.

3. Contest Date & Time

The contest is held on the Saturday night of the third full weekend of July Start Time is 08:00 UTC and finish time is 14:00 UTC

4. Categories

A. Single Operator – High Power All Modes All Bands
B. Single Operator – Low Power (100 watts)
C. Single Operator – QRP
E. Multi-Operator – Single Transmitter
F. Multi-Operator – Multi Transmitter (One per band)

* QRP stations are limited to 5 Watts average (CW/RTTY/PSK) or PEP (SSB) at the transmitter output.

Each category will have High Scores for SSB, CW and Digital awards.

Any station in Single or Multi Op may win the Single Mode awards - BUT Multi ops will not be eligible for single op categories.

NOTE: The Mode scores are purely on the highest score and may be from a partial log. You do not enter SSB only - rather the log is determined as having the highest SSB score.

5. Permitted Bands

Contacts may be made on 160M 80M 40M in SSB, CW and Digital (PSK and RTTY Modes)

NB. PSK and RTTY are the only allowed digital modes and are combined, not counted separately.

6. Multi-operator Stations

A. Multi-operator single transmitter stations are only allowed one transmitted signal on air at any time.
If you are using three transceivers to scan the bands, simultaneous transmission will reclassify you as
Multi Transmitter(Category F.) – your responsibility to stop multiple transmitters operating.

B. Multi-operator Multi Transmitter stations
a. Are only allowed maximum one transmitted signal per band,
b. Simultaneous transmissions on different bands are permitted.
* Multi-operator stations are mixed mode only.

7. Contacts

A. Suggested Call: “CQ TT”, “CQ Contest”, or “CQ Test”

B. Exchange: A valid exchange consists of RS(T) followed by a three figure serial number starting at 001 for each band.

C. No cross band contacts are allowed.

D. Exchange of contact information via satellites, telephones, repeaters, Echolink, IRLP, or the internet is not in the spirit of the contest and is banned.

8. Scoring

All contacts are worth one point – Add the number of contacts made in the two hours and multiply by the different prefixes worked on each band in that two hours.

NB external territories count as one prefix - eg VK0 counts as VK0 and not the separate DXCC same as for VK9

e.g. 160 80 40 total contacts 50 X 35prefixes (total of each band added) = 1750 points per hour

Final Score is the addition of each two Hour 3 two hour blocks starting at 08:00

9. Logs

Logs are due in within one week of closure of the contest.

[VK2HRX]

Might help if you nominated where the logs had to be sumbitted.

[VK4TS]

Might help if you nominated where the logs had to be sumbitted.

Smashingly good Idea !! Thanks Compton, you should be in management

The log submission system is being built by WA7BNM and will be ready shortly, it is along the lines of this website.

http://ncjweb.com/north-american-sprint/

[VK2AAH]

Any news on the log submission system? It is 2 days away...



Richard
VK2AAH

[VK3HJ]

Thanks for the reminder.

I will endeavour to spend at least a two-hour segment on the key this Saturday evening.

73,
Luke VK3HJ

[VK3KCX]

The applicable bands are 160, 80 and 40M. The modes are SSB CW and Digital (RTTY and PSK only)

Huh? Why only RTTY and PSK? PSK is not that flash on the lower bands that have a lot of impulse noise and RTTY is a dead duck. I can understand why you might want to exclude JT Modes - in my mind that is not a real contact, but why not modes that do work really well on a high noise radio channel such as Olivia? If you really want a surprise give ROS a try.

- David - VK3KCX

[VK3MEG]

feld hell would be fun 2 David.

i will been on 80m and 40m ssb cw and possibly rtty.

[VK4TS]

**** THIS WEEKEND ****

You will need to download the latest version of VKCL as the scoring is slightly different to past years.

http://www.mnds.com.au/vkcl/

After completion of the contest you need to upload your log to:

http://www.b4h.net/vkcc/transtasman/

[VK6TGQ]

At the risk of asking a silly question, does the following mean that points are awarded only for VK - ZL valid contacts, and not for VK - VK, nor for ZL- ZL contacts?

>> * Points are only awarded for valid contacts between VK and ZL stations.

[VK3MEG]

At the risk of asking a silly question, does the following mean that points are awarded only for VK - ZL valid contacts, and not for VK - VK, nor for ZL- ZL contacts?

>> * Points are only awarded for valid contacts between VK and ZL stations.

no points are for all contact within vk/zl also the prefix's count as multiplyiers so vk1/2 /3 etc = multiplyiers

[VK4TS]

Using VKCL VK Contest Logger - will tell you if the station is a valid contact

VK to VK is OK
ZL to ZL is OK
VK to ZL is OK
ZL to VK is OK
ZM to VK is OK
VK to ZM is OK
ZM to ZM is OK
AX to VK...... i think you get the drift - contacts between valid callsigns of Australia and New Zealand and their respective territories are OK.


You will need to download the latest version of VKCL as the scoring is slightly different to past years.

http://www.mnds.com.au/vkcl/

After completion of the contest you need to upload your log to

http://www.b4h.net/vkcc/transtasman/

[VK6TGQ]

Thanks Trent and Steve,

I will download the VKCL software and see how I go.

[VK3HJ]

Well, I had some fun last evening in the Contest. I'm just getting over the flu so was pleased to feel well enough to participate. I only operated CW as I didn't feel I could manage Phone for any amount of time.

Participation was below expectations. Pace was pretty slow, but not too bad for a local contest.

I noticed there were no stations on from VK1 and VK8, I heard one VK6 but another station was trying to log him without success and he vanished. There were a handful of ZL stations including the ZM2B contest station, but not as many as I would have liked.

Starting about 0620, I missed the very start, but found 40 m almost useless. 80 m was the best, and 160 m was pretty good. I did not see any digital activity, which surprised me. It was a fairly quiet night for QRN, so weak signals were quite readable at my station.

As usual, VK Contest Logger did all the thinking for me, and made logging very easy.

I received some numbers well over 100 from a number of stations, so they had a good go in Phone as well.

How did others enjoy the Contest?

[VK6TV]

Hello all

The new rule changes made all the difference for myself working from VK6. There was an increase of VK6 stations for me to work spread over all bands. Years past when I have tried the old 80 contest there was 1 to 3 only
For the first 2 hour block of the contest only 40 metres was useable, made a few contacts all over VK/ZL.
The second 2 hour block there was a mix of 40/80 stations worked in VK.(Except VK1,VK8)
The third block 2 hour block 80 metres was usable across all VK plus Some local contacts on 160. Did hear a couple of VK3's talking on 160 but not readable.

There was some stations that could hear me but I struggled to hear them back. Possible this was because I was using 400 watts SSB on all bands.

I was using a trapped 40/80/160 trapped dipole, next year I may putting up a large verticle antenna and compare the difference.

73's

Milan
VK6KTV

[VK4TS]

Hi Sports Fans

Still need those logs to be submitted -

We are currently at 42 Logs which is awesome - my estimate is over 50% of active stations have submitted logs which is superb !!!!

The submission page is found at

http://www.b4h.net/vkcc/transtasman/



List of Received Logs 07:45am AEST 23/07/2015

• VK2ATZ  
  VK2BJ  
  VK2CU/P/Q  
  VK2GGC  
  VK2GR  
  VK2GX  
  VK2IO  
  VK2IUW  
  VK2NP  
  VK2PDW  
  VK2PKT  
  VK2PWR  
  VK2PX/P4  
  VK2WG  
  VK2YW  
  VK3AVV  
  VK3HJ  
  VK3LM  
  VK3YE  
  VK4FTWO  
  VK4HH  
  VK4ICE  
  VK4MON  
  VK4SN  
  VK4WIS  
  VK4WR  
  VK5BUG  
  VK5CV  
  VK5LJ  
  VK6DW  
  VK6FLAB  
  VK6KTV  
  VK6MIB  
  VK6POP  
  VK6QM  
  VK6TGQ  
  VK7AD  
  VK7JGD  
  VK7VH  
  ZL2ACG  
  ZL2KGF  
  ZM2B 

Regards

Trent VK4TS

[VK3HJ]

Trent,
That Log Submission process is really neat!
- upload Cabrillo file
- receive instant acknowledgement of receipt.

Too Easy!

[VK4TS]

Step 1 - Submit Cabrillo Log - ERROR > Step 2 - Confirmation

The deadline (2015-07-26 14:00:00) for submitting VKTT logs has passed. If you believe there are extenuating circumstances that caused your log to be late, please contact the contest manager.

vk4ts@wia.org.au

[VK3HJ]

We just need:

Step 3: Publish Contest Results

[VK4TS]

The Trans Tasman Results for 2015 have been released

http://www.b4h.net/vkcc/transtasman/ttl ... ts2015.php

Winners are Grinners


Congratulations to the Category leaders –

Multi Multi High VK4HH Bill and Dianne from the Lockyer Valley Queensland put on 248 QSOs for a contest high score of 2,630. VK4HH_Ops

In Multi Multi Low VK2ATZ Westlakes Radio club must have rattled some windows at Teralba as the signal was loud enough to make 168 QSO and a final score of 1,807


In Multi One High the perennial winning team at the Good Guys Club VK2GGC scored 1,831 from 179 QSOs


Single Op High Power VK4SN Alan took out the top category with 188 QSOs and 2,013 Points – Alan made use of some neat antenna systems – details are described on his website VK4SNdotcom


Single Op Low Power was a tussle with both Vince VK7VH and Gerard VK2IO both finishing on 62 QSOs on 160M but Gerard stole away with the title with higher QSO tallys on 80 and 40M – Gerard VK2IO 172 QSOs total score 1,659

and finally the battle of the little pistols !!! The QRPers

A massive score from VK2YW John with 80 QSOs and a total of 615 took out the category – Brett VK4FTWO pulled into second spot with a creditable 233 points.

The Highest Scoring Foundation station was VK4FAAS with 496 points well done Colin.

SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN RESULTS

Setting up the new scoring system resulted in a lot more work that initially anticipated. But it is not complete. I have released the results prior to releasing the certificates as they will take about a week to be finalised – More automation set-up is needed.

To Bruce Horn WA7BNM thank you for all your work putting this together.


Where are we heading with this ? Much like the QRP club we are looking at another TT weekend that will be a purely digital weekend PSK RTTY rumble and as long as everything holds together we would expect the 2016 results will be available within 30 days of the completion of the contest.

Thank you all for your participation

FULL DETAILS AT http://www.vkcc.com