ARRL International DX CW Contest

Is anyone planning on participating? I have a few questions. Being newer at CW, and still slow at copy, I prefer to S&P the CW portions of any contest. This allows me time to make sure I have the Call and Exchange 100% before I even transmit. It would seem this contest would be more oriented towards US stations running and DX coming back. Will there be opportunities to S&P that DX? I was hoping to find a couple all-time new ones this weekend. (I only have 36 counties so far for DXCC, so there's plenty to grab).

Sorry if this should go in the contesting forum but that seems more like a place for announcements than discussion.

 

Hi Evan,

There will be many DX stations calling CQ this weekend. Have fun.

 

There's a lot more CQing going on towards the end of the contest. Even the big guys with huge pileups eventually seem to have to scratch for new contacts.

GL. I'll be around hunting up some states I need.

 

It will not be a problem. Even as a single band entry I have worked close to 100 entities in a major contest in the past either CW or on SSB.
You are mostly limited by time you have for it, equipment especially antennas, and class of license perhaps. The first day always seems the busiest and the most DX is on. The second is easier to work whatever is still hanging around the band. If you just concentrate on working new ones you should do well if propagation is reasonable.

 

Well, I worked some ATNOs already before work tonight. I'll have to try tomorrow afternoon for some 15 and 20m contacts. I'm still without an Asia contact, ever. Hopefully between this and the Phone contest I can get closer to DXCC.

Another question. Is there an advantage to submitting a log if you are just casually operating for entities instead of points?

 

I also mostly S&P during DX contests ( though I often run during state QSO parties where I am in the host state ). It's a great way to add band-mode-countries. Sounds like you are well on your way !!

Regarding log submission ... there is no harm in submitting a log. At the very least it will enable the checkers to verify/validate some contacts. I often submit a "check" log for that purpose.

 

You get your callsign printed in the line scores (now posted only online, sadly), and you get a log check report generated, which will tell you which log entries you have incorrect, or how folks may have miscopied you.

I've sent in random piddly logs before and was surprised to receive a certificate back because I "won" something (mostly due to lack of competition).

 

Thanks for the encouragement, I had a fun time working the contest. I had the most trouble with the check for this contest, and the speed of some of those Europeans. The power checks ranged wildly it seemed. I know what KW and xTT are (with x being a number) but some others I wasn't sure of, like NN and K. Also, do people submit logs with cut numbers for power or do they attempt to translate them to numbers? I submitted my log, but expect to loose a good number of points due to miscopied checks.

 

No the cut numbers cannot be submitted as far as I know.. Most were sending att=100 5tt=500, nn=99 k or kw etc.. A few odd balls too.. one was sending 73 as his power... Also a couple changed power reports during the contest. kw first then 100

I think ARRL this should revisit this issue. Too many variables on the power.. However, changing power during the contest should either void the log or force it to the first reported power or make it check log... Steve NS3L

 

Thanks, I guess I'll have to resend my log after some "translation". It would be simpler if you just had to transmit you power "class", for example, LP, HP, QRP, etc. At least 5NN PA was an easy check to send.