CONTESTS THIS WEEKEND - 5 & 6 DECEMBER 2009

This weekend's principal activity is the ARRL 160m DX Contest while on the domestic scene the Kiwi DX Group's Twin Sprint Digital 80m activity is scheduled for Saturday evening. Both activities are more fully referred to later in this bulletin.

Last weekend's CQWW CW Contest appears to have been well supported by a number of ZL participants. Band conditions were a bit like the "curate's egg", but overall the results posted to date on the 3830 Contesting Reflector show improved scores when compared the 2008 contest. At ZM1A we experienced some good 10m openings to the US and Asia and also noted activity from the Caribbean and South America. Likewise 15m and 40m were the "money bands" with very good QSO numbers, while 20m was also quite productive.

Next week's ARRL 10m Contest (both CW & Phone) may well prove to be a most interesting activity if the conditions experienced during the CQWW CW Contest continue - the SFI data today still remains around the 74 level.

ARRL 160-Meter Contest: 2200Z, Dec 4 to 1600Z, Dec 6
	Mode:	CW
	Bands:	160m Only
	Classes:	Single Op (QRP/Low/High) Multi-Single
	Max operating hours:	42 hours
	Max power:	HP: 1500 watts LP: 150 watts QRP: 5 watts
	Exchange:	W/VE: RST + ARRL/RAC Section DX: RST
	QSO Points:	2 points per QSO with ARRL/RAC Section W/VE Station: 5 points per DX QSO
	Multipliers:	Each ARRL/RAC Sections Each DXCC Country (W/VE only)
	Score Calculation:	Total score = total QSO points x (total section mults + total country mults)
	Submit logs by:	1600Z January 5, 2010
	E-mail logs to:	160meter[at]arrl[dot]org
	Mail logs to:	160 Meter Contest ARRL 225 Main St. Newington, CT 06111 USA
	Find rules at:	http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2009/160-meters.html

TARA RTTY Melee: 0000Z-2400Z, Dec 5
	Mode:	RTTY
	Bands:	160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m
	Classes:	Single Op (Low/High) Multi-Op (Low/High) SWL
	Max operating hours:	16 hours, offtime in no more than 2 blocks
	Max power:	HP: 1500 watts LP: 150 watts
	Exchange:	W/VE: RST + (state/province) DX: RST + Serial No.
	Work stations:	Once per band
	QSO Points:	1 point per QSO
	Multipliers:	Each state once only Each VE province/territory once only Each DXCC country once only
	Score Calculation:	Total score = total QSO points x (total state mults + total province mults + total country mults)
	Submit logs by:	January 2, 2010
	E-mail logs to:	(none)
	Post log summary at:	http://www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_melee_score.html
	Mail logs to:	(none)
	Find rules at:	http://www.n2ty.org/seasons/tara_melee_rules.html

KIWI DIGITAL GROUPS – TWIN SPRINT DIGITAL CONTEST

When :- Saturday. 5 December 2009

Times :- 0800 UTC until 0900 UTC (2100 NZDT until 2200 NZDT)

Band :- 80m

Modes :- PSK31 - 0800 until 0830

RTTY - 0830 until 0900

Sprint/Contest Rules and other Operating Information – refer to Manawatu Branch

Website – http://zl2ko.org.nz

2010 ARRL INTERNATIONAL CW CONTEST

When : - Saturday, 20 February 2010 and Sunday, 21 February 2010

Times :- 0000 UTC (20^th) until 2400 UTC (21^st).

Bands :- All Bands

Mode:- CW Only

Contest Rules and Other Operating Information are available from the ARRL Website, http://www.arrl.org

A good contest as is the later SSB Contest (March 6&7) to garner those missing US States for the elusive Worked All States award.

2010 ARRL INTERNATIONAL PHONE CONTEST

When :- Saturday, 6^and Sunday, 7 March 2010

Times:- 0000 UTC (Saturday 6^th ) until 2400 UTC (Sunday 7^th )

Bands :- All Bands

Mode :- Phone Only

For Contest Rules and other Operating Information please refer to the Contest Website - http://www.arrl.org/contests/

2010 JOCK WHITE MEMORIAL FIELD DAY CONTEST

When:- Saturday, 27^th February 2010 and Sunday 28^th February 2010

Times :- Saturday 1500 NZDT until 2400 NZDT and

Sunday 0600 NZDT until 1500 NZDT

Updated Contest Rules and Other Operating Information will be available from the NZART Website prior to the commencement of the contest . NZART Website http://www.nzart.org.nz/contests/

2010 RSGB COMMONWEALTH CONTEST (BERU)

When :- 13 & 14 March 2010

Times :- 1000 UTC (Sat.) until 1000 UTC (Sun.)

Bands :- All Bands

Mode :- CW Only

Considered to be one of the more gentlemany contests that has been in existence since the mid-1930's. Apart from the individual performances there is a Team's event, based on individual nation's participation. The NZART Team under the astute leadership of Frank Hunt, ZL2BR won this event in 2007 and finished third last year. Frank is looking for Team participants to make up the NZ Team. Interested - contact Frank by "snail mail" at :- 8 Manu Crescent, New Plymouth. 4310., or email :- zl2br@ihug.co.nz

Contest Rules and other operating information is now available from the Contest

website :- http://www.beru.org.uk/

OTHER FORTHCOMING CONTESTING ACTIVITIES

ARRL 10-Meter Contest	0000Z, Dec 12 to 2400Z, Dec 13
OK DX RTTY Contest	0000Z-2400Z, Dec 19
Croatian CW Contest	1400Z, Dec 19 to 1400Z, Dec 20
Stew Perry Topband Challenge	1500Z, Dec 26 to 1500Z, Dec 27
NRAU-Baltic Contest, CW	0630Z-0830Z, Jan 10
NRAU-Baltic Contest, SSB	0900Z-1100Z, Jan 10
LZ Open Contest	0000Z-0600Z, Jan 16
Hungarian DX Contest	1200Z, Jan 16 to 1159Z, Jan 17
UK DX Contest, RTTY	1200Z, Jan 16 to 1200Z, Jan 17
CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW	2200Z, Jan 23 to 2159Z, Jan 24
REF Contest, CW	0600Z, Jan 23 to 1800Z, Jan 24
UBA DX Contest, SSB	1300Z, Jan 23 to 1300Z, Jan 24

Good luck to those taking part in either of the contest/sprint activities this weekend.

Until next week.

John Powell. ZL1BHQ

NZART Contest Manager.