Amateur Radio contesting simplified

Over the next few weeks, South African Radio League (SARL) Contest Manager Geoffrey Levey will highlight details of the up and coming contests. This week, he focuses on the SARL HF Contests.

The aim of the SARL HF Phone Contest is for participants to contact as many amateurs in Southern Africa as possible on the 20, 40 and 80 m bands.

The HF Phone contest takes place on Sunday 1 August 2010 from 13:00 to 16:30 UTC. The following frequencies may be utilized - 14,125 to 14,350 MHz; 7,060 to 7,100 and 7,130 to 7,200 MHz; 3,603 to 3,650 and 3,700 to 3,800 MHz.

There are four categories of participation - a) Single Operator Single Band; b) Single Operator All Band; c) Multi Operator Single Band or d) Multi Operator All Band.
The exchange is a RS report and a consecutive serial number starting at 001. A multi-operator station transmitting on several bands simultaneously may at their discretion use separate number sequences for each band.

Each contact counts 1 point, each call area worked on each band counts 2 points and each station contacted on all three bands counts 2 points. Contacts with stations outside these areas are allowed, QSO points may be claimed but no zone or three-bander points may be claimed.

More details including the call areas are available in the contest manual. Download it from www.sarl.org.za and select contests in the left hand column.

There are trophies and certificates awarded for the highest overall score as well as the highest score on a single band. Logs must be submitted within 15 days to the Bloemfontein Radio Amateur Club, Box 12104, Brandhof, 9324 or sent by e-mail to zs4bfn@netactive.co.za.
The closing date for the log submissions is 16 August 2010.

Participants under 19 years old and participants over 18 years old will take part in two separate draws for a 2010 ARRL Handbook and an ARRL Antenna book respectively.

Get those antennas in order and get radio active in the SARL HF Phone contest on 1 August.

The South African Radio League