VK/ trans-Tasman Contests
2012 VK/ trans-Tasman Contests
Contest Manager
Now with a new Contest Manager:
Rob Glassey (ZL3AKM)
Queries and comments can be emailed to the Contest Manager on:
vktasman@hotmail.com
The VK/trans-Tasman Contests URL is no longer active. This WIA page is now the main source of information for this contest.
Contest Introduction
The VK/trans-Tasman contests have been restructured for 2012.
- The 80m phone contest remains much the same, with some changes to scoring.
- A new contest combines 160m phone with CW and digital modes on both 80m and 160m, all on the same night, with categories for single mode or single band operation.
The exciting 80 metres phone Contest will be staged on:
SAT 12th MAY 2012
The combined 160 metres phone, and 160/80 CW & Digital Contest will be staged on:
SAT 21st JULY 2012
Each night runs for 6 hours,in 1 hour stages, - long enough to be interesting without being too arduous, and providing constant activity, with stations being reworked each hour.
The main emphasis is on contacts between VK and ZL stations, with the scoring structured to give all stations an equal chance, regardless of their location or time-zone.
Bonus points can be earned each hour, and are awarded to encourage trans-Tasman contacts
and participation by VK Central and Western zones.
An engraved trophy will be awarded to the outright winner of each contest, with certificates for winners and some place getters in other categories.
These Contests are not sprints or marathons. They will provide 5 to 6 hours of non-stop evening entertainment, that should not intrude too much on family life or sleep time.
So, make a note of the details, and give it a go ! - then extend your dipoles, plug in the paddle or fire up the PC for the combined contest in July.
The only thing we ask is that you take the time to submit your log (even if you don’t think you will win). This is essential to make it all worthwhile, and to ensure the on-going success of the Contests.
Queries and comments can be emailed to the Contest Manager on:
vktasman@hotmail.com
Aim Of The Contest
Final rules will be published soon.
A quick summary:
80m phone: Second Saturday of May.
Combined 160m Phone + 80m&160m CW & Digital: Third Saturday of July.
6 one hour periods: 8 UTC - 14 UTC
Best 5 hours count toward final score.
Exchange: Only a serial number is required, signal report is optional.
Categories:
First night:
-80m phone open
-80m phone single operator
-80m phone single operator QRP
-80m phone single operator Foundation Licence
Second night:
-160m phone open
-160m phone single operator
-160m phone single operator QRP
-160m all modes single operator
-80m CW & Digital single operator
-80m CW & Digital single operator QRP / foundation licence
-80m + 160m CW open
-80m + 160m Digital open
-All modes both bands open
-All modes both bands single operator
-All modes both bands single operator QRP
All modes both bands = 160m phone, 80m & 160m CW & Digital
Groups can be made from contacts regardless of mode or band, so multi mode or multi band operation on the second night can be highly advantageous!
Multi operator:
Multi operator and multi transmitter stations may only enter the open categories. Only one transmitter per band.
Repeat Contacts:
Each station may be contacted once per band, per mode, per hour (period), except for digital modes where each station may be contacted once per band, regardless of mode, every HALF hour. There must be 5 minutes between any valid repeat contacts on the same band (e.g. on different modes, or at the start of a new hour)
Recommended digital modes: RTTY45, PSK31, DominoEX11, Feld Hell, Olivia 8-250 (slow & robust). Other digital modes <300Hz wide are also valid, but it may become more difficult to work out what mode is in use.
Power:
Max: 100W
QRP: less than 5 watts. Use /Q suffix.
Portable stations: Use suffix of call area eg /3 for VK3 or ZL3.
Scoring:
Points are scored per valid contact depending on band, your call prefix, and the prefix of the station contacted. (see table below)
Call Areas: 80m points / 160m points
VK/E-ZL: 4 / 6
VK5-ZL: 5 / 8
VK8-ZL: 8 / 12
VK/W-ZL: 8 / 12
VK8-VK/E: 4 / 6
VK/W-VK/E: 6 / 9
VK/W-VK8: 6 / 9
All others: 3 / 3
VK/E = VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK7, VK9
VK/W = VK6, VK0
Points are the same for both stations.
50 Points are scored for each group of SIX contacts in the same hour, where each contact is from a different call area. Each contact may only be used once. Call areas no longer need to be grouped within zones. Contacts from any call area in VK or ZL may be combined to form a group. VK6, VK8, and VK0 require only 5 contacts to form a group. The ability to combine ZL and VK call areas makes forming groups of 6 easier, and further encourages trans-Tasman contacts.
2 points are a awarded for contacts with QRP or foundation licence stations.
Stations running QRP score 2 further points per contacts.
Foundation licence stations (running 5-10W) score one additional point per contact point.
Logs:
VKCL can be used for this contest. Be sure to get the latest version just before the contest. 2011 versions will not score contacts correctly.
Electronic Logs can be emailed as a VKCL output or other plain text file to:
vktasman@hotmail.com
If you don't get a confirmation email within a week, the log probably has not been received!
Postal address for paper logs is in the rules.
CLOSING DATES:
Only 4 weeks from contest date!
80m phone: 9 June 2012
160m phone, 80/160m CW&Digital: 18 August 2012
Results from late logs may not be published.
This Years Winners
Full Results can be downloaded below:
2011_80m_Complete_results.doc
80m Phone
*************
Overall Winner: VK7VH/Q
First QRP: VK7VH/Q
First Foundation Licence: VK5FANA
First ZL: ZL4AL
Night-Owl (Highest scoring last hour): VK3FRC
Wooden Spoon (Lowest submitted log - Thanks!): VK4ATH/Q
Category 1 (Open phone)
Callsign Score Contacts
1 VK7VH/Q - Multi 1910 211
2 VK3FRC - Multi 1804 242
3 VK3YXC 1517 206
Category 2 (QRP phone)
Callsign Score Contacts
1 VK7VH/Q 1910 211
2 VK2IG/Q 1012 129
3 VK3ZPF/Q 779 97
Category 3 (Foundation licence)
Callsign Score Contacts
1 VK5FANA 657 111
2 VK2FGJW 113 37
Category 4 (Multi-Operator)
Callsign Score Contacts
1 VK7VH/Q 1910 211
2 VK3FRC 1804 242
3 VK2AWA 1515 184
Previous Years Winners
Refer to RESULTS downloads at the end of this document.
These will only be published until replaced by the current year's Results.
Contest History
The Contests were conceived in 2000, by Bruce Renn (VK3JWZ).
After the demise of the VK Novice Contest, there was a gap in the VK Contest Calender that needed filling.
The ZL Memorial Contest format was the spark that provided the idea for the VK/ trans-Tasman Rules. The Rules were originally devised and written by Bruce Renn, and the scoring system has been modified several times to help maintain a fair and even competition.
The 80M Phone and CW Contests commenced in May 2001.
160m was added in 2004 after the demise of the 160M Pacific DX Contest.
By 2009 the Trans Tasman contest had grown from a single night of phone and CW activity on 80m into 4 separate contests on 4 separate nights. This was becoming too much to manage and even too much for participants, and CW activity was on the decline.
So in 2009 the CW contests were dropped from the main VK/trans-Tasman contest, and were picked up by Rob Glassey, ZL3AKM, who added digital modes to these contests to boost flagging activity.
After the 2011 contest Bruce resigned as contest manager after 10 years of dedicate service, and the contests were taken over by the new contest manager, Rob Glassey, ZL3AKM.
In an attempt to reduce contest management requirements and consolidate activity, the 80m and 160m CW and Digital contests were combined with the 160m phone contest from 2012. The group scoring system was simplified and the variable participation factor was replaced with a call area based points table.
Upcoming Contest Date & Time
80m phone: SAT 12th MAY 2012 0800 UTC-1400 UTC
160m phone, 160/80 CW & Digital: SAT 21st JULY 2012 0800 UTC-1400 UTC
Contest Rules
Refer to RULES download at the end of this document
Contest Scoring
Refer to RULES download at the end of this document
Submitting Your Log
Refer to RULES download at the end of this document
Contest Results
Refer to RESULTS downloads at the end of this document
Contest Award
Refer to RULES download at the end of this document
Logging Software
While any logging program that complies with the information required under the "Logging" Rule, is acceptable, -
the website for download of the preferred VKCL LOGGING PROGRAM,is available at the end of these Rules.
Contest Sponsors
The Wireless Institute of Australia contributes to the Contest Manager's operating expenses for these Contests.
Files For Download
Page Last Updated: Monday 9 January 2012 at 21:0 hours
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