International Grid Square Chase 2018 A new DX-ing Challenge Delvin Bunton, NS7U
Overview What are Grid Squares? What is the International Grid Square Chase? IGC Rules Logbook of the World (LoTW) Aids for Contacts Goals
What are Maidenhead Grid Squares? rogerwendell.com
Maidenhead Grid System Earth divided into 324 fields identified by two letters (Vancouver USA lies in CN) Each field is 20 longitude (east-west) and 10 latitude (north-south). First letter represents longitude, second latitude. Each field is subdivided into 100 squares starting in the SW counting north in columns of tens and shifting east for the next ten
Grid Squares within Field
CONUS Grid Squares (488)
Fred Fish Memorial Award (FFMA) Fred Fish award for contacting all 488 CONUS grid squares on 6m Named posthumously after Fred Fish (SK) who was the first to accomplish the feat in 2008 According to Mar 2017 summary only 7 completed the challenge so far, including Rick Roderick K5UR, current ARRL President
FFMA Most Needed, Mar 2017
http://qthlocator.free.fr/index.php CN85
Ham Population in Nearby Squares Grid Square Ham Population CN78 26 CN77 66 CN76 173 CN75 3 CN74 239 CN73 425 CN72 155 CN71 114 CM79 0 DN01 0 DN02 0 DN03 32 DN04 30
VHF/UHF Contests Quarterly ARRL VHF/UHF contests Next contest Jan 20-21, 2018 Participants are ALWAYS looking for more contacts Typically use SSB, CW, digital, and some FM You can participate via FM simplex Use simplex frequencies low in the band
CN76 (nearby rare grid) According to a grid search on QRZ, only 173 hams live in CN76 In comparison, CN85 has over 5,000 hams (QRZ quits at 5k)
CM79 (a really rare grid) Tough challenge 60% of top 6m FFMA chasers needed it in 2010 survey Nearby hard grids: CN70- CN78 Distant hard grids: EL84, EL58, DL99, DN58, FN57 QST article, Oct 2010, p.70
What is the Grid Square Chase? Goal: Contact stations in as many Maidenhead 4-character grid squares as possible each month during 2018. Bands: All amateur radio bands EXCEPT 60- meters are allowed. Contest QSOs count. Modes: Phone, CW, Digital (including FT8)
Logging: Contacts must be uploaded to Logbook of the World (LoTW) to count. No points: Repeater contacts (including IRLP and EchoLink) do not count You do not need to exchange grid squares for credit, but both stations must report QSO via LoTW where the grid squares of each station will appear
Rules to Participate Contact stations anywhere, anytime Upload your QSOs to Logbook of the World Other station uploads their QSOs. Contacts that match band, date, time, mode, and stations will show as QSLs. You should see matches and points accumulate. Repeat often All bands allowed EXCEPT 60-meters
Logbook of the World http://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world Download free TSQL application on computer Request initial callsign certificate and LoTW account password ARRL will send postcard with postcard password (not same as LoTW password) FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!!!! Freelancing will lead you astray.
LoTW Logon screen
DXCC Award Status
DXCC Challenge
https://igc.arrl.org/
Some HF Aids NCDXF Beacon system 18 beacons around the world that transmit using CW every 3 minutes Call sign at 22 wpm followed by four one-second dashes at 100w, 10w, 1w and 0.1w Frequencies: 14.100, 18.100, 21.150, 24.930, and 28.200 Five beacons transmit at any given time on different bands in a regular cycle
NCDXF Beacon Locations
Time Signals WWV (male voice) and WWVH (female voice) Transmit on 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz CHU (Canadian) from Ottawa Transmit on 3.330, 7.85, and 14.67 MHz
VHF/UHF Aids Beacons on band of interest Frequencies not listed because there are many beacons using many frequencies on several bands. Map on next slide links to info on each beacon. TV stations in Central America Schedules with hams in DX-land (relative term) Really good luck
http://www.k9mu.com/map/
Other aids There are numerous beacons on 70 cm, 2m, 6m, and 10m that can help you deduce propagation Listen to a beacon in an area where you want to make contact You might contact a ham in a place where you want to contact and set up a schedule
Final words If your radio is off, you will not make contacts Even basic FM stations can work if you: Improve your antenna Choose your location well Get on the air Consider upgrading your license class to General or Amateur Extra Consider upgrading your equipment Antennas usually make the biggest difference for the least cost
Definitely upgrade your operating skill and experience Nothing like practice to improve Set some personal goals Make the contacts Log the contacts Upload contacts to LoTW Periodically check your progress on LoTW Repeat often
The End Can I answer any questions?