Small Station Contesting

1
Small Station Contesting

• Jari Jokiniemi
• OH3BU
• Contest Club Finland

2
Some Math

• Assuming 5000 CQWW participants
• Theres only one winner in SOABHP
• Supposing each winner wins only once
• One has some 50 active contesting years
• gt Only 1 of winners in the game
• Should you draw some conclusions?

3
Big Fish In An Ocean

• Winning CQWW SOABHP
• OH2BH, OH2MM, OH7JT
• Some big fishes are in fact groups OH2U

4
Mid-Size Fish In An Ocean

• The wannabees
• Not yet big but not any more small
• Fighting hard to eat the other fishes
• Being eaten by the big fish if too close
• OH1WZ
• OH6LI
• And many, many others. Please, dont be offended
  if I did not mention you here.

5
Small Fish In An Ocean

• The great masses
• Food for the big fish
• Probably having quite happy lives without much
  ups or downs. What can a small fish expect? A
  palace and seven maids or conquering the world or
  what?

6
A Warning

• Dont be fooled by the big fishes!
• They want to eat you
• They want you to play by their rules
• So that they win
• And youre going to lose
• But they cant live without the small fishes
  who else would be at the other end of the pile up

7
Your LimitationsOr Why You Wont Be A Big Fish
In An Ocean

• Money
• Time
• Family duties
• Power
• Pileup management skills
• Physical endurance
• Other hobbies
• Etc.

8
So What Are Your Conclusions?

• You still want be the best of them all?
• You give up?
• You just make the others happy?
• You break the rules?
• You invent your own contest?

9
What AboutBig Fish In A Small Pond

• The topic of today
• The SMALL STATION CONTESTING concept
• Or how to survive when you dont have three
  towers and big linear amplifiers
• Happiness without winning the CQWW SOABHP
• Originally published in PileUP 4/2001
• Subsequently published in CQ Contest
• Now revealed to you by the Contest Club Finland
• Successfully deployed by many unknown contesters

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Set Your Targets Why Are You Doing This

• To get new DXCC entities / IOTA islands
• To run pileups
• To enjoy listening to the bands
• To hone your skills
• To escape the lonely nights
• To belong to the great group of contesters
• To win in your own way
• To .... whatever
• BE REALISTIC (accept your limitations)

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Study Your CompetitionTo Find Opportunities

• You may be weak
• But your competition may be even weaker
• If you just find the right competition
• Area World/Europe/Finland/Your neighborhood
• Class AB, SB, MM, Assisted, QRP
• Select a competition that you can win
• Read the rules

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Find Your Own Pond( Contest Class)

• Antennas? gt 10 m mono yagi gt SOSB10
• Activity? gt TS40
• Weak scores gt Assisted
• Propagation advantage gt OH / SOSB20
• Unpopular activity gt SAC QRP
• Something very different gt RSGB21/28
• Less congested mode gt RTTY
• DXCC score up gt Assisted AB

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What To Expect In Your Pond

• Low Power, 60 is a good rate
• QRP, 30 is a good rate
• SAC QRP, you might win with only 100 Q
• 20Assisted, 1000 Q OK
• 40CWAssisted, Caribbean is your backyard
• 40SSB / 3 el / kW, youll suffer
• 160SSB / GP/ kW, you obviously like suffering
• 160SSB / QRP, the ultimate in suffering
• Study the results

14
Create An Advantage

• 3 el vertical for 80
• 2 x 4 o 4 o 4 for 20
• WPX TS10, 6 el mono yagi interlaced dipoles for
  15/20
• WPX TS20, 6 el mono yagi interlaced dipoles for
  10/15
• WPX TS40, a dipole at 42 meters
• Small scale pedition, IG9GP80, PJ73el10
• Guest operating

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Sample 1JARL web
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Sample 2Scandinavian Activity Contest 2001 SSB,
SM3CER Contest Service
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Sample 3Scandinavian Activity Contest 2001 SSB,
SM3CER Contest Service
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Sample 4JIDX 2003 CW
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Your Own GameCQWW OH Record data by CCF WEB
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The Surprise Attack

• Do what the others dont do

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