JACK FILES CONTEST 2004
from John Spooner VK4AJS Contest Manager

VK4 Shire Codes InfoJack files

This contest is sponsored by the WIA Division and is in honour of the late Jack Files, a long-serving VK4 WIA councillor.

Object is for amateurs to work as many other amateur stations, and particularly as many different VK4 shires and towns, as possible.

Date: Saturday, 3 July, 2004
Time: 0800UTC – 1400UTC in six one-hour blocks for the purpose of duplicate contacts.
Band: 80 metres only. Use 3.5MHZ – 3.7MHz to put all licence grades on an equal footing.
Modes: Either CW; SSB; PSK31, or All Modes
Categories: Single Operator; Club Station
Exchange: Non-VK4 stations will send RS(T) plus serial number starting at 001 and incrementing by one for each contact. VK4 stations will send RS(T), serial number and two-letter shire or town code for purposes of multipliers.
Score: One point per contact
Multipliers: Each VK4 Shire or Town counts as a multiplier.
Final Score is total QSO points X total number of multipliers.
Repeat Contacts: In order to make best use of the band, stations may be contacted once in each hour on each mode. These repeat contacts must not be consecutive.
Logs must show full details of all QSOs and must be accompanied by a Summary Sheet showing operator’s name; address; callsign; category and mode entered; claimed score and a declaration that the rules and spirit of the contest were observed.
Send logs by mail to: Files Contest Manager, PO Box 1006, Yeppoon, 4703. Logs may be sent by
e-mail in text format to: vk4ajs@optusnet.com.au
Closing date for all entries is 7 August, 2003
Certificates will be awarded to the top scorers in each mode in each VK State, ZL, P29 and any DX country (i.e. country outside VK, ZL or P29).

This is just a reminder that the 2004 VK/ trans-Tasman Contests are not far off.

80M Phone SAT 22 May.
80M CW SAT 5 June.

160M Phone & CW SAT 17 July.

These 6-hour Contests have been expanded this year, to include a night on
160M. (replacing the Pacific 160M Contest).
Each evening is a separate Contest, running from 0800 to 1400 hrs UTC (6pm
to midnight E.A.S.T.)

The Contest Rules have been refined each year, primarily in an effort to
include scoring compensators that make it fair to all, regardless of
location or timezone.
The top ten “phone” logs, last year, were about as close as you can get, -
and about half VK/half ZL.
Each year, feedback has shown that it was not only the best Contest in the
Region, but also the most fun.

The Contests rely to an extent, on bonus points earned for working “groups
of Call-areas”, in any one hour. – For this reason more participation is
needed from these call-areas, in particular: VK0, VK1, VK4, VK5, VK6, VK7,
VK8 VK9 and ZL3, ZL6.
I also need a better % return of logs (previously about 25%).
It would be good to have some Club/group entries, under the “Multi-operator
Rule. – This is an ideal Club event !
This is also an opportunity for ex-VK/Limited Licensees, to try something
new and different for them, on HF.

So, plan ahead…….
I hope that you will be able to organize your time to participate in one or
more of these Contests.
They have been planned with your enjoyment in mind, and are intended for the
“first-timers”, right through to the experienced Contestor.
With stations able to be reworked each hour, there are 5 to 6 hours of
continuous entertainment.

Tip for 160M: if you don’t have a 160M antenna, just solder some RCA plugs
on each end of your 80M dipole, and add 20M of wire to both ends. – If space
is a problem, just run the tails back along the fence, through the
trees,down the pole, or around the carport. That won’t affect the radiated
signal much, but will enable you to load up with an ATU.

What more can I say ? - The survival of these Contests depends on the
level of your participation. – So give it a go, and send me your Logs !

73's,
Bruce Renn
(VK3JWZ - Contest Manager)