K5ZD Commentary, SSB

How close to the band edge can you go?

We always get a number of emails after the contest complaining about how close USA stations get to the bottom of the US phone allocation on 20, 15, and 10 meters. Doug, K1DG, had done some research into this topic and arrived at the following conclusion.

Quoting from the FCC rules regarding signal bandwidth (in Part 2, not Part 97):

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PART 2–FREQUENCY ALLOCATIONS AND RADIO TREATY MATTERS; GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS–Table of Contents

Subpart C–Emissions

Sec. 2.202  Bandwidths.

(a) Occupied bandwidth. The frequency bandwidth such that, below its lower and above its upper frequency limits, the mean powers radiated are each equal to 0.5 percent of the total mean power radiated by a given emission.

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In a few other places, the FCC falls back on that “0.5 percent” standard. Or, if you prefer, -23 dB. In part 97, (97.3 (a) (8)) to be exact, amateur service signal bandwidths are defined at the 26 dB points. (I believe that is an error, where the FCC guy who wrote it did the 1% part in power terms, then did the .5 part in voltage terms).

My conclusion from this is that on USB, you are OK at 500 Hz inside the band. 600 Hz is real safe. Closer than 500 Hz is hard to justify, due to the compromised third-order distortion performance of most ham “linear” amps.

How to measure.  Record the mean S-meter reading right there on 21200.6 USB, then switch to LSB and set the dial on the radio to 21200.0 and record the mean S-meter reading there. If the difference is 26 dB the transmission is legal according to FCC rules in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47, Part 2, Section 2.202 paragraph (a), and the tighter rules for hams at 47CFR97.3(a)(8).

The above applies only to those operating under the jurisdiction of the USA Federal Communications Commission.  Other governments may have their own interpretation to what is in the band or not.

K5ZD Announcements

2014 SSB Contest Raw Scores Now Available

The raw scores for the 2014 CQ WW DX Contest SSB are now available at
http://www.cqww.com/claimed.htm

These are the scores as calculated by our log checking software BEFORE any checking or score reductions have been done. These scores provide quick feedback on who might be the winners, but there is a lot of log checking still to go. It is not unusual for scores to drop 3-8% (or more) so we will have to wait until the checking is completed to know who the winners will be.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest.

You may still submit your log using the web upload at http://www.cqww.com/logcheck/
While not eligible for any awards, late logs are shown in the results and do help us greatly with the log checking.

Any questions about the raw scores or other matters relating to CQWW should be sent at: https://cqww.com/contact.

K5ZD Presentations

‘Twas the Night Before World-Wide

Twas the night before World Wide, when all through the shack

Not a rotor was turning, not even the stack;

The finals were warmed in their chimneys so clear,

In hopes that DXpeditions soon would appear;

The guest ops were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of morning runs danced in their heads;

And mamma in her ‘headphones, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a last minute nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the piles of unraked leaves below,

Gave rise to the guilt of yard tools still stowed.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a full-on mobile, all bris’ling with gear.

With a little old guest op, so lively and free,

I knew in a moment it must be ‘DG.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old Op,

And I laughed when I saw him, I just couldn’t stop;

More rapid than eagles his QSOs they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, G3! now, DL! go P4 and VE!

On, VK! next ZL! now, ZK and TT!

To the top of the Section! to the top of the Zone!

Now dash away,  records, top them, alone!”

As QRM that before the high speed run splatter,

He lost not a moment to deal with the matter,

And using his mouse to zero beat the zoo,

‘Get off my freq AR, I know that it’s you’!

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled up the log; then moved for a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his Bose, And giving a nod, up the standings he rose.

He copied the QSOs, some strong and some light,

And worked them all quickly, late into the night.

With uncanny speed the log he did fill,

I knew after checking his UBN would be nil!

He sprang to his mobile, to his mic gave a whistle,

And away QSY’d with the speed of a missile.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove like a nut,

Happy WorldWide to all, and to all, a  ‘KICK BUTT’ !!

 

by Tony Brock-Fisher K1KP (with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore)

K5ZD Announcements

CQ Reconsiders Policy on Crimea in CQ Contests

From http://www.cqnewsroom.blogspot.com/2014/10/cq-reconsiders-policy-on-crimea-in-cq.html

In response to requests from a large number of contesters around the world, CQ has reconsidered its decision regarding the acceptance of logs from stations in Crimea in CQ-sponsored contests.

As CQ Publisher Dick Ross, K2MGA, explained, “a large portion of the contesting community felt that we were unfairly denying our fellow amateurs in Crimea of the opportunity to fully participate in our contests. Since the country list for CQ contests is based on a combination of the Worked All Europe (WAE) and ARRL DXCC lists, and the ARRL has already adopted a policy regarding Crimean stations in its award and contest programs, we will amend our policy to be consistent with the ARRL’s DXCC policy.”

“Therefore, the listings of Crimean stations submitting logs for CQ contests will be based on the call sign under which they have operated. If they used Russian-issued calls in the contest, they will be listed under Russia; if they used Ukrainian-issued calls in the contest, they will be listed under Ukraine. This change reflects not only the desire of many contesters around the world, but also of a large majority of members of the CQ World Wide DX Contest Committee.”