Christmas 2019 BATC Repeater Activity Contest

Christmas 2019 BATC REPEATER ACTIVITY CONTEST

To encourage ATV Activity over the Christmas period, the BATC is running a Repeater Contest. The contest will run from 0000hrs GMT on 21st December 2019 to 2359hrs GMT on the 1st January 2020. The Repeater Group amassing the most points through their repeater will receive a £100 prize.

The rules are available in .pdf form here: Media:Christmas 2019 BATC REPEATER ACTIVITY CONTEST RULES.pdf and are reproduced below. Note the rules in the pdf document are the master version. The wiki text below may have been changed for clarification. The entry log is here: Media:Repeater_contest_log_2019-yourcall.xls Use the 2m tab for any 4m contacts and record the band in the comments column. Remember to rename the "yourcall" part of the file name with your callsign. An entry is required for each unique QTH locator.

Christmas 2019 BATC REPEATER ACTIVITY CONTEST RULES

1. Introduction. The main object of an Amateur Television Contest is to promote ATV activity. Anyone interested in ATV, whether they are members of the British Amateur Television Club or not, are welcome to take part.

2. Eligibility. BATC Contests are open to all licensed radio amateurs who are equipped to transmit pictures by analogue or digital Fast Scan

3. Dates and Times. The contest will run from 0000hrs GMT on 21st December 2019 to 2359hrs GMT on the 1st January 2020.

4. Location. The operating location must be within the terms of your licence. If operating away from your main station, please get the permission of the landowner.

5. Frequencies. Within the allocated segments of the 70cm, 23cm, 13cm, 9cm, 6cm, 3cm and 1.5cm bands for FSTV. The NoV bands of 71MHz and 146.5MHz are also eligible. Operation must be via repeaters.

6. Power. Output power must not exceed that set out in the terms of your licence.

7. Exchange. Both a CALL SIGN and a FOUR-FIGURE code number must be conveyed via video and received via the repeater by another station. Reception of the repeater can either be via the RF output or repeater streaming channel.

Confirmation of reception is by transmitting back the sum of the code numbers (not the actual transmitted number) on the repeater or on the talk-back channel. Confirmation via the streaming chat channel or other none radio means is NOT allowed.

Please note that all four digits in the contest number should be different and not consecutive. The numbers must be different for each band, e.g. these numbers are OK: 2741, 4820, etc, these are not:- 1111, 1138, 1381, 1234 etc.  Reports should be sent using a 1-5 video quality report and a serial number, starting at 001 for each band.

8. Scoring. Points may be claimed for the RF path from the transmitting station to the repeater.

The following multipliers should be used:

• 71MHz & 146MHz @ 5 points per km
• 70cm @ 3 points per km
• 23cm @ 2 points per km
• Contacts on higher bands @ 5 points per km.

You may claim points for multiple contacts with the same station on the same day provided you transmit on a different band. 

You can claim points for working the same contacts on each day of the contest.

Contacts from multiple locations are permitted on the same day, band and with the same callsigns.  For example you can work into the repeater from home and then you can go out portable to two locations and all of the points earned /p can be added to those claimed for working the same stations on the same bands later in the day from the home station.

RF or Internet links between two repeaters do not count for additional points.

9. Distance Calculations. Your computer program should give 6371.290982 km as the earth’s radius and 111.2036 km for each degree change in latitude before rounding off to the nearest km. For scoring purposes, all valid contacts shall be deemed to have taken place over a distance of at least 5 Km, even if the two stations or the repeater in the contact have the same or adjacent locators. Scoring should be based on the distance between the centres of location squares, not map distance. Full 6-character length QTH locators must be used.

Use the standard rounding for decimals when converting distance to points. 0.5 and above add one point, anything less than 0.5 use the integer only. Examples:

a. Two stations are located in the same locator square, but make a 2-way contact on 23 cm through a repeater 50 km away. Each one-way contact earns 100 points (50km x 2 points per km) from each end of the RF path, so the total score for each station is 100 points.

b. If one station transmits to the repeater on 13 cm, he uses the distance to the repeater and the 13 cm multiplier. If the other transmitting station is using a 70cm or 2m input the points are calculated using the appropriate band multiplier.

c. A station operates /p from IO93PV and uses a repeater at IO93RS37 (distance 17.5km) to contact G9XYZ. He uses both the 23cm and 70cm inputs and claims 35 points for the 23cm contact and 53 points for the 70cm contact. He then moves to IO93OU91 (distance 14.7km from the repeater) and makes the same contacts on the same bands. He claims 29 and 44 points respectively. His total for the day if he makes no further contacts is the sum of all contacts, 161 points.

10. Logs. A separate summary log sheet should be submitted for each band, with a single cover sheet for all bands. The cover sheet should indicate for each band: Call sign of station entering contest, Contest name, Band, TX Power, Aerial etc., Code number used, QTH locators used, Total number of QSOs and best DX etc., Name and address of 1st operator, names and call signs of operators and the signed declaration. The log sheets should list for each contact, the date/time, Station Worked, Report/Serial number received, Repeater Callsign, Repeater Locator, Locator of other station, km from your station to repeater and points claimed. Each band should begin with the serial number 001. No station to be worked more than once on a specific day through the same repeater unless a different band or location is used. Please mark duplicates. You could lose points for gross errors, however the contest manager will correct minor errors of scoring and distance calculation. Logs must be posted or e-mailed by the third Monday after the contest.

You can download and use this Excel Log file.  Make sure that you "Enable Macros". Media:Repeater_contest_log_2019-yourcall.xls

11. Receive only section. Send or e-mail a log sheet giving your Call sign / BRS No. and name and address, Band, Date/Time, Call sign of station seen, Repeater Callsign, Repeater Locator, Locator of other station, Code number received, km from your station to repeater, km from repeater to distant station and points claimed. Scoring is the same as for a one-way contact defined above.

12. Disputes. The decision of the contest manager and/or the BATC Committee is final.

13. Spirit of the Contest. Don’t leave your video transmission on any longer than necessary. Let other stations use the repeater as well. Contests mean activity and good fun, join in and, even if you only work one or two stations, please send a log in.

14. Declaration of Interest. Although acting as contest manager, I reserve the right to take part.

15. Electronic Logs. Both paper and electronic Logs are acceptable. Electronic logs should be submitted using the Excel-format Repeater Contest Logsheet which can be downloaded from the BATC WiKi Web Site.

16. Contact Address. Entries and logs should also be submitted to: C. Reynolds, 49 Westborough Way, Anlaby Common, East Riding of Yorkshire HU4 7SW. Computer logs should be submitted by e-mail to contests@batc.tv within three weeks of the contest end. Please make sure that you get an acknowledgement from the Contest Manager - e-mails do go astray!

Clive Reynolds G3GJA / G8EQZ BATC Contest Manager 20th December 2019