Christmas 2020 BATC Repeater Activity Contest and Activity Challenge

The Christmas Repeater Contest 2021 will run from Friday 24th December 2020 through to Sunday 2nd January 2022 inclusive. The aim is to increase ATV repeater use. On offer is a £100 prize for the repeater group with the most contacts recorded.

The on-line entry and ladder system as used for last year's Contest on the BATC website will be used. The Ladder has fields for you to enter the points claimed and the repeater's callsign. https://batc.org.uk/contests/ladder/

As well as the Repeater Challenge, you are invited to enter any non-repeater contacts you make so that the Contest becomes an Activity Ladder Challenge too. There are no prizes for the winner of the Activity Ladder Challenge but the first and second places will receive a certificate and your name and callsign will appear in CQ-TV with attached bragging rights, kudos etc.! Many repeater groups have found that their income has been slashed by the pandemic precautions, so here’s a chance to help your local repeater group and stir up some activity.

The rules are available in .pdf form here: File:Christmas 2021 BATC REPEATER ACTIVITY CONTEST and ACTIVITY CHALLENGE 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.

Christmas 2021 BATC REPEATER ACTIVITY CONTEST and ACTIVITY CHALLENGE 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. For this contest there is also a receive only section.

3. Dates and Times. The contest will run from 0000hrs GMT on 24th December 2021 to 2359hrs GMT on the 2nd January 2021.

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. It is essential that you adhere to any local and national COVID restrictions in force.

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 to be valid for the Repeater Contest.

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 the repeater's streaming channel. The same exchange should be used for direct contacts for points to be valid in the Challenge.

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 allowed as is confirmation by another voice repeater (analogue or digital).

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. 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.

For the Repeater Activity Contest, points can be claimed for one band per station per day. You may not claim points for multiple contacts with the same station on the same day on different bands. You can claim points for working the same contacts on each day of the contest.

For the Challenge, on any day you may work the same station on different bands and claim points for each contact.

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. All distances are calculated by the online entry program. 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 is be based on the distance between the centres of location squares, not map distance. Full 6-character length QTH locators must be used.

10. On-line logging. Use the Activity Ladder page on the BATC website here: https://batc.org.uk/ladder and fill in the boxes for each contact as appropriate.

11. Receive only section. Send an e-mail to the Contest Manager with log shee.t attached 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.

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 / frequency as well. Contests mean activity and good fun, join in and, even if you only work one or two stations, please use the Ladder to record your activity.

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

15. Submission of entries. Transmitting section entries will only be accepted via the on-line Activity Ladder web page. No paper or spreadsheet logs will be accepted except for the Receive section.

16. Contact Address. Queries can be submitted to: C. Reynolds, 49 Westborough Way, Anlaby Common, East Riding of Yorkshire HU4 7SW. Email: contests@batc.tv

Clive Reynolds G3GJA / G8EQZ BATC Contest Manager 1st December 2020