The Northeast HamXposition and New England Division Convention is proud to announce a major addition to its program for 2024.
“Mini-Contest University,” or mini-CTU, based on K3LR’s popular Contest University, has been featured at the Dayton Hamvention since 2007 and has been presented in 15 countries to over 10,000 participants, is a series of contest-oriented talks and presentations offered at HamXposition on Friday. Interested participants may attend free of charge. Registration information and locations will be announced soon. Watch https://hamxposition.org for details.
Door prizes will include gift certificates, courtesy DX Engineering, and an autographed copy of the ARRL’s popular Amateur Radio Contesting for Beginners book written by Doug Grant, K1DG.
The preliminary mini-CTU agenda for Friday, August 23, 2024, is as follows:
8:30 AM Registration
9:00 AM Introduction – Doug Grant, K1DG, and Tim Duffy, K3LR
9:15 AM Getting started in Contesting – Randy Thompson, K5ZD
10:00 AM coffee break
10:30 AM Station setup for Contesting – Paul Young, K1XM
11:15 PM Antennas for Contesting – Mark Pride, K1RX
12:00 PM lunch break
1:15 PM Eyeball QSO Party – Doug Grant, K1DG
1:30 PM Contest Operating Strategy – John Dorr, K1AR
2:15 PM Choosing the best radio for Contesting – Rob Sherwood, NCØB
3:00 PM Q & A session – all speakers, “Ask me Anything” format
3:30 PM prize drawing
Mini-CTU Outline:
Getting Started in Contesting
Why it is fun
How it helps you become better at …EmComm, POTA, everything!
How to make a contest QSO
How to submit an entry
Digital contesting
Logging programs
Station setup for contesting
Focus will be on practical issues for small-lot, small station setup
Ergonomic equipment layout
Computer interface and automation
Antennas for contesting
This is the most important equipment in your station!
High band options – beams
Low band options – how to be competitive with simple wires
Feedlines and connectors