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howto:contestspreadsheets [2021/01/23 18:25] – created va7fihowto:contestspreadsheets [2024/01/06 15:45] (current) – [Winter Field Day Contest] va7fi
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-~~NOTOC~~ +====== Contest Spreadsheets ======
-====== RAC Contests Log ======+
  
-<WRAP center round info 85%> +Here are some [[https://www.libreoffice.org/|LibreOffice]] spreadsheets for different contests: 
-I just updated the spreadsheet from Cabrillo V3.0 to [[https://www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/RAC-Cabrillo-V3.2.pdf |Cabrillo V3.2]] so it should be ready for the RAC Winter Contest on Dec 18-19  --- //[[va7fi@rbox.me|Patrick, VA7FI]] 2020/11/29 23:18//+<WRAP center round important 80%> 
 +These spreadsheets do **not** work with Excel.  See below for more information on how to use them.
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
 +^ Contest             ^ Date                                  ^ File                               ^ Lasted Updated on        ^
 +| Winter Field Day    | 1900Z, Jan 27 to 1900Z, Jan 28, 2023  | {{winter_fieldday_v20240106.ods}}  | <wrap hi>Jan 6, 2024</wrap>  |
 +| ARRL Field Day      | 1800Z, Jun 24 to 2100Z, Jun 25, 2023  | {{fieldday_v20230128.ods}}         | Jan 28, 2023             |
 +| RAC Canada Day      | 0000Z to 2359Z, July 1st, 2023        | {{rac_contests_v20230128.ods}}     | Jan 28, 2023             |
 +| RAC Winter Contest  | 0000Z to 2359Z, Dec 30, 2023          | {{rac_contests_v20230128.ods}}     | Jan 28, 2023             |
  
-Last summer was my first time participating in the RAC Canada Day contest on my own.  It was a lot of fun and also very instructive.  Here are a few things I learned.+  * All spreadsheets are used in very similar ways, but they are different to account for the different rules and ways to calculate the points. 
 +  * Most of the introduction below uses RAC's contest as an example but the same ideas apply to the other contests.
  
-First, everything you need to know about the RAC Canada Day or Winter Day contest is located on the [[https://www.rac.ca/contesting-results/ |RAC website]], but it can be a bit overwhelming to digest for first-time contesters, so here's an overview.+===== RAC Canada Day Winter Contests =====
  
-===== Logs =====+Everything you need to know about the RAC Canada Day or Winter Day contest is located on the [[https://www.rac.ca/contesting-results/ |RAC website]].  It can be a bit overwhelming to digest for first-time contesters, so here's an overview. 
 + 
 +==== Logs ====
  
 During the contest, the following information must be logged for each station: During the contest, the following information must be logged for each station:
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   * Exchange (Two letter province code for Canadian Stations, or the serial number for other stations).   * Exchange (Two letter province code for Canadian Stations, or the serial number for other stations).
  
-At the end of the contest, logs must be submitted to RAC.  They will accept paper logs for submissions with less than 100 entries, but they really prefer electronic logs, which must be submitted in the //Cabrillo// format.+At the end of the contest, logs must be [[https://contest.rac.ca/ |submitted to RAC]].  They will accept paper logs for submissions with less than 100 entries, but they really prefer electronic logs, which must be submitted in the //Cabrillo// format.
  
 A Cabrillo file is really just plain text file formatted in a very specific way.  For example, here's a copy of my Cabrillo file from last summer (with only a few entries as example): A Cabrillo file is really just plain text file formatted in a very specific way.  For example, here's a copy of my Cabrillo file from last summer (with only a few entries as example):
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 </hidden> </hidden>
 <pagebreak> <pagebreak>
-RAC does NOT want this information emailed to them in the body of the email.  Instead, this should be saved in as plain text file named (in my case): ''VA7FI.LOG'' and attached to the email. 
  
-Regular contesters use logging programs which can generate these files while providing features that facilitate the logging process during the contest.  Many people have recommended [[https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/ |N1MM]] as being the best one.  RAC also has its own Microsoft Windows {{https://www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/files/contests/files/RAC%20Contest%20Software.ZIP |contest program}} for its own contests.+Regular contesters use logging programs which can generate these files while providing features that facilitate the logging process during the contest.  Many people have recommended [[https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/ |N1MM]] as being the best one.  RAC also has its own Microsoft Windows {{https://www.rac.ca/wp-content/uploads/files/contests/files/RAC%20Contest%20Software.ZIP |contest program}} for its own contests.  This is what the spreadsheet looks like:
  
-But since I'm not a regular contester and I didn't have time to familiarize myself with a logging program that would run under GNU/Linux, I simply used a spreadsheet to log my entries and tweaked it as the day went on to add my points and check for duplicate stations.  A few days after the contest was over, I cleaned up the spreadsheet and added some code to export the Cabrillo file the way RAC needs it. 
 {{ :howto:rac_va7fi.png }} {{ :howto:rac_va7fi.png }}
 +
 +The steps are to:
 +  * Fill out the ''Preamble'' sheet.
 +  * Log the contacts in the ''Log'' sheet.
 +  * Export to Cabrillo using the button on the ''Preamble'' sheet.
  
 Here are a few introductory videos I made to explain how to use the spreadsheet, which should also work with the RAC Winter Contest in December. Here are a few introductory videos I made to explain how to use the spreadsheet, which should also work with the RAC Winter Contest in December.
  
-  * The first video shows where to download [[https://www.libreoffice.org/ |LibreOffice]], and how to set the Security settings to allow LibreOffice to run macros: ''Tools'' -> ''Options...'' -> ''LibreOffice'' -> ''Security'' -> ''Macro Security'' -> ''Medium''+  * The first video shows where to download [[https://www.libreoffice.org/ |LibreOffice]], and how to set the Security settings to allow LibreOffice to run macros: \\ ''Tools'' -> ''Options...'' -> ''LibreOffice'' -> ''Security'' -> ''Macro Security'' -> ''Medium''
 {{ youtube>7L_FxG2cJds }} {{ youtube>7L_FxG2cJds }}
  
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 {{ youtube>lt0CJa-yJWw }} {{ youtube>lt0CJa-yJWw }}
  
- 
- 
-Here is the link to {{ :howto:rac_contests_v20201129.ods |download it}}.  It is: 
-<WRAP indent> 
-<WRAP round box 80%> 
-Licensed under Creative Commons [[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 |By-Sa]] so you are free to: 
-   * Run it for any purpose. 
-   * Study and modify it. 
-   * Copy it to help others. 
-   * Improve it, and release the improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. 
- 
-Provided that you: 
-  * Attribute the work to me by linking to [[https://scarcs.ca/howto/raccontests]] 
-  * Distribute any derivative work under the same license. 
-</WRAP></WRAP> 
  
 Here's a copy of the code that generates the Cabrillo file: Here's a copy of the code that generates the Cabrillo file:
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 ' '
 ' Provided that you: ' Provided that you:
-  * Attribute the work to me by linking to <https://scarcs.ca/howto/raccontests>+  * Attribute the work to me by linking to <https://scarcs.ca/howto/contestspreadsheets>
   * Distribute any derivative work under the same license.   * Distribute any derivative work under the same license.
  
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 </hidden> </hidden>
 <pagebreak> <pagebreak>
 +
 +===== Winter Field Day Contest =====
 +
 +Everything you need to know about the Winter Field Day contest is here: [[https://www.winterfieldday.com]]
 +
 +==== Logs ====
 +
 +During the contest, the following information must be logged for each station:
 +  * Date and Time in UTC (for example 2023-01-28 and 1901)
 +  * Frequency in kHz (for example, 14.125 MHz should be entered as 14125)
 +  * Callsign
 +  * Class (ex. ''1H'': 1 operator at home, ''2O'': 2 operators outside, ''3I'': 3 operators inside, ''4M'': 4 operators mobile)
 +  * ARRL Location (ex. ''BC'', ''AB'', ''SF'', ...)
 +  * Mode (''CW'', ''DG'', or ''PH'')
 +
 +
 +At the end of the contest, the Cabrillo file must be submitted online at www.winterfieldday.com
 +
 +
 ===== 7300 Recorded Voice TX ===== ===== 7300 Recorded Voice TX =====
 The other thing I learned during the contest is how to record a short message on my IC-7300 and play it back on the air so I could save my voice a bit.  The details are on [[https://www.icomjapan.com/uploads/support/manual/common/IC-7300_ENG_Full_8.pdf| Section 7 of the IC-7300 full manual]]: The other thing I learned during the contest is how to record a short message on my IC-7300 and play it back on the air so I could save my voice a bit.  The details are on [[https://www.icomjapan.com/uploads/support/manual/common/IC-7300_ENG_Full_8.pdf| Section 7 of the IC-7300 full manual]]:
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 I still had to use the mic a bit depending on the situation, but these pre-recorded messages took care of a lot of the grunt work. I still had to use the mic a bit depending on the situation, but these pre-recorded messages took care of a lot of the grunt work.
  
-===== Last Thoughts ===== +===== License ===== 
-I didn't expect to enjoy contesting as much as I did In fact, I found it strangely addictive I think I'd be ok with participating to two or three contests a yearbut I would never have the time to spend an entire day on the radio every weekend.  Never-the-less, I'm looking forward to the next one.+Both spreadsheets are licensed under Creative Commons [[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 |By-Sa]] so you are free to
 +   * Run it for any purpose. 
 +   * Study and modify it. 
 +   * Copy it to help others. 
 +   * Improve itand release the improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. 
 + 
 +Provided that you: 
 +  * Attribute the work to me by linking to [[https://scarcs.ca/howto/contestspreadsheets]] 
 +  * Distribute any derivative work under the same license. 
 + 
 + 
  
howto/contestspreadsheets.1611455145.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/01/23 18:25 by va7fi