Few Sunspots Again This Month, But WRTC Qualifying Sure To Spur 2009 Russian DX Activity

By Jamie Dupree NS3T radio-sport.net
Posted March 16, 2009

While propagation conditions continue to be less than stellar, the 2009 Russian DX Contest seems likely to be an active one, in part because it's the last qualifying round for most amateurs in the chase for slots in next year's World Radiosport Team Championships.
"We are gaining in the number of participants year by year and I am sure more and more people will be joining us," said RDXC organizer Harry Booklan RA3AUU.
The focus - obviously - is on Russia in this contest, and that's where your strategy lies, no matter your location around the globe.
That definitely skews the higher scores to areas that are closer to Russia. Just as the Carribean enjoys a distinct advantage in ARRL DX, Europe and nearby areas in Asia clearly have the edge when it comes to Russian DX.
That was true again in 2008, as two ops on Cyprus swept the Mixed High Power (5B4AII/RW3QC) and Low Power titles (5B/W0DKA, op UA2FZ) while Europeans had the edge in other single mode and multi-op categories.
"The strategy for RDXC is pretty simple," says Randy Thompson K5ZD. "Stay on the best band that is open to Russia. That's where the multipliers are."
"The RDXC always has great activity. I just hope we have some propagation!"
Even if you don't have great propagation to European or Asiatic Russia, the difference between Russian DX and a contest like ARRL DX is that everyone can work everyone else in this test.
"At this point in the cycle, it's difficult to work European Russia on any band," says Dan Craig N6MJ, "so it's nice to be able to work US guys for points."
At opposite ends of the US, Thompson and Craig will not only be trying to maximize their scores, but also looking to gain maximum points in the race to qualify for the 2010 World Radiosport Team Championships in Russia.
"Time is coming closer to July 2010 we are getting more and more excited," said Booklan RA3AAU, one of the WRTC coordinators.
"I am painting pictures in my mind how it all looks like for the event."
Last year, Booklan was on the winning Multi-Single team in Russian DX from the QTH of Ranko Boca 4O3A. This year, Boca will be trying to repeat his win, while Booklan will head back to Cyprus for a Multi effort as P33W.
One other interesting part about Russian DX is that it is a 24 hour contest for all, beginning and ending at 1200z, just like the IARU in July.
"I really enjoy the concept of a 24 hour DX contest," says Thompson K5ZD.
"There is only one chance to catch each opening so the pressure is always on. Doing mixed mode there is a lot of ground to cover and always a decision whether to be on CW or SSB."
How to balance those contacts is different for everyone. Many like Bernd Langer VK2IA expect to have more CW QSO's in the log for sure.
"Guess I will end up operating 80% CW and 20% SSB in the contest," he told radio-sport.net before leaving for his operation in the Cocos Islands.
The 2009 Russian DX Contest begins at 1200z on Saturday March 21 and ends at 1200z on Sunday March 22.

Russian DX Log Checks

A bit of a furor erupted in recent days on the CQ-Contest reflector over the log checks performed in the Russian DX Contest, which are a slightly different than many contests.
Not only do you need to copy the signal report and exchange correctly from the station you work, but the other station also needs to copy your information correctly in order to guarantee you get credit for that contact.
"RDXC is strongly supporting 2-way QSO principals, so both parties are involved in a contest QSO and correct exchange," says RDXC organizer Harry Booklan RA3AUU.
"I hope all the guys have received their UBNs and can improve their RDXC-2009 scores by learning from previous mistakes," he added.
"With the high level of log checking, it is critical to get everything right and to do things that help the other station get everything right," said Randy Thompson K5ZD.
"I will definitely be focused on that as I go through the contest."
What it means is that if you just sort of throw together your log and don't worry about getting everything "right" then the other station might lose points.
"If you are not serious in the contest -- please don't send in your log," K5ZD wrote on the CQ-Contest reflector.
"If you do send in a log -- please make sure you are copying everything correctly."
As Thompson and others noted, these log checking rules in Russian DX are not new.