RaDAR Rally
The Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio RaDAR concept originated with
South African amateur radio operators. The concept has evolved
through the efforts of Eddie Leighton ZS6BNE over the years. Bi-Annual RaDAR
Contests have been held on the first Saturday of April and November.
Recently, Marcus Kessler NX5MK has sponsored RaDAR-America Contests held
concurrently with the SARL RaDAR Contest. The RaDAR Contest rules
have been further refined for 2015 and will be known as the RaDAR
Challenge.
The Google+ RaDAR Community has attracted an international group of
amateurs interested in RaDAR. The opportunities to practice RaDAR
vary with the time zone and season of the year. Therefore to augment
the bi-annual RaDAR Challenge the RaDAR Rally has been established.
The Rally is an achievement program not a contest. Each operator may
earn points for contacts made while deployed as portable. Portable
stations can move a required distance by any means and redeploy for
additional points per QSO. This movement is the essence of RaDAR. To
assist the deployed RaDAR operators the Rally incorporates RaDAR
Chasers who earn points contacting the deployed RaDAR operators. The
points for RaDAR Operators and Chasers are combined toward claiming
tokens. The period to claim tokens is over a six month period. Each
six month period will have a new set of token. The RaDAR Rally is now in effect as of November 11th 2014.
1. Aim:
The
RaDAR “Rally” is a unique program aimed at promoting the use of
Rapidly Deployable Amateur Radio stations. The points system is
so structured as to encourage portable RaDAR operations, especially
moveable RaDAR stations. RaDAR stations in the field are challenged
to make contacts with limited power and compromise antennas.
Therefore, the Rally also encourages other fixed amateur stations "chasers" to
contact RaDAR operators in the field.
2. Dates:
The
RaDAR Rally will be six months in duration between but not including
the RaDAR Challenge dates of the first Saturday of April and the
first Saturday of November. The first RaDAR Rally will cover November
2, 2014 - April 3, 2015.
3. Bands and Modes
All amateur bands are allowed including cross band contacts via
amateur radio satellites. Modes – CW, SSB, AM, FM or any legal
digital mode. QSOs via terrestrial repeaters will NOT be allowed.
4. Suggested HF Calling frequencies
See https://zs6bne.wordpress.
for the latest international list of frequencies. The WARC bands can
be used considering this is a RaDAR “Rally” and not a contest as
such. It provides better opportunities for RaDAR contacts during
difficult propagation conditions.
5. Exchange
The RaDAR Rally requires more than a minimalistic information
exchange. Accurate information exchange is considered more important
than a large QSO count.
RaDAR Operator:
Call sign, Name, RS(T) Report, QTH and location number with grid
locator. Note the grid locator can change as RaDAR operators are
allowed to move position at any time. The grid locator of six
characters is acceptable but should preferably be accurate to 10
characters for higher position accuracy. Smartphone applications are
generally used to establish more than a 6 character grid locator.
If working non participating stations, Call sign, Name, RST and
QTH is acceptable.
RaDAR Chaser:
Call sign, Name, RS(T) Report, QTH and location grid locater.
The grid locater of six characters is acceptable but should
preferably be accurate to 10 characters for higher position accuracy.
6. Scoring
RaDAR Operator:
1 point per QSO up to 5 points at first location
2 points per
QSO up to 10 points at second location
3 points per QSO up to 15
points at third location.
continue this scheme for additional
locations.
The locations will reset after 8 hours after the first QSO
If the moving RaDAR station has moved the required distance (See
point 7) contact can be made with a previously worked station, again.
However, you may count only one one QSO per station per location.
RaDAR Chaser:
1 point per QSO when working a RaDAR Operator at the first
location
2 points per QSO when working a RaDAR Operator at the
second location
3 points per QSO when working a RaDAR Operator at
the third location
continue scheme for additional locations.
Scoring for the tokens in section 11. below are cumulative over
the Rally. RaDAR Operator and RaDAR Chaser point will be combined per
amateur radio call sign.
7. Categories and multipliers.
RaDAR Operator: This is a RaDAR station deployed as portable or
moving.
RaDAR Chaser: This is a fixed station that contacts deployed RaDAR
stations.
Modes of transport and required movement distances (moving
RaDAR stations only)
Vehicles, motorcycles and motorboats etc. (Motorized transport) – 12km
Bicycles – 2km
On foot and paddle canoes –
1km
Wheelchairs – 500m
Aeronautical mobile stations are considered moving stations and
can communicate at any convenient time.
Note: Moving RaDAR stations can move at any time but are
required to move to the next destination after five contacts have
been made from the present location. The move needs to cover the
required distance before further contacts are allowed to be made.
This requirement tests the ability to rapidly re-deploy your amateur
radio field station.
8. Power multiplier:
None. The operator is free
to choose his station configuration and power requirements. However if you like the challenge of QRP there is a QRP endorsement for the tokens in Section 11. QRP will be defined as transmitter power output equal to or
less than 10 W PEP output for single-sideband or double-sideband phone
(suppressed or full-carrier) and equal to or less than 5 W PEP output
for other modes (e.g. CW, FM, AM, digital)
9. Bonus points (All categories).
5 Points (The equivalent of five QSO’s) for a minimum of one
satellite or any digital modes QSO involving a computer, smartphone
or digital modes device. (For clarity thereafter 1 point per
Satellite / Digital modes QSO). RaDAR Chasers can claim this bonus only for a QSO with a
deployed RaDAR station.
5 Points for the first successful same continent RaDAR to RaDAR
QSO (As may be confirmed by the extensive information
exchange).
5 Points for the first inter continental (DX) QSO.
10 Points for the first successful inter-continental (DX) RaDAR to
RaDAR QSO (As may be confirmed by the extensive information
exchange).
These bonuses are available once per Rally for RaDAR Chasers. They
are available to RaDAR Operators once per operating period which is 8
hours.
10. Log Sheets
The RaDAR Rally manager is Greg Lane, N4KGL. Send email logs to
lanekg (at) gmail.com.
Logs can be submitted any time a token is requested. Only the logs
since the last token are needed. Greg N4KGL will submit his logs to
Eddie ZS6BNE for confirmation.
11.Tokens
Tokens are collected during each
scoring period. Each scoring period will have it own set of tokens.The tokens for the scoring period ending on the first Saturday of
April 2015 are
Warthog: 30 points
Rhino: 50 points
Cheetah: 100 points
additional Cheetahs for every 100 points after the first.
Chaser and operator points will be combined.
A QRP endorsement for tokens is available if all QSO points applied to your tokens were made with transmitter power output equal to or
less than 10 W PEP output for single-sideband or double-sideband phone
(suppressed or full-carrier) and equal to or less than 5 W PEP output
for other modes (e.g. CW, FM, AM, digital)
The participants who who submit logs
supporting their scores will have their token status posted by the
program manager to the Google+ RaDAR community and other web sites.
12. The Google+ RaDAR Community
On-line participation on the Google+ community is encouraged but
not required. Posts and photos related to your planned operations, live operations and
post operation reports are encouraged.
13. Spotting:
Advertising your operations is
encouraged and any means to spot your operations is allowed.
