The Makrothen Contest - Information's

The Makrothen Contest
Information's

Last Update: 11-December-2005

About the Makrothen Contest and our planning for the future

About specific features of the rules, the background and the future

Some information's in the Web

About the Makrothen Contest and our planning for the future.

We are completely persuaded that contest rules should please everybody.
All contest rules should be logical.
The contest rules should never favor any group of HAM's.
Because the TMC scoring system (distance only & no multiplier & all bands) is very unique, the contest rules need some fine tuning in the future, of course.
We are open minded for any kind of support, suggestion and recommendation.
If your contest software package does not support (complete) the TMC, please get in contact with the software author and let us know.

About specific features of the rules, the background and the future.

Some of you may be irritated about the definition of the Multi classes? Please have in your mind, this contest started in 2004 for the first time. It is better to start with four than with eight classes in the beginning, we believe! If there is a serious request for splitting this classes, then we are open minded to do it for the next year; no question. Your suggestions are very welcome!

To prevent any misunderstanding about the four classes, please take a look on this little table.

Class 1

Op Tx,Rx Power Band Remark

------ ------ ------ ------ -------------

Single Single Low All SO,SR,LP,ALL

Class 2
Op Tx,Rx Power Band Remark
------ ------ ------ ------ -------------
Single Single High All SO,SR,HP,ALL

Class 3
Op      Tx,Rx   Power   Band    Remark
------ ------ ------ ------ -------------
Single Multi   Low     All     SO,MR,LP,ALL
Multi   Single Low     All     MO,SR,LP,ALL
Multi   Multi   Low     All     MO,MR,LP,ALL

Class 4
Op      Tx,Rx   Power   Band    Remark
------ ------ ------ ------ -------------
Single Multi   High    All     SO,MR,HP,ALL
Multi   Single High    All     MO,SR,HP,ALL
Multi   Multi   High    All     MO,MR,HP,ALL

You may ask, why the exchange is 4 characters only and not the full 6 character locator? In many parts of the world the full 6 character locator is not very well known by the HF-HAM's. But that may change in the future. Then we want to think about it again and change the rules to 6 character. That would force the operator to be more carefully and ask for a repeat, if he is not sure about the exchange he has copied. ~:)

Some information's in the Web

If you want to learn something about the Maidenhead Grid Square Locator, then check this ARRL page.

If you are an US-HAM, then you can figure out your 4 character grid square at this ARRL page.

If you know your latitude and longitude in decimal degrees you can calculate your locator at the Makrothen Web Site.

The whole world with Maidenhead fields and squares, calculator and more you can find on Takumi Nomura, JF9EXF page.

Don't get confused about "Maidenhead Grid Square Locator". The Maidenhead system adopted in Europe in 1980 was G4ANB's proposal, although SM5AGM was the "father" of the system. It defined only FIELDS, SQUARES, & SUB SQUARES, no mention of "GRIDS".