Antenna Launcher Contest

New for 2012! RARS will be holding the first ever ARRL Field Day Antenna Launcher Contest on Saturday June 23rd at 10:00 am/ The contest will be held at the Field Day site at 4501 Friendship Road in Apex, NC. You can find a map of the location here. The rules are simple:

There will be 2 entry classes - one for sling shot type launchers, and one for power assisted launchers (e.g. pneumatic). Launchers powered by combustion (propane, gun powder, or other explosive materials) and bow and arrow type launchers (including cross bows) will be excluded for safety sake. The device entered must be set up with a payload/projectile and tether, just as you would use it in the field to send a line over a tree branch. The payload/projectile must be blunt (e.g lead weight, tennis ball, plastic cylinder, etc). No sharp objects will be allowed. The Field Day Chair reserves the right to disqualify any device that might be a threat to safety.

The entrants will compete in 2 categories:

Distance - each contestant will be allowed 3 shots, with the longest of the 3 shots (as measured by a laser rangefinder to the nearest yard) counted as the distance score. In the event of a tie, the combined distance of all 3 shots will be totaled to determine the winner.

Accuracy - each contestant will be allowed 3 attempts to shoot their device's payload/projectile through a hoop located approximately 30 feet away and 30 feet in the air (actual distance may vary slightly. 10 points will be awarded for each successful shot through the hoop. In the event of a tie score the contestants will participate in a "sudden death" shoot-off.

Awards will be given for the 1st place winner in each entry class, and for overall winner in each entry class based on their total distance + total accuracy points (excluding sudden death points). The winners will be announced at the Saturday night BBQ supper. The award presentations will be done at the August RARS meeting.

How to enter: send an email to the Field Day Chair, Bob Starkenburg, W4TTX at w4ttx@arrl.net. Please indicate your entry class and the type of launcher you will be using (sling shot, compressed air launcher, etc). You may only participate in one entry class.

Please note - rules are subject to change. Please monitor the Field Day link on the RARS website for any changes.

Let the games begin!!!