North America SPRINT Contest this Saturday is

[K3STX]

This weekend from 0000-0400 UTC on Sunday (7 am till 11 am EST on Saturday) is the NA Sprint Contest (CW). This is wicked fun and a big-time contest for serious contesters. Note it is only 4 hour long, very family friendly. The beaty (and difficulty) of the contest is that NOBODY can sit around and call "CQ CONTEST" all night long; if you call CQ, after the QSO you MUST leave the frequency, it now "belongs" to the guy who answered you. To CQ again you must QSY 5 kc. What makes it strange is that if you answer the CQ of K9STH (for example) and instead of answering YOU he answers K6UEY (for example), after Glen's contact you will NOT be calling GLEN, you will be calling ORV (UEY). Glen will be long gone, since he must QSY (since he called CQ).

There is help for you, to make sense of this:

The Sprint Survival Guide (http://web.jzap.com/n6tr/sprint.html)

There are CW mp3 files for practice:

K5TR practice sprint audio (http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr/audio/sprint_practice/)

Whats more, to help you understand WHO owns the frequency, there is an order to the exchange (which is basically, SERIAL # YOURNAME, YOURSTATE).

If K3STX is the CQer I would send:
CQ K3STX NA

then Glen calls me: "K9STH"

I hear him and send "K9STH K3STX 23 PAUL MD" (he is QSO #23)

He responds "K3STC 78 GLEN TX K9STH" (I am QSO #78)

K3STX then sends "dit dit" so Glen (and the rest of the world) knows all is cool and it was a completed QSO.

Notice the order of call-signs. Glen sending "K9STH" at the END of his exchange tells everybody that it is now Glen's frequency and you should call K9STH, not K3STX. It sounds wierd, but after a little practice it is pretty easy.

It is an intense contest. Once your QSO is over and you "own" the frequency, you usually get called without even having to CQ. It is fun. HOWEVER, these are the big boys, many send over 40 wpm (it IS a Sprint). You can ask to QRS, but if you are timid just call "CQ NA" at your own speed higher in the bands (the contest is restricted to 20, 40, and 80 meters).

It is intense, I am usually sweating at the end (and have a bit of a headache). The 400 QSO mark is rarely met (twice, I believe) and. believe it or not, the top guys go SO2R (single op, two radios, one in each ear and call CQ/answer CQs simultaneously on two different bands at once). It is insanity.

There is an "on-air" practice Friday night (6:30 pm to 7:00 Pm PST) around 3545, 7025, 14,045. REMEMBER to "QRL?" before sending, no need to antagonize ragchewers BEFORE the contest. Most loggers support NA Sprint, and the practice is useful to check out your computer.

"Fresh meat" (i.e. you ) are a welcome addition late in the contest, when all the "regulars" have worked the bands out. The more, the merrier. Remember, no logs to submit (like all contests) and even the big-wigs want YOU in their log (I am most certainly not a big-wig by any stretch, 100 watts to wire antennas and my best is only 200 QSOs.)

This one separates the men from the boys. See ya'.

paul

[N8CPA]

I guess I'm a boy. I have never jumped into that one. It might be time to grow up. I'll check the practice bytes and make up my mind later.

[K3STX]

Steve,

You, of all people, should CERTAINLY get in there!! It is a major rush. There is another practice tonight. Last nights practice was certainly NECESSARY. I thought I had N1MM configured properly, but was not (it automatically sent "CQ" instead of "dit dit" after my exchange. The ultimate no-no (remember, if I was the CQer I MUST leave the frequency, as it now belongs to the guy who sent CQ).

One way to get in gently is for YOU to call CQ. Then once the exchange is over nobody will call you at 30 wpm (or 50 wpm). The only requirement would be that you must QSY 5 kc before CQing again. You can set VFO A and VFO B at least 5 kc apart and then just go from A to B and that keeps you OK.

Usu. from 0000-0100 or so is 20 M, 0100-0300 is 40, and 0100-0400 is 80. It is addictive and really really REALLY fun. Everybody should try at least once.

paul

[WS2L]

I used to operate these sprints because they didn't take up 24 or 48 hours so time wise they are easy to operate. I will have to give it a whirl this weekend.

[K3STX]

That's one of the reasons I like it too. It is late enough at night that it is really not too big an imposition on the XYL to take care of the kids till 8:30 EST (bed-time for kids). I like the NA QSO Parties for the same reason.


48 hours is alot to ask of a spouse for those of us with small kids.

paul

[WB2WIK]

Paul, you got the times wrong in your initial post. It's 7PM to 11PM Saturday, EST (4PM to 8PM Saturday, PST).

You wrote "AM."

Just in case anybody out there doesn't understand UTC...

WB2WIK/6

[N8CPA]

You must have talked me into it. I just invoked my privileges as an N3FJP software registrant and downloaded the appropriate software.

One of the reasons I've avoided sprints is that they're too short. I like the immersion of the 24 and 48 hour CW events--Brass baths! Since I'm wading into this one for the first time, I'll consider it a brass foot bath or shower. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Now how will I explain it to my wife? "Yes, honey, I know it's Valentine weekend. But I am taking you to your stamping club on Sunday--a 100 mile round trip--and we are going out to dinner on Monday. Remember, you married a ham. Saturday night is between you and International Morse. Guess who's gonna win!"

Twenty-seven years ago, when I was still trying to make sense of the beeps on the shortwave receiver, if anyone had told me I would one day be as enthusiastic as I am about that stuff... Ditto for contesting in general.

Now, I'll take a look at that software. Then, I'll program the keyer. Then I'll cable the computers together and transfer the file from the desktop to the laptop. I guess I better get busy.

BTW, I think my niece is getting interested in Ham Radio. I've exchanged a couple of emails with her today, explaining some of the aspects of licensing. When she was here for the Holiday gatehring, she stood at the doorway of my shack watching me demonstrate the use of CW. She had a smile on her face the whole time I was keying, using the TNC to scroll what I sent on the straight key. I think it might have been the very early gestation of a ham. I hope so, at least.

[K3STX]

All you have to explain to your wife it is it is Valentine's DAY, not Valentine's weekend!! I think it is idiotic anyway (fortunately my XYL does too) so we do not really recognize it. Maybe a card, that is it. Fortunately my XYL goes to sleep early (around 9:30, usually) so I'm not asking much. What makes things worse is that NEXT weekend I am taking off to join a multi-multi for the DX contest and will be gone from Fri. afternoon till Sunday afternoon! What a gal.

paul

p.s. try to get on tonight, the practice is good. And 80 M is going long REALLY early here. By 10:30 last night the only strong signals were from W6/W7. I had difficulty copying W2/W3/W4 even on 80.

[N8CPA]

I also have a BIG problem with Hallmark holidays. #I make slight exception for Valentine only because it predates Hallmark.

But that October travesty is just an excuse to give women something to .--. -- ... about! #And I will not yield to assertions or demands from Hallmark, FTD, Anthony Thomas, International Diamond Merchants or any other entity, that I contribute to their coffers by buying a gift. Any gift bought then is more a gift for the merchants than the women in our lives. It costs us because women, my wife a singular exception, really buy into that stuff. #

I would spend MILLIONS FOR LOVE, BUT I WILL NOT ONE BRASS FARTHING FOR COMMERCIAL TRIBUTE! #The Cupid of October can keep his arrows quivered, or otherwise go plink himself! # #GRRRRRRR! # #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

Update: I now have 2 memories programmed with both versions of the exchange. I'll push one for running--if there is such a thing in this one--and the other for H&P.
I'll alternate between the two. I've already tested to make sure the MM-3 can deal with using two different different memories to increment within the same series, and it works--And another surprise from the late, great AEA.

[ai4ep]

Well, since this is a C W exercise, this should be a rather SHORT thread...since there are so FEW of the regulars who can copy/send C W here at this site....however...if a select few would put as much effort into learning CW as they go whining & griping, there would be more participitation from more folks than there are currently....you already knew that, did nt you ?

[K3STX]

Steve, yes two memories are fine. I thought you used N1MM. It is perfect for the Sprints.I automatically swiches from RUN to S&P and therefore changes the ORDER of your callsign.

As long as YOUR sent exchange after YOU call CQ (or own the freq) has your call immediately after his (Run Memory #1) and as long as YOUR sent exchange after you answer someone else puts you call at the very very end of the exchange instead (S&P Memory #2) you are fine. After a while it gets tough to remember who started the QSO, but if you forget just remember that if he sends his call at the END of the exchange it is his frequency. ALSO if you need a fill send a string of DITS (maybe 6) and ask for the fill. You will find that in the Sprints some people do NOT wait till the QSO is confirmed before they start calling you. A bad practice, since a busted QSO in the Sprint costs you PENALTIES (additional QSO deleted).

See ya. Even tonight 80 was long at 10 pm EST.

paul

[ai4ep]

and CPA does have a point about February 14...it IS just ONE day, but since it IS on a Monday, they are pushing a type of " valentine weekend " with romantic dinners, giving roses / rings / cars / etc....I have not seen any " one-night-stand motel ads ", since this holiday is supposed to be for those who are " really in love ", which appears to be a dying art. Divorces being so easy to get these days, and so many folks are just " shacking up " , it would appear that some folks these days think of their future romantic relationships on the same level as the advancement of their amateur radio license --- they want it all NOW with the least amount of effort used.

Thanks to modern technology, it is easier now to get a divorce than it is to upgrade from a N C T to a GENERAL class amateur radio license.

The " dumbing down of America " continues...in so many different ways. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[ai4ep]

Decent contest and not every one was a speed demon ( going too fast )....

I think I actually had fun and learned a little bit ( the second part might be kind of hard to believe...about learning a little bit ! )

I did not hear any LIDS out there, every one was cordial, polite and it was well orchestrated ( dignified ).

Too bad so many narrow-minded folks did not participitate due to their mental limitations of " I cant learn cw"....but then, we all cant be perfect, just a chosen few.

A I 4 E P

[N8CPA]

Okay, I admit it--I'M A BOY!

I dropped out within the first 20 minutes. I had a finger twitch that resulted in sending "0" instead of "1" on the first contact. I got frustrated. Other station sent "NR ?" I manually sent 1 twice, but did not send "NR" between them. I realized the station probably took it as "11" but he moved on before I could correct the error.

I immediately got called by a neighbor, KV8Q, before I could update the keyer. The keyer sent "1," he should have been "2." Having made 2 Q's on the frequency, I took time to edit the logger, to change the first Q from the automatically entered "1" to the "11" sent.

Twitchy finger struck again! Instead of hitting the Edit button, I hit Delete. QSO "11" disappeared. Having already forgotten the call sign, I could not restore the contact info.

More frustration. Shack walls now splattered with blue from the vocabulary I used.

By the time I settled down enough to trust my nerves to continue, activity had moved so far up the band (40) I couldn't find it. When I reached the digital portion and heard how busy it was, I decided the night was shot for me. So I retreated to the History Channel to pout.

To quote the commercials for the TBS cable station: "That's quite funny. You can laugh, if you like--but don't overdo it."

It sounds like quite a concept of a contest. It won't be my last attempt. I'll tackle it again in September. Between now and then I'll develop a practice routine--I actually have to train my coordination to contest specific tasks
--to help defray the twitches. Since I decided to particpate at the last minute, I don't think the muscular routines were sufficiently developed, since I didn't "train" for it. That won't be a problem in September.

[ai4ep]

but at least you DID try...congradulations !!

[K3STX]

Oh well, these things take time. It is both very fun and VERY VERY frustrating. Especially when you need the mult from the guy calling CQ: if you aren't the first one he answers he will QSY immediately after his QSO! It's a trip. You can copy the mp3 practice files from N6TRs website (or the link on the web-site), they are very helpful.

I was only on for 2 hrs, LP with about 85 QSO and 30 mults. By 0130 here most of the activity was already on 80. I missed 20 completely and got very little on 40, usually a big band. And 80 was VERY long, I would say 40-50 of my QSOs were with CA.

It is a great test of your skills, not only for contesting but for being able to copy and send CW and really CONCENTRATE for 4 hours (or, in your case 20 min). But that was a pretty hairy 20 minutes, I bet.

paul

[N8CPA]

Nothing hairy about it. The Sprint clipped me. My 20 minutes proves that for purposes of this contest, I am a baby--a bald headed one, at that. Not even old enough for the "shear" terror of the fray. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

But rather than just listen to the bytes, as I did this time. I will download them to my logging computer, and play them as I practice with the software. I'll be back in September to claim my much touted CW locks.

To paraphrase a line from "Johnny Dangerously," Element 4(A) got me once--ONCE! The Autumn Sprint will be no different.