OK all: Here are the proposed teams. I will register them tonight. If
anyone is going to use a different call than your own call, let me know
right away. I must register both the call sign to be used and the call
sign of the operator. If there is to be any difference, I must register
it that way.
SECC#1: N4PN, K4BAI, K1ZZI, W6IZT, WA2MBP
SECC#2: W4UCZ, NA4BW, KU8E, N4JIK, K2SX
SECC#3: WF4W, W4BW, WA4YG, W4DD, W4SVO
SECC#4: NJ8J, N4DU, N5VI, W5JR, NM2L.
Placement on the teams was based on the time each estimated he could
devote to NAQP this weekend.
I still need more for SSB next weekend: So far, I have N4PN FT, K4BAI
FT, and W4SVO FT.
Some words about the contest itself. If this is too basic for you,
don't read it. Remember the limit is 10 hours for single ops with
minimum off times of 30 minutes. Make it a full 30 minutes. If your
last QSO is at 2000Z, be safe and don't start again until 2031Z and
count on time from the time of your first QSO. Especially during the
daylight hours, try 10M on the hour and 15M on the half hour. During
the night time hours, try 160M on the half hour. On 40M, if the RTTY
QRM is too bad, go low in the band if your license permits and try
7100-7125 kHz. These frequencies are largely unused and could be very
useful if RTTY covers 7025 to 7100 as it sometimes seems to do. RTTY
would not likely be much of a problem on the other bands. If there is
significant QRM from RTTY high in the 20 and 80M bands, go lower in the
bands even if you must go into the Extra class frequencies.
You should try to have a frequency on each band to use to ask other
stations to QSY to. This should be a frequency that isn't being used a
lot, such as one high in the band (but below RTTY or above 7100 on 40),
or one in the Extra class band if you can transmit there. If your usual
QSY frequency is in the Extra Class band, decide on an alternate
frequency in the General Class band for Generals (such as above 7100 on
40). Whenever you are running and area called by a multiplier you need
on another band and there is a chance that a QSY would give you the mult
on the other band, ask the caller to QSY. Most will agree. Some will
not and some cannot. If they agree, you should be prepared to call them
on the QSY frequency or to CQ on the QSY frequency for several minutes.
If you have separate antennas and don't have to use an antenna tuner,
you may alternate calling on the QSY frequency and CQing on your old run
frequency until either you make the QSO or you decide it isn't going to
happen.
If someone asks you to QSY and you need the multiplier, by all means try
the QSY. If you don't need the mult, you will still need the QSO and
you can try the QSY anyway. You don't lose much if you are in the
search and pounce mode and you may find a band that is open when you
thought it was closed. You may "run the bands" with some stations,
going to each one that might possibly be open. This should be possible
during the whole contest for locals. Don't overlook requesting QSYs for
the nearby states, AL, SC, TN, FL, NC.
Don't waste time asking a station that you have called while in S&P mode
for a QSY unless it is someone you know well and you think he will
accommodate you or unless you have listened to him for a while and he
isn't having much success CQing.
The contest is 18Z Saturday (1 PM EST) until 06Z Sunday (1 AM Sunday).
There are many different theories on taking your off-times if you are
trying to put in a full-time effort. If you have a good station and
antennas on all bands, you may follow W4AN's advice and take a half hour
or so off during the early afternoon. A half hour on and a half hour
off. If you don't have a 160M antenna or don't get out well on 80 and
160, you may want to run full time during the daylight hours to get the
advantage of the higher bands and your tribander or whatever and take
your times off when the rate slows on 80 and 40 at night. Remember, if
you take your off time early, you may wish you had it later if a
thunderstorm comes along or a power outage. The weather forecast for my
local area is for a cold night Saturday followed by rain or freezing
rain on Sunday. So, Saturday may be OK from a weather standpoint.
NM2L started out full time and then learned that his son will be coming
home from overseas and he may not be able to get on in NAQP CW at all.
So, if there is someone else who knows he can be QRV some, Greg and I
will appreciate your letting me know and I'll put your call in the team
#4 in place of Greg.
You might try a little harder to work other members of your team and
other SECC members (in other words stay in line calling a little longer
than you might with others) since those QSOs will help all of us.
Conflicts: Other than the ARRL RTTY RU which will be running the whole
time of the NAQP (and until 2359Z Sun), the most significant conflict
might be with the Straight Key Century Club Weekend Sprint (WES). If
you hear a station on a hand key or bug calling "CQ WES," don't waste
your NAQP time and pass him by (unless you know he is in a multiplier
that you need on that band). You can get the necessary information for
a NAQP contact from him because his exchange will be RST, SPC, Name, and
SKCC#. You should send back to him RST, SPC (meaning GA, AL, or SC),
Name and "none." Then each of you can count the other for his
respective contest. This WES won't start until 0000Z Sunday (7 PM EST
Saturday night) and runs for 24 hours, so get out your hand key or bug
and join in their fun after NAQP is over. Their usual frequencies are
around 50 kHz up on all bands 80-10M. They are having an anniversary
event this month and it is anticipated the K3Y/1 through K3Y/0 and
likely K3Y/KH6 and K3Y/KL7 will be QRV in the WES in furtherance of that
celebration. Remember that there will still be nets on 80 and some
traffic handling so try to give those guys a little room. The nets (GA
is on 3549 at 7, 9, and 10 PM) don't usually last more than a few
minutes each session.
If you are in a DX portion of the band, try not to pick a frequency
being used by a DX station to CQ NA on. By the way, the usual call for
this contest is "NA", "CQ NA" or just "TEST."
On 160 meters, you will probably find most activity between about 1808
and 1830. The ARRL band plan shows 1830-1835 for intercontinental QSOs
and I'd not CQ in a domestic contest in that range. Many DX stations
may not go below 1810 kHz, so those frequencies should be clear of DXers
and pileups on DX stations. Between 1810 and 1830, you must use your
judgment. Don't CQ on top of a DX station, of course. If the band is
very crowded, you may want to go to 1836 or above to CQ on 160.
I strongly recommend the use of full QSK if you have it available. It
enables you to hear other stations calling the station you are calling
and to hear the target station when he answers anyone so you can stop
immediately and listen. I know that many SO2R guys find it easier not
to hear the audio from the sent messages, but I don't know that any of
us on the teams are going to be SO2R this time. When you are CQing,
full QSK also enables you to hear whatever is going on on your
frequency. My CQ message typically gives "K4BAI" twice, and once in a
while, someone will start calling after the first K4BAI. If they do,
with full QSK, I can stop and pick up that station rather than doubling
with him.
Remember that these logs are checked for accuracy, so if you have a
doubt about a call, name, or section, be sure to ask. Don't just rely
on information that may be filled in from some prior program.
If you work DXCC countries in North America other than the US and
Canada, log their accepted prefix or other country abbreviation. I
recommend always using the country prefix because that enables you to
always know whether it is a needed mult or not.
For DX stations outside NA, the exchange is only their name. However,
many logging programs will want something in the QTH space, so you can
just enter "DX." Those stations count for QSO points only, not for mults.
Mults are US states including HI (DC = MD), Canadian areas (your logging
program probably has these right, but the rules have a list), and North
American DXCC counters. So, don't pass up a KH6 station since it counts
as a mult for this contest even though it is not in NA.
Be sure to set your computer clock before the contest unless you have it
automatically set up to always be on WWV time.
If you make errors that you cannot (for whatever reason) correct in your
logging program, just make a pen note on paper and make the correction
in the Cabrillo file after you have created it. You can edit it with
any text editor such as Notepad.
Be sure to send in your log to the sponsor soon after the contest. It
would be nice if you would post it to 3830 as well, but that is not
required. Be sure to get your claimed scores to me ASAP and I will
summarize them in the weekly report on Wednesday.
You don't need to worry about showing your team in your Cabrillo file,
although there is no harm in doing so. Just add a new line "TEAM:" and
fill in your team name. But, the sponsors take the teams from the pre
registered teams and you don't need to worry about identifying yourself
by team on your log. There will be a place to identify both your club
and your team on 3830.
No matter how "small" you may feel your station or your signal is, you
should try running some. When you are not getting a good rate by S&P
and you are hearing the same old calls over and over, find a fairly
clear frequency and CQ NA at the speed you want others to answer you at.
During all of your operating time, be doing what you can maximize your
score and your team's score.
Upload your file by cutting and pasting to the webpage given in the
rules. If you can't do that for any reason, e-mail your log to the
address given in the rules and attach your Cabrillo file. Name your
file yourcall.log. For a subject, put "yourcall." Click in the text
area and attach.
Of course, not everyone will agree with everything in this message. Do
whatever it takes to make your score successful within the rules. You
may post your suggestions too. Have fun and make a lot of QSOs!
Remember that we have been having E skip on 10, 15, and 20M from time to
time and you may be able to make QSOs on those bands after dark and even
up until the end of the contest. You may assume if someone asks you to
move to what you think is a dead band that station has reason to think
that a QSO can be made or he wouldn't be wasting his time. While on
that other band, listen around and see what else you can work there.
73, John, K4BAI.
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