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The NAQCC Keep 80 CW Alive Challenge

Final Results:

Call     # Of Qualifying QSO's
KB3LFC      17     Certificate winner
K3WWP       16
W9ILF       12
KB8JFC      11
KD2MX        3
Soapbox: K3WWP - The first half of the month yielded 14 QSO's. The second half just 2. Translating those figures means conditions deteriorated after December 15th. Most of the QSO's that came up short in the last half of the month were due to sudden propagation changes. A few QSO's started out 599 both ways, but after just a few minutes signals were down in the noise at S2 and didn't come back. Also a few other QSO's were cut short by the usual reasons - phone calls, XYL calls, meal calls, etc. Still it was nice to contribute some CW to 80 meters to hopefully do a small part to keep phone from taking over even more of the band.

W9ILF - I liked this challenge. It kept me going back to 80M looking for QSO's all month. I have loved 80M for it's space to operate in the past, but now it is much more difficult to find a good place with the nets and digital modes operating in a much smaller area of the band. I discovered how nice 80M can be just as the sun is rising and just a little after. Many of my QSO's were just before leaving for work. Maybe I would have done better in the challenge, but I have now discovered the joy of checking into CW traffic nets and delivered my first radiogram just before Christmas. One check-in for my local net was QRP, but I didn't count it. Hi Hi. I'm looking forward to the challenges in '07.

KB3LFC - Well, some of us did our part to keep the 80-Meter segment alive and well by participating in the 80-Meter, 15-minute QSO challenge. Even if you had only one, 15-minute QSO on 80 during December, 2006, send it in. I made the bulk of my QSO's on Dec. 30 and 31. After that, I worked the ARRL's SKN, but had time to make only four QSOs. Two were on 80, one on 40 and one on 30-Meters. I sent my log and comments into the ARRL but also noted that here in Armstrong County, Pa. the only two active CW ops seem to be me and John, K3WWP, although there are probably more than two dozen licensed operators in the county. I think we can take a cue from the old adage, "Use it or lose it." Listening to 80 -meters late into the night and once during an early morning "call of nature" reminded me of the "good old days," when, as KC3YD and before that as KA3LPJ, the air waves were virtually wall-to-wall with activity on both 80 and 40 to the wee hours of the morning and then some. It was a good experience. I'm thankful that NAQCC members are doing their part to keep our CW tradition alive and well. Thank you all and good DXing during 2007. Tom

KB8JFC - I always have a great time working qrp,didnt get started on the challenge very much until mid month and things went pretty well then band conditions werent very good.My first challenge with NAQCC and its was fun.Plan to do more.....Dan

KD2MX - December sure rushed by in a flash. The 160M contests, 10M contest, fox hunts, sprints, a trip to Disney, RAC contest, solar storms, and the usual December madness didn't leave too much time for me to work on this challenge but I managed to make a few QSOs that met the requirements. The 80M situation is a mess, no doubt about it, between the traffic nets being forced to move down and the lack of allocation for data. The FCC really screwed up what I thought was otherwise a sensible reallocation. Unfortunately it is something we now just have to learn to work around.


PREMISE:
As you may know, the FCC recently dealt nearly a death blow to the use of CW on 80 meters. They essentially restricted the use of CW to perhaps the lower 60 or so kHz of 80 meters by opening up 3600-4000 to phone operation. This will force the digital stations to use 3600 down to 3560 or probably even lower leaving just 'the back of the bus' for us discriminated against CW operators. We at NAQCC want to fight back in a small way by challenging our members (and non-members are welcome too) to make as many 15 minute or longer QSO's on 80 meters as possible this month.


TIME FRAME:
Dec 1, 2006 0000Z through Dec 31, 2006 2400Z


RULES:
Get on 80 meters and make QSO's lasting 15 minutes or longer.

You must use QRP and the other station can be using any power.


AWARDS:
A certificate goes to the one making the most qualifying QSO's.


PARTICIPATION AWARD AND WEB LISTING:
Anyone submitting a report gets a Participation Point and a web listing. You must report at least one 15 minute 80M QSO.


LOGS:
For your report, simply tell us how many qualifying QSO's you made. You may also include comments about your month or about the sad state of affairs on 80M.

Please preface any comments you want posted with "SOAPBOX:" so we will know what you want posted and what is private.

Send your results to KB3LFC at:

E-mail: pix_email_wy3h (1K)

You must type that address into your email program.

Subject must read: (your call) NAQCC (month) Challenge

For example: K3WWP NAQCC June Challenge

No attachments - keep the log in the body of the message.

Postal mail:
Tom Mitchell, KB3LFC
RD6 Box 122A
Kittanning, PA 16201

All entries must be postmarked or email dated before Jan 10, 2007.