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The NAQCC November 2024 Challenge

NAQCC Monthly Challenges are originated and information regarding rules, ideas, or suggestions go to Gary K1YAN. Email him at pix_email_k1yan (1K).
Challenge results and the Challenge App (the online Challenge tracking and reporting application) is administered by Charlie N1AOK. Email him with any questions at pix_email_n1aok(1K)
PLEASE SEND ALL CHALLENGE SUBMISSIONS TO CHARLIE!!! (If you use the online Challenge App, it will automatically send it to him).

THE CHALLENGE APPLICATION HAS MOVED! THE NEW LOCATION IS: http://naqcc.wb5rvz.org


The QUIET ZONE Challenge

Radio Telescope


PREMISE:

Phone booths, no cell service or WIFI, only a few weak signal AM and FM broadcast stations, using a microwave to cook dinner can bring a knock on the door …. have I entered the twilight zone? No, you have entered the Quiet Zone. Encompassing about 13,000 square miles, it was established in 1958 and is located along the borders of Virginia and West Virginia and into a piece of Maryland. Its purpose is to provide as quiet an RF environment as possible. Inside this area you will find the Green Bank Observatory and the Sugar Grove Station site. The Green Bank Observatory is the site of the world’s largest steerable radio telescope. Its 300 foot radio telescope is operated by Associated Universities Inc. and operates 365 nights a year. The Sugar Grove Station was part of a military intelligence gathering network that included many sites around the world. The Sugar Grove site is no longer in operation and has been sold to a private group who plan to create a healthcare facility for the military and their families.

The area is divided into five zones, centered around the Green Bank observatory, with zone 5 being the farthest from the facility and having the fewest restrictions. Within zone 1, known as the radio astronomy instrument zone, you may not drive a gasoline powered vehicle because of ignition noise, only diesels allowed. Intentional radiators within zone 1 are limited to those deemed essential and must operate only under criteria that limit their interference potential. In an area of 2 to 10 miles from the site the owner of an interfering device can expect a visit to request cooperation in eliminating the offending signal. So, if you are planning a trip to this area, it would probably be a good idea to keep the VHF/UHF FM rigs in the car off and not plan on any portable ham operations. It might be worth the trip just to hear what a noise level with no electronic interference sounds like, even if you can’t operate.



TIME FRAME:
The first day of the month 0000Z through the last day of the month 2400Z.

RULES:
Just make these words from calls of stations you work, subject to the General Challenge Rules.

GREEN BANK OBSERVATORY
SUGAR GROVE STATION
RADIO ASTRONOMY INSTRUMENT ZONE
300 FOOT RADIO TELESCOPE

The 86 total letters and numbers contain these 23 different letters and numbers: A B C D E F G I K L M N O P R S T U V Y Z 0 3

You can use each letter in a call TWICE. For example you could use K3WWP for 2 K's, 4 W's, and 2 P's.

Subsequent QSO's with the same station cannot be used for additional letters. For example, no matter how many times you work K3WWP, you can only use his call for 8 of the letters in the words.

See General Rule #5 for more details on what callsign letters can be used.

If you need some help with your alphabet challenge record keeping take a look at our Alphabet Tutorial page for everything from some great pencil & paper methods to fully computerized tools.

AWARDS:
A certificate and Participation Point go to everyone making all the words and submitting their report before the deadline.
A Participation Point goes to everyone making at least 1, but not all the words and submitting their report before the deadline.
YOU MUST COMPLETE AND SUBMIT AT LEAST ONE WORD TO RECEIVE A PARTICIPATION POINT!

PRIZES:
A choice of an item made by master woodworker Gregg WB8LZG as shown on our prizes page here goes to someone selected via a random drawing from all who participate and submit a report for this month's challenge. A person can only win once, then they become ineligible for future drawings.

LOGS:
For your report, list the words you made and the station used for each letter in the word. The number of stations listed must be the same as the number of letters in each word, even though you use the same station for more than one letter as in:

WORD - K3WWP N2OD WA8REI N2OD
NEXT - NF8M W8REI N8XMS K9EYT

(Note how N2OD is listed for both the O and D.)

You may also include comments about the challenge. Please preface any comments you want posted with "SOAPBOX:" so we will know what you want posted and what is private.

Send your results as text in the horizontal format shown above to Charlie N1AOK at: charlie.wilber AT gmail.com (You must type that address into your email program.)
Subject must read: (your call) NAQCC (month year) Challenge
For example: K3WWP NAQCC January 2022 Challenge

All entries must be RECEIVED before the 10th of the following month at 2400Z.


Results:

All the above get a certificate and participation point. All below get only a participation point.

Not eligible for a certificate or participation point for the following reason(s):
@ = Non-member
$ = QRO power

Soapbox: