NAQCC Jan 2010 Sprint

SWA Category - Eastern Division
Call   QSOs Mbrs Pts  Mul  Sco Bon Final  80-40-20 Antenna
AA4W    21   19   40   15  600  x2  1200  40/80m vee@??'
N3LL    26   26   52   15  780       780  1/4 wv sloper@30'
K3WWP   18   18   36   10  360  x2   720  ~110' attic rnd wire
KA2KGP  18   17   35   10  350  x2   700  5b dpl@??'  
NR9B    17   17   34   10  340  x2   680  hf6v vert@4'
AA2YV   18   18   36    9  324  x2   648  40 dpl@35', 80 efz@30'
N8XMS   16   15   31   10  310  x2   620  vert
W9ILF   15   15   30    9  270  x2   540  gnd mtd vert
W2SH    15   15   30    9  270  x2   540  invL85'+85', 80 cf dpl@35'
W2JEK   11   11   22    7  154  x2   308  40 dpl@20',80 110' efw@20'
K4ORD   14   14   28   10  280       280  dpl@40'
VA3PEN   9    9   18    7  126  x2   252  gnd mtd vert
K1IEE    9    9   18    7  126  x2   252  g5rv@30'
WA2NTK  10    9   19    6  114  x2   228  rnd wire@25'
VE3FUJ   8    8   16    6   96  x2   192  gp vert@12'
WA1LWS   8    8   16    5   80  x2   160  ocf v dpl@22'
WA8SAN   9    9   18    7  126       126  g5rv@25'
WB8LZG   6    6   12    5   60  x2   120  inv L@30', 500' lw@25'
NF8M     6    6   12    5   60  x2   120  80 ocf dpl@35'
WD4MSM   9    9   18    6  108       108  g5rv@30'
K4MF     6    6   12    4   48  x2    96  40 dpl@40',80 vert
N8IUP    5    4    9    4   36  x2    72  40 delta loop@45',40-80nvis@10'
VE3EDX   4    4    8    4   32  x2    64  gnd mtd vert
NG8S     4    4    8    4   32  x2    64  dblt@30'
KD2MX    5    5   10    3   30  x2    60  600' loop@20'
N4FI     5    5   10    3   30  x2    60  attic g5rv,115' rnd wire@20'
WY3H     4    4    8    3   24  x2    48  ocf dpl@25'
KF8R     4    4    8    3   24  x2    48  120' inv v@45'
NI8N     5    5   10    3   30 x1.5   45  gnd mtd vert
KT4FJ    3    3    6    3   18  x2    36  inv v@15'
N1LU     3    3    6    2   12  x2    24  Cobra ultralite@40'
W9CC     3    3    6    2   12  x2    24  80 loop@15'
KD2MU    3    3    6    3   18        18  135' dblt@25'
K4JPN    2    2    4    2    8  x2    16  80 cf zepp@32'
AI3G     3    2    5    3   15        15  28' indoor rnd wire
KW4JS    2    2    4    2    8 x1.5   12  80m delta loop@??'
N2COD    3    3    6    1    6  x2    12  9' mobile whip
VE3HUR   2    2    4    1    4  x2     8  dpl@??'
KU4A     2    2    4    2    8         8  slp dpl@40',80/40 1/4wv slp@40'
KQ1P     1    1    2    1    2  x2     4  inv v@40'
AA3UJ    1    1    2    1    2  x2     4  dpl@20'

SWA Category - Central Division
Call   QSOs Mbrs Pts  Mul  Sco Bon Final  80-40-20 Antenna
W5YDM   17   16   33   10  330  x2   660  40 dpl@18'
WD5IYT  13   13   26    9  234  x2   468  40 inv v@30'
AA9L    10   10   20    7  140  x2   280  trap dpl@50'
W5IQS   11    9   20   11  220       220  40 dpl@30'
WB5NMZ  11   10   21    8  168       168  dpl@35'
N5RDN    8    8   16    5   80        80  gp vert@10'
WD0K     5    5   10    4   40  x2    80  delta loop@36'
K4VMV    4    4    8    4   32  x2    64  inv v@50'
K0HJC    3    3    6    3   18  x2    36  zepp@35'
K4NVJ    3    3    6    3   18  x2    36  88' dpl@35'
KE5YUM   3    2    5    3   15  x2    30  150' lw@35'
N0EAX    3    2    5    3   15  x2    30  80 inv v@40'
KE9DR    3    3    6    2   12  x2    24  380' loop@50'
K2HT     2    2    4    2    8  x2    16  dpl@25'
KD5KJ    2    2    4    2    8  x2    16  80' dblt@30'
KD5MMM   2    2    4    2    8  x2    16  inv v@40'
K9OSC    1    1    2    1    2         2  cf zepp@30'
N0NBD    0    0    0    0    0         0  g5rv@50'

SWA Category - Mountain Division
Call   QSOs Mbrs Pts  Mul  Sco Bon Final  80-40-20 Antenna
K6XT    36   33   69   22 1518      1518  80 gp, 40 gap titan vert
NI5L    19   16   35   14  490  x2   980  inv v@45'
N0TA    14   13   27   11  297  x2   594  1/4wv vert
NM5S     9    9   18    8  144       144  gap titan vert on roof
WU7F     6    5   11    5   55  x2   110  g5rv@20'
WD8KRV   7    7   14    5   70        70  cf zepp@40'
AA7CU    5    5   10    4   40        40  mobile whip@12'
K0MC     3    3    6    3   18  x2    36  inv v@35'
WB5FKC   3    3    6    3   18  x2    36  vert
WB0OEW   3    3    6    3   18        18  40 efhw@30'
@WY7N   32   30   62   16  992  x2  1984  80 dpl@43'

@-Check log - QRO - see soapbox

SWA Category - Pacific Division
Call   QSOs Mbrs Pts  Mul  Sco Bon Final  80-40-20 Antenna
NU7T    13   13   26    7  182  x2   364  90' inv L@25'
AE6GC    2    2    4    2    8  x2    16  dpl@10'

GAIN ANTENNA Category
Call   QSOs Mbrs Pts  Mul  Sco Bon Final  80-40-20 Antenna

AWARD WINNERS:
1st SWA Eastern: AA4W
1st SWA Central: W5YDM
1st SWA Mountain: K6XT
1st SWA Pacific: NU7T
1st Gain: n/a
First time entrant high scorer: NI5L

The following appeared 5 or more times in submitted logs, but
did not submit a log themselves for whatever reason:
KB3AAG - 13
K2JT - 8
K5GQ - 5

We hope these folks will continue to participate AND
submit their logs in the future. Remember your listing in the
results shows the ham radio world you are a Morse Code supporter.

STATS:
Logs submitted: 72 (new record) 
Total participants found in cross-checking spreadsheet: 117 (new record) 
Total QSO's in master cross-checking spreadsheet: 592
States represented: 37 + ON + Hungary

If anyone wishes a list of errors found in cross-checking their
log, email K3WWP. If any errors cause a scoring change, you
will be notified automatically.

SOAPBOX:
K3WWP - I've come to the conclusion that our sprints are like a no-draw "play what you're dealt" poker game where you can't even bluff. You have to play the conditions, QRN, QSB, etc. that you are dealt and there ain't no way to do any better than the deal allows you to do. I got a hand like this tonight:
2 of hearts, 3 of clubs, 5 of spades, 6 of diamonds, 7 of hearts.
Nuff said.
I don't know how many scores I'll get posted tonight, so I may not get to yours till tomorrow morning. The two hours of the sprint took a lot out of me, and I may just go to bed early - or maybe not if I get my second wind.
Watched an old "Nanny and the Professor" show on Hulu on the Internet. That rested me enough to process 35 more logs.

K2HT - Used a J-38 Key that was a gift from KD0ZZ, First time in Sprint I will be back for more. 73

N1LU - Who picked to have this sprint during a solar flare? (hi hi) Has to be the worst condx I've had in a while. I could just about hear 4 or 5 stations on 7040 all calling CQNA at the same time. I checked out the Locust QP (QRO) going on at the same time and it wasn't much better.

KW4JS - BANDS WERE HORRIBLE HR IN THE TN VALLEY. TRIED TO WORK WY7N SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT WAS A NO GO. FINALLY GAVE UP AND PULLED THE PLUG. SEE EVERYONE NEXT TIME HOPEFULLY UNDER BETTER CONDITIONS. 72 ES TNX KW4JS, JOHN

KE9DR - Again 20 was dead and 80 and 40 had lots of noise. Made all my contacts on 40. Tryed 80 but QRN was too bad. Had to shut down early because of storms. So much for quiet winter condx.Hi Hi It was fun anyway. I heard a new kid on the block, NI5L, and he had a good sig most the night on 40. Thanks to all. 73 Bert

AA4W - There were quite a few signals on 40 with some QRN, tonight. 'Didn't hear many signals on 80. The digital station that moved in at 7040 caused some signals to toataly disappear! I did work some new members. It was great to work N8IUP, Mike, one of our newest members. And was also called by a HA, Hungary, while I was calling CQ. Go figure.

WB0OEW - QRN horrible here, lightning to the west, happy for the few contacts.

K4VMV - First time, Nerves are tough, but fun. Will try again. 73 Dave

W9ILF - Rig: Elecraft K2. 40M was the only band working very well. Things were pretty slow going but enjoyed the sprint and glad to get everyone I could. Sorry for the few I couldn't pull a complete exchange out.

NI5L - This was my first NAQCc Sprint but not the last. I dusted off my Brown Bros. straight key and had a ball with it. I was amazed at what I could do with 5 watts and a dipole. 73

NM5S - Ooh, so noisy!

K6XT - CQ on 20 5 minutes, nothing. Lots of storm static from snowstorms here. I know there were folks calling who I just could not pull out from the static crashes. 80 was very noisy. 73 Art

WD5IYT - Good sprint! I have to get an 80m module for my K1. Not much activity in the last hour on 40m. Much better conditions this time.

AA9L - Not much activity here. Nothing on 80 meters. Looking forward to the next sprint.

N3LL - First Log I have submitted... Been in process of moving and finally have the time now to operate. Great Fun..Had a T-storm in the area so was unusably on 80 meter..had to do 40 meter only... Bob

N5RDN - Rig was a HB-1A 4 watts out. Great fun. Thanks. 73 Rob

N0TA - Pretty slow in Colorado - didn't hear anyone on 20m, 40m better with static crashes, 80m extremely noisy. K2 @5w, vertical, GenLog.

W5YDM - The band was strange..in and out all night. It would be dead for several minutes then the signals would roll in..then back dead again. Most members were weak but WY7N was strong all night. K4ORD had a good signal late in the game.

AE6GC - My first NAQCC contest. Hope to do it again! Thanks

KD2MX - I only had a short time to spend on the air this month but I don't know that I missed much. 80M seemed pretty quiet and K3WWP had a difficult time copying me...never a good sign. I only heard and worked some locals after John. Hope conditions were better elsewhere.

VA3PEN - This time I played it easy by using a FT-857D at 5 watts. Obviously, my point is a lot higher than when I use my HW-8. I guess the HW-8 is not putting out 5 watts. I could not hear anything on 80M. This is my first time to stay on 40M all the way to the end. Also this is my first time to hear and make a contact with a station from Ontario. The signal picked up suddenly out of nowhere and faded out in a minute. It was good timing.

WD4MSM - This was my first NAQCC Sprint; it's great fun and a wonderul chance to see how your equipment is operating. It was a bit difficult with the noise level tonight. It was nice to get a QSO with John (K3WWP)after reading his webpage for so long!

AA2YV - I used my 80 meter end fed zepp for the first "real" time. It is 141 feet, in a big "U" shape in the back yard, beginning at the house at about 25 feet and sloping up into the trees, averaging 30 to 40 feet high. Use a counterpoise of 7 feet on the stub end of the EFZ and a small LC tank circuit at the antenna to tune to 5K ohms. Then feed it with 52 ohm coax about 22 feet from shack. It hits Europe at 5 watts! So tonight wasn't bad. It's not the destination; it's the journey. de Bill, AA2YV, Rochester NY.

W5IQS - First Sprint. I hope the log is OK...First try at that also. Tnx Evan

K4ORD - 40M was very weak here , 20 was dead, 80 was very noisy This is my first time in A NAQCC SPRINT.

K0HJC - qrn s9 plus 30 on 80! Much quieter on 40. Thanks for staying with me, guys!

K4MF - Cut it short- static crashes sounded like summer and the Locust Qso party overlapped. Next time...

N0NBD - 40 es 80 were both dead as a mackeral in SE KS . 80 had a S9 buzzing sound on it. Rig was newly completed ATS IIIB, 2004 Christmas key and G5RV at 50 ft 4 watts. I will be radio side for the next one! de Paul

WB8LZG - Lots of noise tonight hr in Mich. Seemed my east coast propagation wasnt there. Hard gg but did hv fun. see u next month. 73 Gregg

KE5YUM - I believe that this is the first log that I have submitted. (Yep - K3WWP) 40 meters was open east and west for a time, and I enjoyed good contacts. I am always amazed at how far 5 watts will travel. Terry

VE3FUJ - Again I had a bit of a slow start, didn't make contact till 1/2 hr in to the Sprint. I heard KB3AAG calling me several times, but every time I called him he'd disappeared, very spotty I thought. At one point I Qso'd WA9CFK, that was ruff and didn't get enough data. Another time I Qso'd KF4GLG but missed one vital piece of info, tried to raise him again but no luck there, as I've said very spotty. Otherwise I'm pleased with the result 8 good solid contacts. I'm sorry for the in completes, but THANKS to all. See you all next week on 160. Brion

NG8S - Didn't hear very many stations but I had a lot of fun. Looking forward to another Sprint.

KQ1P - Just to add to my excitement it was snowing and windy giving me S7 QRN. I managed only 1 completed QSO. Still fun ....right? 73

KD2MU - Not much time to operate, but it sounds like I didn't miss too much. We play what we're dealt. See you next month.

WY7N - My life is hectic. I didn't know if I would be able to participate in the sprint until just before it started.
A quick listen to 20M revealed no signals. There were plenty on 40M. In fact, I had a hard time finding an open place to call CQ. To my surprise, there was a reply to my very first CQ. His signal was buried in the noise. I could barely discern it. All I copied was K9 something. After a lot of requests for repeats, tweaks of the AF/RF gain controls, trying various filter combinations, etc., I finally dropped in my narrowest filter and minutely tweaked the RIT and worked K9OSC. Perhaps the atmospheric noise level is higher today than usual. Whew! That was a *lot* of work! Operators with super ears like John, K3WWP, do this in their head! I rely on all those knobs.
I found it odd that K9OSC sent 579 for my report (I sent 559, but it was really 229!). My signal must have been better there than his was here. I didn't have time to rest. After sending "TU dit dit" I had two stations calling. Both were down in the noise, same as Bob. It took an embarrassing number of repeats to finally work KE9DR. "TU dit dit" and there was another station down in the mud, a "5" this time. It ended up being KD5KJ. I was surprised again to receive a 569. Propagation is weird tonight, I thought.
I can't believe it, I have a pileup in a QRP sprint! Those new sunspots must be doing their job. I didn't have any dead time until about 03:10Z, so I figured it was time to switch to 80M. A couple more stations and I will double my record number of QSOs. 80M seemed to have less noise than 40M. It was easier copy. Three new QSOs came without needing to ask for excessive repeats. At this point I was feeling a bit smug. This is my best effort ever. Surely this will be good enough to win first place in the mountain time zone.
At 03:24Z NU7T answered my CQ. (I'm always very pleased to work Steve. He is my neighbor, in Reno. When I first started participating in these sprints, often his would be the only station I would work.) I noticed his signal was easier to copy than it has been in recent sprints.
I don't know what it was about Steve's clean signal, but it caused something to "click" in my mind. I was laughing out loud while I finished copying his exchange. At this point, my wife walked up to tell me it was time to have family prayer and put the kids to bed. She asked what was so funny. I didn't think she would understood, but I explained that I had just achieved my highest score ever in a NAQCC sprint. The problem is, I was supposed to be running 5 watts. Instead, I had accidentally set my output power to 50!!!! OH NO!!!! It was all for naught! Oh well. There is always next month. I'll try again. You can bet I will pay special attention to the range setting on my power meter. 73, Bruce WY7N

NI8N - Boy was 80 mtrs noisy. Perhaps the solar flare? How about changing the recommended frequencies to 3535 to 3545 to avoid Fists and some NTS traffic nets? Also there was another contest mixed in among us. Looking foward to the next one.

AI3G - Elecraft KX-1 at 3 watts, indoor ramdom wire antenna. Conditions seemed much better tonight on 40 meters. Not many QSO's but still a fun contest. Hope to try more bands next month. 73 Doug

K1IEE - Thanks to everyone for there contacts and helping me through this contest learning curve. 40 seemed to be the place to be on my end. 80 had lots of QRN

K4JPN - QRN very heavy due to storms moving in from the West. Heard several call me, but QRN to rough to copy. Nothing heard on 40M despite many CQ NA and listening alot. Oh, well wait till next month. 72, Steve

N8XMS - I had a pretty good evening considering the rather poor conditions - 16 QSOs and 10 multipliers. I was very happy to see that 12 of my 16 contacts were with people that I have never worked before. It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope that we can have a nice ragchew someday. 73, Paul

WY3H - Worked for about an hour under poor conditions. This sprint was tough going.

KU4A - Easily my worst Sprint ever. Actually thought it might be a shutout until WD0K called me on 80m after 40 minutes of nothing. Then made a QSO on 40. Lots of strong CQers (i.e. NI5L) that apparently couldn't hear me calling them. VERY unusual. The bands seemed much longer than normal, and there seemed to be another contest going on.

N2COD - With only one useable band this sprint, I yielded to my brother KA2KGP who lives next door and wipes me out when I try to operate the same band. Anyway, ...it was WAY too cold to sit in the mobile too long at 17 deg.! Rig: Yeasu FT-857D at 5 watts into a 9' mobile whip w/ a leg-strap straight key. I'll try again in the 160m sprint comming up at the end of the month. 73

W2SH - Had this sprint been held one day earlier results for everyone would have been vastly different, as this diary for Tuesday shows: a) there was lots of nice-copy European DX on 80m an hour before NJ sunset; b) AA1TJ's 10 mW signal on 3.508 mHz traveled from VT to NC a couple of times; c) The 80m QRP Fox Hunt went off very nicely; d) I made five transatlantic QRP contacts on 160m. That last exercise had me up late. For Wednesday's sprint I was tired, but optimistic. However, what a difference a day makes! The QRN surged into my ears in waves, just like standing on a beach. Almost all my CQs went unanswered. Worst of all were several hopelessly busted QSOs.

KT4FJ - 20m was completely dead and my 80m antenna wouldn't load up so I was left with a very noisy 40m band. It was a difficult sprint with only 3 contacts made. I'm looking forward to the next one.

KA2KGP - 20m & 80m was a dead zone here in WNY, 40m was the only band with signals with QRN present all night. A pretty good turnout of sprinters! CU in the 160 sprint, 73 to all.

KF8R - alot of fun 80m terrible here, not alot of time but made a few qsos

W2JEK - again there were poor band conditions. started on 80 and had 5 qso in 12 minutes. but then the qso rate dropped. got 2 on 40 and 9 on 80. bands were noisy and skip seemed long. 72 and 73 don younger w2jek #1135

KD5MMM - Tough night here again. Lots QSB/QRN. 73 all

WA2NTK - My first NAQCC sprint. Had a gud time. Will try to do sum more in the future. Tnx to all who worked me. Ralph

N0EAX - Lots of QRN on 80 and not much better on 40. Storms were moving into MO. I did respond to several members who did not hear me. Thanks to those who were able to pull me out. Hope for better conditions next time. Rich

NF8M - Better condx this month!

See General Sprint Rules for rules common to every NAQCC sprint.

RULES specific to this month's sprint:

Date and time:
Thursday, January 21, 0130-0330Z

Entry Deadline:
All entries must be RECEIVED before 2400Z on the Sunday following the sprint. So submit as soon as possible, especially regular mail entries.

Preferred method of submitting your log and report is our on-line autologger.