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The NAQCC April 2025 Challenge NAQCC Monthly Challenges are originated and information regarding rules, ideas, or suggestions go to Gary K1YAN. Email him at  .Challenge results and the Challenge App (the online Challenge tracking and reporting application) is administered by Charlie N1AOK. Email him with any questions at  PLEASE SEND ALL CHALLENGE SUBMISSIONS TO CHARLIE!!! (If you use the online Challenge App, it will automatically send it to him). LINKS: Challenge App: http://naqcc.wb5rvz.org Challenge Worksheet: challenge_tracker.pdf THE GREAT MOON HOAX  PREMISE: It is always fun to read about new scientific discoveries, even if they push the limits of what is believable. In 1835 readers of the New York Sun newspaper were shocked when they read of the discovery of new and exotic species living on our moon. The story spread to newspapers across the United States and Europe and was translated into several languages. Sir John Herschel, a well know astronomer, was credited with the revelations in articles, said to be written by one Dr. Andrew Grant. The six articles described bat winged humans and several previously unknown plant and animal species. The discovery was supposedly made possible by a massive hydro-oxygen lens telescope constructed by Herschel in his South African observatory. At first the articles were considered credible, however, as time went by doubts began to surface. Several publications issued articles voicing the opinion that the great discovery was pure fiction. The New York Herald issued a piece called “The Astronomical Hoax Explained “which offered evidence that the claimed discovery was false. The article noted among other things that the source of the original articles describing the discovery, the Edinburgh Journal of Science, had closed it doors two years earlier and that the telescope that was actually built in South Africa could only see the stars and not life on other planets. Richard Locke, a New York Sun reporter was called out as author of the false story and in 1840 admitted it was indeed him. Of course this was all many years ago and could not possibly happen today. Don’t be so sure. On July 31, 2022 an image of Proxima Centauri, a 4.2 light year distant star, appeared on a prominent French physicist’s Twitter account. The amazing detail of the image was credited to the James Webb Space Telescope. The deep red circle with patches of white, see the picture above, is incredibly clear against a solid black background. Score one for for cutting edge astronomy? Well no, actually score one for the maker of the Spanish chorizo sausage that was the actual subject of the photograph. Etienne Klein, the author of the tweet, admitted it was a joke and apologized, saying “no object related to Spanish charcuterie exists anywhere else other than on Earth.” Apparently even science has its pranksters. 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. NEW YORK SUN HYDRO OXYGEN TELESCOPE SIR JOHN HERSCHEL BAT WINGED HUMANS PROXIMA CENTAURI SPANISH CHORIZO The 89 total letters contain these 23 different letters and numbers: A B C D E G H I J K L M N O P R S T U W X Y Z 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! 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: |