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The NAQCC April 2026 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 POWER GRID BLACK START  PREMISE: There have been times when large parts of the power grid go off line and a major blackout results. Nothing in a very large area has power. Everything is dead, including the generating stations. What happens now? The recovery process is known as a black start and it is a long, complicated sequence of events. There are a couple things that we need to know to understand how this takes place. First, it takes power to make power. A major generating station consumes perhaps 5 to 10 percent of its output to run motors, pumps, fans and other equipment needed to make the plant operate. Once you have power at the plant, the actual start up process can take many hours to get boilers running and providing steam to turn the generator's turbine. The whole grid must be brought back into synchronization. All the parts of it must be running at the same 60 Hz frequency. Voltages across the system must be in phase, rising and falling in step or damage to equipment will occur. Re-energizing the load must be handled in an organized manner. You can't just throw one switch and turn everything on at once. As soon as power returns, every device that has been off tries to start up at the same time. This is called cold load pickup and results in a much bigger demand than would occur on the normally running system. If done improperly, the result can be more outages to be dealt with. There are some small generating stations, called black start units, that are scattered across the grid. They can be brought on line using on site power sources such as diesel emergency generators. To get this power to larger generating stations, pre-selected transmission lines are stripped of all connections and made into an express circuit to a bigger station. This is called a cranking path. The process of using small units to get bigger ones started is called bootstrapping. One station is used to start the next. As more power becomes available, more of the large units can start up. A number of large units will begin to start up at the same time to speed the overall recovery. At this point nothing is connected to the grid, no customers or generation. Now we can begin to put the grid back into operation. Pieces of the high voltage grid that have been separated are reconnected. Generators begin to be connected to the grid. The phasing and frequency of each generator brought on line is matched to the energized system as they are reconnected. The overall system is re-energized starting with the highest voltage parts and working toward the lower voltage parts. Customers are reconnected in an organized process that manages the cold load pickup. Priority is often given to selected loads like hospitals, pumping stations and other critical customers. Gradually blocks of customers are reconnected until all are back in service. This whole procedure follows a well organized script that is updated and practiced to insure a successful recovery. 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. BLACK START PROCEDURE SYSTEM SYNCHRONIZATION CRANKING PATH BOOTSTRAPPING CRITICAL LOADS COLD LOAD PICKUP The 92 total letters contain these 20 different letters: A B C D E G H I K L M N O P R S T U 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 April 2026 Challenge All entries must be RECEIVED before the 10th of the following month at 2400Z. Results as of 4/7/2026: K3ES: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - K3BRZ K2LT KE2AXX AC3IE KE2AXX VE3SVQ K2LT KE2AXX K3BRZ K2LT KG8P K3BRZ K3ONW AC3IE KE2AXX KE2AXX N2DGQ N6HU K1RDD VE3UXJ SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - VE3SVQ KB3AAY KC3SCV WA3TVH VE3UXJ K1MZM KC3SCV KB3AAY N6HU W3MAC N6HU K1RDD K3ONW N6HU WA3IGU K3BRZ WA3IGU WA3TVH WA3IGU KN4TOF NN3E CRANKINGPATH - W3MAC W2GR WA3IGU NN3E KE2AXX NI8W NN3E WA3IGU KG8P WA3TVH NE4TN N6HU BOOTSTRAPPING - K3BRZ KN4TOF KB3CVO NE4TN KB3NSK KN4TOF W2GR WA3TVH WA8VPD WA8VPD NI8W NN3E WA3IGU CRITICALLOADS - KC3SCV K2MR AG3I KN4TOF AG3I KC3SCV AG3I K2LT N9EDL KB3CVO AG3I N2DGQ KB3NSK COLDLOADPICKUP - KC3SCV WB4SON N9EDL K1RDD W1BLU WB4SON KB3AAY K1RDD W4PJW AC3IE KC3SCV K2LT N6HU W4PJW KN4OK: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - N8BB K3SLH WA3N WB3GCK K3SLH K3SLH W3GTR WA3N KB9RPG W3GTR KB9RPG KB9RPG KB3EOF WB3GCK KB3EOF KB3EOF N9DXP KU8T W3GTR KE8ZLT SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - K3SLH K4NYM N1BS AF8T KE8ZLT K4NYM N1BS K4NYM N8BB K0ACP K3SLH W3GTR KB3EOF N8BB WA1VEI K0ZPS K0ACP AF8T WA1VEI K5OHY K4NYM CRANKINGPATH - K0ACP VA3EKR K0ACP K4NYM K3SLH N2PPI N1BS KB9RPG KB9RPG AF8T KE8ZLT K3SLH BOOTSTRAPPING - N8BB K5OHY KG8CO KE8ZLT K0ZPS KU8T VA3EKR AF8T K0ACP K0ACP N2PPI N1BS KB9RPG CRITICALLOADS - KG8CO N4RRY KI9NG KU8T KI9NG KG8CO WA1VEI K3SLH KL7NL KG8CO WA1VEI N9DXP K0ZPS COLDLOADPICKUP - AC4WW VE3JO KL7NL W4JOD KL7NL VE3JO VA3EKR W4JOD K0ZPS W8TMI AC4WW KB9RPG KU8T K0ZPS VE3KZ: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - W8RNB LY3X/P K0ACP K0ACP K0ACP KM3STU KM3STU K0ACP W8RNB OT4A K0ACP W8RNB OT4A K0ACP WA1VEI WA1VEI KD8FKD F5MQU/P W4ARB W9MET SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - KM3STU LY3X/P K3ES KM3STU W9MET F5MQU/P K3ES LY3X/P W8RNB CT3MD K5OHY N3RN OT4A W8RNB WA1VEI HB9HZC WA1VEI OT4A WA1VEI K5OHY KL7NL CRANKINGPATH - CT3MD W4ARB WA1VEI KL7NL K0ACP K4INA K4INA AC1GF K0ACP OT4A W9MET K5OHY BOOTSTRAPPING - W8RNB KO4CBI KO4CBI W9MET WS4Y CT3MD N3RN W4ARB LY3X/P LY3X/P K4INA K4INA AC1GF CRITICALLOADS - KO4CBI WR3G KO4CBI CT3MD N4MIO KO4CBI W4ARB LY3X/P KL7NL K5OHY K4INA KD8FKD WS4Y COLDLOADPICKUP - WC1D N4MIO KL7NL KD9FKD KL7NL N4MIO K4INA KD8FKD F5MQU/P N4MIO WC1D KL7NL F5UQE F5MQU/P KC5F: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - N1BS KL7NL AE4XO KC2KC KL7NL N1BS KM3STU AE4XO KI5GTR KM3STU KE8PZN KI5GTR AE4XO KC2KC AE4XO AE4XO K9DXA KM3STU VA3EKR KE8PZN SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - N1BS K5OHY KM3STU KI5GTR KE8PZN KM3STU KM3STU K5OHY N1BS KC2KC K5OHY VA3EKR AE4XO N1BS KI5GTR KE8PZN K9DXA KI5GTR KI5GTR K5OHY KL7NL CRANKINGPATH - KC2KC W3GTR K9DXA KL7NL KL7NL N2PPI KE8PZN KI5GTR KE8PZN VA3EKR W3GTR K5OHY BOOTSTRAPPING - N1BS K5OHY KG8CO W3GTR WI0S WA3TVH W3GTR VA3EKR N2PPI N2PPI N2PPI KE8PZN KI5GTR CRITICALLOADS - KG8CO WB0RLJ WI0S WA3TVH WI0S KG8CO WA3TVH KL7NL KL7NL KG8CO WA3TVH K9DXA WI0S COLDLOADPICKUP - N4CD VE3JO KL7NL N4CD WB0RLJ VE3JO WA1VEI N4CD N2PPI WA1VEI N4CD KC2KC KM3STU N2PPI N0RZ: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - AA4BW W1HLP WA3N WC1D K8LSB N4DXS KE8ZLT WA3N VA3EKR KE8ZLT W1HLP VA3EKR KD8CO WC1D WA1EI WA1EI N4DXS KA1UUM K3RTA VA3EKR SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - N4DXS K5OHY K8LSB W9MET VA3EKR VA4ADM K8LSB K5OHY WA3N W1WC W1HLP K3RTA KD8CO WA3N WA1EI KE8ZLT AA4BW W9MET WA1EI K5OHY N4DXS CRANKINGPATH - W1WC K0LAR AA4BW N4DXS K8LSB KI5ZND NY7H KG4EXY W1HLP AA4BW K3RTA W1HLP BOOTSTRAPPING - AA4BW K5OHY W2OM K3RTA N2ESE W8TMI K0LAR AA4BW K0CEP K0CEP KI5ZND NY7H KG4EXY CRITICALLOADS - KD8CO KR7M W8TMI W8TMI W8TMI KD8CO WA1EI W1HLP K8LSB W2OM WA1EI N4DXS N2ESE COLDLOADPICKUP - K0CEP W4LOO K8LSB WC1D W0HL W4LOO VA3EKR WC1D W7PQ AC3IE K0CEP KD8CO KA1UUM W7PQ VE3DQN: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - KB9RPG KE8ZLT AC4WW AC4WW KB9RPG K3ES WA1TOM AC4WW KB9RPG WA1TOM KB9RPG KB9RPG KB3EOF AC4WW K3ES K3ES WC1D KU8T K3RTA KB3EOF SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - K3ES K4NYM N1BS KE8ZLT KB3EOF K4NYM N1BS K4NYM K4NYM WC1D W4DHW K3RTA KB3EOF K4NYM N4MIO NZ1J K0ACP KE8ZLT N4MIO WA1TOM NZ1J CRANKINGPATH - WC1D WD5GRW K0ACP NZ1J KB9RPG KI9NG N1BS KB9RPG KB9RPG WA1TOM KU8T W4DHW BOOTSTRAPPING - KB9RPG WA1TOM KG8CO KU8T N9SZ W8TMI WD5GRW WA1TOM K0ACP K0ACP KI9NG N1BS KB9RPG CRITICALLOADS - K0ACP WB0RLJ N4IN W8TMI N4IN K0ACP WQ0A KE8ZLT WA2SPL KG8CO WQ0A WC1D N9SZ COLDLOADPICKUP - KG8CO N4MIO WA2SPL W4DHW WB0RLJ N4MIO K3RTA W4DHW WA2SPL W8TMI KG8CO K4NYM KU8T WA2SPL W1BLU: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - K8BZ WB0RLJ AA1BA N1CCC VE3KIU KC1VAS W3GTR AA1BA W3GTR W3GTR N2PPI W3GTR W4LOO N1CCC VE3KIU VE3KIU WC1D VE3KIU W5ZR K3ES SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - KM3STU K4NYM KM3STU KM3STU K3ES KM3STU K3ES K4NYM WC1N N1CCC K7SHR WB0RLJ N5TOO N5TOO WI0S K8BZ AA1BA WT0RJ VE3KIU N5TOO N5TOO CRANKINGPATH - N1CCC WT0RJ K9DXA K4NYM K8XCO N2PPI K4NYM W3GTR N2PPI AA1BA WT0RJ K7SHR BOOTSTRAPPING - K8BZ N5TOO N5TOO N5TOO KC1VAS N5TOO WB0RLJ AA1BA W7PFB W7PFB N2PPI WC1N W3GTR CRITICALLOADS - WC1N W5ZR K4IU KM3STU K4IU WC1N AA1BA KL7NL KL7NL W4LOO K9DXA WC1D K3ES COLDLOADPICKUP - K8XCO K8XCO KL7NL K9DXA KL7NL K8XCO K9DXA K9DXA N2PPI VE3KIU K8XCO K8XCO VE3KIU N2PPI NN3E: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - 5B/YU6DX KC1TLT W1AW/6 WC1D K5OHY KX4SR W3GTR W1AW/6 KR4NO W3GTR DF2PI KR4NO K5OHY WC1D W4EMB W4EMB 5B/YU6DX 5B/YU6DX W3GTR W5KEB SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - KX4SR 5B/YU6DX KQ4SUZ KC1TLT W5KEB VA4ADM KQ4SUZ 5B/YU6DX N8NHB AC4WW K5OHY W3GTR K5OHY N8NHB NI8N KB1YZ VA4ADM KC1TLT NI8N KR4NO N8NHB CRANKINGPATH - AC4WW N7FRO VA4ADM N8NHB K5OHY DF2PI KR4NO WA3GM DF2PI VA4ADM KC1TLT K5OHY BOOTSTRAPPING - 5B/YU6DX KR4NO N7FRO KC1TLT K3ES NQ8T N7FRO VA4ADM WM4P WM4P DF2PI KR4NO WA3GM CRITICALLOADS - KB1WCK KX4SR HI8D NQ8T HI8D KB1WCK AC4WW KC1TLT K8LF N7FRO AC4WW 5B/YU6DX K3ES COLDLOADPICKUP - KC1TLT K1RO K8LF VA4ADM W5LA K1RO WA3GM VA4ADM KA3BPN HI8A KC1TLT KR4NO 5B/YU6DX KA3BPN W3SKY: BLACKSTARTPROCEDURE - K8LSB W1HLP W1AW/4 KG8CO KG8CO K8LSB WT2X W1AW/4 KC8RVD WT2X W1HLP KC8RVD KG8CO KG8CO WA1VEI WS3D N3CU WD5GRW WA1VEI SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - K8LSB K3IY K8LSB K1TH N3KAE KN1MT N9SZ K3IY N9SZ KC8RVD K1TH WD5GRW KG8CO N9SZ WA1VEI N9SZ WA1VEI K1TH WA1VEI W4LOO KN1MT CRANKINGPATH - KC8RVD WB0RLJ WA1VEI KN1MT KG8CO K3IY N3CU KG8CO K0CEP N3KAE KN1MT W1HLP BOOTSTRAPPING - K8LSB W4LOO W4LOO KN1MT N9SZ AE4TC WB0RLJ N3KAE K0CEP W7PFB K3IY N3CU KG8CO CRITICALLOADS - N3CU K7SHR AI6YY AE4TC AI6YY N3CU AF8E W1HLP K8LSB W4LOO AF8E WS3D WS3D COLDLOADPICKUP - W1WC AJ7JO K8LSB W4DHW K4KLY AJ7JO AK0A W4DHW W7PFB KG4BIG W1WC K8LSB N3CU W7PFB W4JL: BLACKSTARTPROCEEDURE - AA1BA W4LOO K3RTA KC7NXD K4NYX KC0ZPS KI5GTR K3RTA KI5GTR KI5GTR W7PQ KI5GTR W4LOO KC7NXD AE0YM AE0YM KC7NXD N7UN K3RTA AE1MV SYSTEMSYNCHRONIZATION - KC0ZPS K4NYX KA0CSW K3RTA AE1MV AE0YM KA0CSW K4NYX K4NYX WC1D KJ5GIH K3RTA W4LOO K4NYX KI5GTR KC0ZPS AE0YM K3RTA KI5GTR W4LOO KC7NXD CRANKINGPATH - WC1D WD5JR AE0YM KC7NXD K4NYX N0IP N7UN KI5GTR W7PQ AA1BA KG0AT KJ5GIH BOOTSTRAPPING - AA1BA W4LOO K8XCO KG0AT N1BS K2LT WD5JR AA1BA KC0ZPS KC0ZPS N0IP N7UN KI5GTR CRITICALLOADS - KC0ZPS W3GTR AA0IW K2LT AA0IW KC0ZPS AA1BA W4LOO K2LT K8XCO AA1BA KC7NXD N1BS COLDLOADPICKUP - KA0CSW K7RO K2LT WC1D WB0RLJ K7RO AA1BA WC1D N0IP KJ5GIH KA0CSW KI5GTR N7UN N0IP 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: K3ES: Band conditions were supposed to be bad due to a solar storm. WX was supposed to be rainy all day. You can't prove it by me! KN4OK: A little more challenging but I love it. Thanks again for another great challenge! VE3KZ: 5 Watts-5 Bands. A little Auroral propagation on the boundary of NA and Europe. 73 Bob VE3KZ VE3DQN: I must have too much time on my hands. Finished this Challenge much, much sooner in the month than I normally do. Thanks for giving us these opportunities to stay radio-active. W1BLU: Finishing the challenge early is a double-edged sword. The completion is rewarding but now I have to wait weeks for the next challenge. I do enjoy these so much and look forward to each month’s challenge. Thanks for the effort! 72 W4JL: This was a real challenge for me, found out my rig had dropped power, so I was at 2 watts or less for the majority of collecting letters! Another great one! 72 W4JL Dave NC 10660 |