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Aug 2008 Straight Key/Bug Sprint (#46) Final Official Results: SWA Category - Eastern Division Call QSOs Mbrs Pts Mul Sco Bon Final 80-40-20 Antenna KA8MPT 30 27 57 20 1140 x2 2280 G5RV @25' *N8XMS 28 24 52 19 988 x2 1976 Cushcraft R7 Vertical AA4W 24 21 45 20 900 x2 1800 20M 1/2 w vert, 40M dipole @45' KD2MX 25 24 49 15 735 x2 1470 longwire dipole @30' *K3WWP 22 21 43 16 688 x2 1376 110' attic random wire WA1LWS 23 22 45 15 675 x2 1350 OCF horizontal vee @22' W4ONC 23 22 45 13 585 x2 1170 4-Leg Inverted V @55' W2SH 20 20 40 14 560 x2 1120 80M dipole @35' W2JEK 20 20 40 13 520 x2 1040 20m gp@20',40m dp@25',80M efh@25' *VE3OBU 21 20 41 12 492 x2 984 windom @25' K2JT 20 18 38 11 418 x2 836 dipole @50/25' *VE3ILE 15 12 27 15 405 x2 810 g5rv @40' K4PBY 25 25 50 15 750 750 80 mtr inv vee @35' W9CC 12 12 24 11 264 x2 528 80M loop @15' K1YAN 14 13 27 13 351 x1.5 527 Hustler 6BTV gnd. mtd. WB8LZG 13 11 24 10 240 x2 480 350' lw @30' N1LU 12 12 24 10 240 x2 480 Cobra Ultralite @40' KA2KGP 12 12 24 10 240 x2 480 5b gnd mtd vert K9JWI 19 17 36 12 432 432 80m vee @35' NA4O 11 10 21 10 210 x2 420 Carolina Windom @45' N4FI 13 13 26 8 208 x2 416 115' rnd wire @20' attic G5RVjr KB3AAG 16 15 31 11 341 341 80M loop @35' VA2SG 11 9 20 8 160 x2 320 dipole @15' See/hear VA2SG's log at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xVz0Lzr51I WA3ZBJ 14 14 28 11 308 308 G5RVjr @40' KJ4IC 8 8 16 7 112 x2 224 Hustler 4BTV 4-Band vertical K2ZC 9 9 18 6 108 x2 216 g5rv @30' N2ATB 9 9 18 6 108 x2 216 g5rv @35' WB8ENE 8 6 14 6 84 x2 168 4BTV @25' N9AKF 7 6 13 5 65 x2 130 rnd wire @20' W5EPW 6 6 12 6 72 x1.5 108 MFJ-1796 multi-band vert @4' WD5INA 5 5 10 5 50 50 205' G5RV @40' K4UFT 5 5 10 5 50 50 15M dipole @12' AB4PP 4 4 8 4 32 x1.5 48 windom, folded at 25' KC2EGL 4 4 8 3 24 x2 48 folded dipole @35' KB3ROI 4 4 8 3 24 x2 48 Butternut HF2V vertical KU4A 5 5 10 3 30 30 40M slp dpl@40' 80m 1/4w slp@40' AE3J/3 3 2 5 3 15 x2 30 hmbw bug catcher N2COD 3 3 6 1 6 x2 12 Hustler Mobile K3OXG 3 2 5 2 10 10 dpl @60' NF8M 1 1 2 1 2 x2 4 12 ft whip on 3rd floor balcony KD2MU 1 1 2 1 2 2 Dipole @ 12' SWA Category - Central Division Call QSOs Mbrs Pts Mul Sco Bon Final 80-40-20 Antenna W5TM 43 42 85 22 1870 x2 3740 80m dipole @80' KD0V 20 18 38 11 418 x2 836 g5rv @50' AA9L 17 16 33 12 396 x2 792 Trap dipole inv vee @50' K5BGB 15 15 30 11 330 x2 660 Stealth NorCal doublet @20' K4NVJ 7 7 14 7 98 x2 196 88' dipole @35' NI0R 5 5 10 5 50 x2 100 Fan dipole @22' NV9X 5 5 10 5 50 x2 100 dipole @25' KF4KRV 3 3 6 3 18 x2 36 40m inv-v @18', 20m inv-v @50' N9QU 3 3 6 2 12 x2 24 115' random wire @20' W5RCP 1 1 2 1 2 x2 4 ocf EDZ @45' SWA Category - Mountain Division Call QSOs Mbrs Pts Mul Sco Bon Final 80-40-20 Antenna W0JFR 15 14 29 11 319 x2 638 1/4 vertical, gnd mnt %WY7N 3 3 6 3 18 x2 36 100' random wire @23' %-check log - see WY7N soapbox SWA Category - Pacific Division Call QSOs Mbrs Pts Mul Sco Bon Final 80-40-20 Antenna KI6OFN 1 1 2 1 2 2 67' EFHWA @50' GAIN ANTENNA Category Call QSOs Mbrs Pts Mul Sco Bon Final 80-40-20 Antenna K4BAI 43 42 85 19 1615 x2 3230 TH6DXX at 55', 40M dipole @40' 40M 88' zepp @45', 80M inverted vee, apex at 35'. K6XT 18 17 35 13 455 455 2 el 40, 40 vert, KT34XA N9AMW 14 14 28 11 308 308 windom @30', 3el yagi @40' gnd-mtd vertical *NU7T 4 3 7 3 21 x2 42 yagi @33' * - Special Award contender Drawing entrants: N8XMS, NU7T Drawing winner: N8XMS CD (donated by K7QO) drawing entrants: N8XMS, KD0V, KI6OFN, K6XT Drawing winner: KD0V AWARD WINNERS: 1st SWA Eastern: KA8MPT 1st SWA Central: W5TM 1st SWA Mountain: W0JFR 1st SWA Pacific: KI6OFN 1st Gain: K4BAI The following appeared 5 or more times in submitted logs, but did not submit a log themselves for whatever reason: K9FO - 13 K2QO - 10 K4KSR - 10 W5TVW - 8 WA2AAW - 6 W9FNB - 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: 58 Total participants found in cross-checking spreadsheet: 93 Total QSO's in master cross-checking spreadsheet: 754 States represented: 35 + MB, ON, QC 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 - 40M was long at the start and stayed that way throughout here. Thus I was unable to work the slew of participants from the Northeast on that band. QSO's with more distant points like TX, CO, AL, MN, etc. were easy. Joe K4NVJ in AL was the strongest I ever heard him - did you forget to disconnect the linear, Joe? - HI HI. 80M was good and that helped me to eke out 22 QSO's, but 'twould have been a lot better if 40 were shorter. Congrats to one of our newest hams KB3ROI who entered our sprint after just getting his license a few days ago. Also I see a lot of other first time participants in glancing through the logs here. Nice to see our sprints continue to grow in popularity as one of the top QRP/CW sprints (perhaps THE top one?). Looking forward to fall conditions and even better things coming up. Here is my vintage key. I don't know just how old it is, but my uncle who passed away at an early age in 1927 used it on the railroad, so it's at least 81+ years old and still works fine. ![]() NA4O - Slow start, but got better the last hour. WA3ZBJ - So nice to hear the bands alive and well tonight. Good to hear good signals from Quebec and Florida rolling in. 80 meters showed more activity tonight than I remember in the past. 72/73 from the shores of "world famous" Redbank Creek, PA K4BAI - Conditions fair on 20, but very little activity. Conditions very good on 40, but rate dropped about 02Z. Signals strong on 80, but QRN very high. Worked everyone I heard on 80 except N4FI who didn't hear me calling. Best DX was VE3OBU on 80 and K6XT in CO on 40. Thanks for all the QSOs. 73, John, K4BAI. W5TM - Lots of QRN on 40. Few stations on 20. NI0R - First time participant. Had fun. Tnx. N8XMS - Participation was very good and I think that this score is my personal best for one of our sprints! I used a vintage strap key that was made in the engineering department of the University of Michigan circa 1920. It has both "make" and "break" contacts and makes an almost musical clackity-clack sound when used. It was probably used for classroom demonstrations. I am a U of M grad so owning this key is extra special for me. ![]() KI6OFN - Barely heard WY7N and couldn't get his exchange. Signals strength didn't improve until the last 15 mins of the sprint. Then heard, but was unable to contact W5TM, K6XT and KD0V. KB3AAG - Not a good nite...all kind of noise here. Perhaps I need a new antenna, or radio, or new ears, or a new operater? Still had a good time and worked an Oakie (that is where I emigrated,, or is it exergrated from some sixty years ago!) Never had worked one on QRP! Thanks W5Tm! I am getting worse but will still be here next month! KF4KRV - 20M was DEAD DEAD DEAD for me. I heard a little activity very early but then it collapsed. 40m was better but my low inverted-vee was struggling...gotta get that loop up!!! :) Lot's of qsb and weak sigs. After the sprint was over I pulled my headphones off to the sound of a heavy rain outside. At least no great lightening crashes tonight! I had fun...again! Come on sun spots!!!!!!!!!!! N1LU - Stations were strong on 20M early in the sprint. I had to miss the middle. 20M was gone when I came back so I went to 40M. Very bad QRN made it a real challenge. AA4W - I worked the Sprint with one ear and the QRP Foxhunt on 20 meters with the other. Both were fun! I'm glad I can 'multi-task' !! It was good to hear such a good turnout for the Sprint. Summer QRN here in Florida sure got in the way....but that is nothing new. N9QU - Heard many on 40 but only able to catch a few. Also listened on 20 but not much there. Tnx es 73. Leo KJ4IC - It was alot of fun, even though 40m was noisy (QRN). Did somebody remove the 20m band from the air waves? Nothing heard all evening. CU next time - 73 - BOB K1YAN - 40M again the workhorse. A few weak ones with QSB on 80 ... no QSOs, and signals in and out on 20M ... just one QSO there. W0JFR - Real tough night in Colorado. Signals were very weak. 20m seemed open, but not many stations. Didn't try 80m. KB3ROI - This is my first contest as a licensed ham I took the tech test on Saturday 08/09/08 and passed with a 96%. I am using my Mom N3CJM FT-817 I also worked my Dad AE3J who is operating from work. Now I just have to get my brother to take the test. 73 James W5RCP - Deafening noise tonight. Had hoped to have the new K1 completed by this sprint, but that didn't happen so I broke out the old Heathkit HW-8 and made one contact. KA5MPT was the lucky guy! After that I pulled the plug. See you all next month with the new radio (I hope). Ron N9AMW - Lots of QRN, but lots of fun. See you in the next sprint. 72 WB8ENE - First time using roof mounted 4BTV, so missed a few potential points on 80, but vertical works much better than 15' high doublet on 20. Thanks for both 20 and 40M contacts W5TM. N2COD - I damaged my mobile ant. mount while driving down my camp rd. in the dark. A tree branch knocked down by recent storms caught my Hustler, so I only QSO'd with my brother 1 mi. away. Next sprint, I'll bring my chainsaw! K5BGB - Single-band 40 as usual. Lots of activity so it seemed, but the fierce QRN and Central/South American SSB QRM made things a real challenge here on the Gulf Coast. In spite of it all, the NAQCC sprint is always a blast! W4ONC - It is amazing how many people that you can contact by using 5 watts or less. I started out on 20 meters and was able to talk to a non-member in Texas and then N4FI, Dan, who is only a couple of blocks away from me. Then it was on to 40 meters which seemed to stay open for the duration of the Sprint. 80 meters here in Virginia was very good and I was able to make some contacts. As usual I had a wonderful time in the Sprint. K6XT - Started late, no time to hook up old key. Lots of storm static on 40. Thanks to all for putting up with repeats. VE3OBU - The key used is made in Sweden late 1800 or early 1900. I will provide details and picture in email to follow. This is my first CW QRP contest and also the first time I've used a straight key in a contest. Interesting and different. Lots of fun so I'll be back. Thanks. This key is called a "landline key" used by many telegraph offices in Sweden in the beginning of the 20th century. It was most likely manufactured 1900-1905 by a company owned by the Swedish PTS. All parts are made of brass and silver plated in a matt finish. This key is also called "the vertical key" as the contacts and the front portion of the arm are vertically arranged. The key is a marvel of precision and is a pleasure to operate. It is a rare piece and not seen very often. I'm lucky to have this one ![]() W5EPW - This was my first QRP operation. What a blast! Working NU7T in Nevada from Florida was a great moment. KD0V - This was a good sprint. The only station to the west I heard was W0JFW. 40M was very good. The local QRN on 40M was about S5, which was very good considering there were thunderstorms in the area. VE3ILE - First stab at the sprint. Only one band used because K1 only good for 15 and 40. Next time will be using Yaesu ft817nd so I can use three bands. We will see. Anyway loved to use my old sk again I travelled with around the world during my Navy days in the 40's and 50's. Hope to be participating for a long time to come. ![]() K2JT - First extended use of a hand key in 42 years. Good activity despite weak condx on 20. KD2MX - A gusty thunderstorm yesterday left me with an unsymmetrical long wire dipole antenna instead of a long loop. Slack in the wire tipped me off that something was amiss and I found a bunch of wire on the ground. So I picked up the end from the ground, wrapped it around a tree trunk as high as I could reach, and hoped for the best. The other end is up in a tree somewhere. The 'dipole' tuned up and I was good to go...ahh the trials and tribulations of relying on a #22 wire strung up through the trees. It is full of splices after nearly two years of service. The evening provided a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Got a decent start on 20M, ran for a bit on 40M, picked up some more on 80M and then switched back and forth for the rest of the sprint. Felt like I should've had more than 25 QSOs as I was pretty busy up to the last half hour when QSOs became scarce. Was a bit short on multipliers too but did work CO for my best DX. QRN was high but not excessive. Used my trusty J-38 key, not quite vintage enough to vie for the special award. All in all, a nice evening out on the bands. K4NVJ - The band sounded good for this time of year. Some good signals. AE3J/3 - I operated mobile from the parking lot at work and the noise was @#$%#@# all night. The highlight was working a new ham my son James KB3ROI. AB4PP - Got in for a few minutes. Got home late and made a few contacts. JohnPaul K4PBY - Shortly before the start of the sprint I tuned the 20 meter band and found W1AW pegging the S meter on my TenTec Argonaut--the band sounded great! However, when 0030Z arrived I tuned around 14.060 and heard no CQ NA's. I kept looking for a while and still had the same results. I even checked the NAQCC web site to make sure I had the correct date! I finally just started to call CQ NA and was then able to work 15 stations before the band folded at about 0130Z. I then switched to 40 meters. Local thunder storms made the band very QRN but some of the stronger signals were still workable. Shortly after 0200Z a thunder storm started to roll thru my QTH and I had to go QRT. It was a fun evening at the radio though. There is always a lot of activity for the NAQCC sprints and I think much of the interest comes from the fact that the NAQCC sprints are geared with the "Average Joe" ham in mind. 73 from "The Sunshine State and Lightening Capital of the USA"!--Chuck AA9L - Good to be back, lots of fun with the Argonaut V N9AKF - I have to apologize to KC2EGL, KB3ROI & N4FI. I believe that I gave all of them my SKCC number rather than my NAQCC number. I worked the SKCC sprint last weekend, and I guess that that number was still stuck in my head. I heard one station on 20m, but very weak. I gave a call but got no reply, then went to 80m. I probably could have made more contacts there, but the noise level was very high and I just couldn't stand to hear it. 40m was much better noise wise and had a lot of activity, though qsb was bad. Geographically, I was hearing stations from the east coast to CO. I had fun as always. Next month I'll see if I can get my numbers straight. Bart W2JEK - band conditions not too bad considering where we are in the solar cycle. not knowing the age of my signal electric key i decided to use my lionel j-38 manufactured between 1942 and 1945 as it as close as i could get to 1939 vintage status. had a good time. 72 and 73 don younger w2jek #1135 KA2KGP - Nice sprint, 80 was OK but noisey as usual with few sprinters there, 40 was long & 20 was nil here in WNY. K3OXG - Oh the joys of qrp. I just came back from Virginia Beach and worked kb3aag on the gutter of the hotel while I was down there. But not so good last nite, I may have miswired my homebrewed balun - back to the drawing board. Hope to hear you in September. lou W9CC - 40 meters wasn't half bad -- should of stayed there. Heard many new calls. Lots of fun as usual K9JWI - Band conditions pretty good on 40m & 80m. Worked some big signals on 40m. 20m poor again (where are those $@#?* sunspots?). Good activity. Worked some pretty high member numbers. All good. WB8LZG - Good sprint tonight. 20m seemed open ,but little activity. 40m was vy noisy here in Mich. 80m was quiet but slow. 40 picked up after the first hour, so got some Q's in the log. nice to hear some new high numbers too. (welcome n2qo 2570 ) worked exclusively on the longwire tonight, Just to see if there was any noticeable difference. I do notice a bit better "close in " performance. more sprint testing needed to draw gud conclusion. 73's Gregg WY7N - This only counts as a check-log. (I hope I get a participation point though.) Let me explain. First, I'm not sure the QSO was complete with KI60FN. His signal faded to nothing immediately after I sent my exchange. I hope he copied my side. Next, KA8MPT had a pretty solid signal, except he couldn't seem to hear me. I called him several times throughout the sprint period. The most response received was: "QRZ? and SORRY." W5TM was fairly easy to snag. Everyone else was way down in the noise. I heard no responses to my CQs. Near the end of the sprint (figuring I wasn't going to break any records anyway) as an experiment and a possible favor, I cranked up the TX power and called KA8MPT. That made for an easy QSO. John was pretty happy to work me. I'm pretty sure it was a new multiplier for him. I was glad to oblige. Too bad it wasn't a 2XQRP. Maybe next month John!!! I hope to do it from a mountaintop with better antennas and possibly (hopefully?) a new rig. I'm working on an ATS-3B kit from KD1JV. KA8MPT - Not much going on lots of qsb and qrm most of the night. 40m best band at my qth. K4UFT - First time working Sprint. Lots of fun. Hope I entered the log info correctly. FT-817 into 15 Meter dipole on 40 Meters plus QRN equals few contacts. Need more wire up, but I live in a condo. Lucky to get by with the 15m dipole across patio. No Joy on 20 and 15. Can't wait for Cycle 24 to crank up. W2SH - Wasted the first half hour on 20m only to achieve two QSOs, both in my home state of NJ. Signals on 40m became louder and the skip lengthened over the following hour. First ever sprint QSO with QC Bienvenu cher VA2SG A NAQCC! 80m was noisy, but it still should have benefited from more activity. VA2SG - First QRP contest. Wow, had lot of fun and impressed with ur sigs. KC2EGL - This months sprint had the worst conditions for any contest/sprint in the ten short years I have been a Ham. Not even my K2 could cut through all the garbage that polluted the airwaves here in Brookville Pa. Having said that I still had fun with my four QSO's. I think the conditions can only get better for next month. Hope to work many more of you next time. 73, Mike NF8M - While on vacation overlooking Lake Michigan, managed to make one QSO between sunset and dinner. FT817 on internal battery to a 12 foot whip on the hotel balcony. KD2MU - Wish I had more time. NU7T - ![]() See General Sprint Rules for rules common to every NAQCC sprint. RULES specific to this month's sprint: Date and time: Wednesday August 13, 0030-0230 UTC (Remember that's Tuesday evening here in the USA) Special Award: To the winner of a drawing among the following: The member in each division who makes the highest score and uses a vintage straight key. It is hard to assign a definite date for a key to be considered vintage, but for our purposes anything from before World War II (pre-1939) qualifies. This special award was suggested by Paul, N8XMS whom we thank here. Autologger SA info: Eligible for the Special Award.......' box - Select Yes if you are competing for the award Special Award info.......' box - Nothing need to be put here, but submit a picture of your key in a separate email and include a description of the key in your soapbox comments. Those not submitting a picture or description as indicated above will not be eligible. Prize: A classic book in Morse on CD donated by Chuck Adams K7QO. It goes to the winner of a drawing among the following: The one in each division who makes the highest score and has not won a CD previously. The drawing winner then gets to choose one CD from those currently listed on our General Sprint Rules page in the Prizes section. 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. |