[CQ-Contest] CW Sprint Practice this Thu & Fri

[Dean Wood]

Please join the NCCC for two CW Sprint practices this week:

Thursday CW Sprint Practice:
Thursday, February 10; 7:30pm-8:00pm PST
[In UTC: Friday, February 11; 03:30Z-04Z]
Suggested frequencies: 3545, 7045, 14045 kHz +/-

Friday CW Sprint Practice:
Friday, February 11; 6:30pm-7:00pm PST
[In UTC: Saturday, February 12; 02:30Z-03Z]
Suggested frequencies: 3545, 7025, 14045 kHz +/-
Note: the suggested frequency on 40m is 7025kHz because you will likely 
encounter WPX RTTY stations active as low as 7035kHz (and perhaps even 
lower).  WPX RTTY will have already started 2.5 hours before this 
practice.  This will be good practice for figuring out how low this RTTY 
activity will be, and plan how to maneuver around this activity for the 
real CW Sprint on Saturday so you can still be successful on 40m and not 
surprised by the RTTY activity.  The reason that the RTTY activity will 
be this low on 40m is due to the narrow 40m band allocations and low 40m 
RTTY band plans for most parts of the world.

NCJ Sprint Rules:
http://www.ncjweb.com/sprintrules.php

Helpful guides on how to operate a Sprint contest:
The Sprint Survival Web Page - http://web.jzap.com/n6tr/sprint.html
CW Sprinting - Beginners Guide - http://www.contesting.com/articles/198
K5TR's practice audio - http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr/audio/sprint_practice/
How to finish a CW Sprint QSO -
http://lists.contesting.com/_cq-contest/2003-08/msg00036.html

Please be courteous to ongoing QSOs.  Given the QSY nature of Sprint, 
it's easy to step on someone by mistake.  Let's avoid frequency fights 
with ragchewers during the practices.

Sprint mini-contest practice sessions are great to:
*Try getting into the rhythm of a Sprint contest
*Reduce Sprint intimidation factor
*Test logging software and different exchange function keys, CW keying 
interface, and RFI in the shack
*Practice using 2 radios in a Sprint environment

73...
-Dean - N6DE
NCCC VP/CC