[CQ-Contest] NCCC NS Ladder Competition -- It's Back

[Bill Haddon - n6zfo]

Recall that  recent CQ-contest discussion about a certain grueling 48-hour contest?   Well, get ready for the NCCC 5184-hour contest, the 4th Annual NCCC Sprint Ladder.  But . . don't panic -- that's not 5184 continuous hours . . we're nicer  -- in this one, operate frantically for 30 minutes, then take a 167-hour 30 min break until the next part of the  NS Ladder on the following Thursday night.

This Thursday . . practice session 1930-2000 PST (0330-0400 UMT Friday).
     -- See separate announcement from N6RO

Subsequent Thursdays . . 1930-2000 PDST (0230-0400 UMT Friday)

[Remember early kick in for Daylight Savings Time]

What is the NS?   Also known as NCCC summer/spring madness, it's a more-or-less weekly 18-week ladder competition with merged NA Sprint/NAQP type rules. Just half an hour each Thursday night.  Fun, family-friendly, very competitive, and a great contest breadboard for testing your new antenna, modified operating procedure, or success with SO2R: for example you could test the effect of a glass of wine before contesting, or determine the efficiency of your new Moxon antenna for 160 meters.   As before, report scores to on the 3830 score-report form (Thanks to Bruce, WA7BNM).  

If you havn't tried NS Ladder, consider participating this year.  Review/learn the rules at

www.ncccsprint.com .   

Important changes  this year:

1) For the first few competitions, Exchange will be:
  
          Serial #,  your first ham radio callsign, QTH.  
       
           Ex: for N6ZFO:     1, KN6OPI, CA.

2) Dupes.   We're allowing back to back dupes on different bands *without* an intervening QSO this year to increase rate even further from it's already insane level.

As before, watch www.ncccsprint.com for score updates, rule changes etc.

Remember, we're especially anxious to welcome newcomers . . if your CW isn't super fast, try NS Ladder anyway . . all participants have instructions to be especially courteous and slow down appropriately.  Remember, in the words of one of our great boosters Kurt, K7NV, the NS Ladder is all about summer fun.

Questions/comments to  Bill, N6ZFO:   Hounds1234 at comcast.net 

or to my two NCCC co-conspirators, N6RO and W0YK or to our contest board,
John, K4BAI,  Jim, N3BB or Paul, K3STX.

73 Bill N6ZFO