[CQ-Contest] NCCC Sprint Ladder Wk 3

[Bill Haddon]

Week 3 of the 14-week NCCC Sprint Ladder competition occurs this Thursday
evening, 0230-0300Z (Fri UTC) on 20, 40 and 80 CW, preceded at 0200Z by
W9RE's Slow NS (SNS)  practice session.  See
http://www.ncccsprint.com/next_ns.htm  for NSL schedule and other details,
Our "Quick Start" guide is at end of this message.

Week 2 of NS Ladder set new records for participation.  We extend a
particular welcome to WF7T, Brad, and N0KK, "KK" and to returning stations
which provided missing multipliers, WA1Z for NH, supplementing , I think,
N9NC's New Hampshire operation,  and WD0T, Matt, for SD.  Also glad to see
NCCC member Bob, K6NV, Chris, VA3NR, among others.

Audio Recordings:

Audio for week 2 of NSL is available thanks to NSL newcomer, Cal, K0DXC,
known as  "Kid" in the NSL.  Access this recording from the NCCC results by
clicking on K0DXC's wk 2 Score, and have a look at his website at
www.k0dxc.com (or click on k0dxc in the results table).  Cal's score in Wk 2
beat that of his granddad, K9MMS, who is also new to NS Ladder this year.
While you're at it,  look at k0dxc's entry on QRZ.COM.

With regard to the audio:
   -- We invite others to submit audio to W0YK for posting and archiving on
the www.ncccsprint.com.

Ed and I see four uses for these recordings:
    1) Allows one to  "experience" NS Ladder prior to joining and to train
for the contest.
    2) Seerves as an excellent refresher exercise for all ops, including
experienced ones.
    3) Provides a means of assessing one's own skills relative to others.
    4) Gives the NSL BOD an additional tool to assess the contest for
accuracy of exchanges, crowding, and adherence to rules and so on.

Besides, it's just fun to listen. . . going along with our primary objective
in NS Ladder.  have fun.

Crowding issue.  A quick study of the frequency spread in NS Ladder using
data from several logs shows that on 40m,  80 percent of the NSL Q's are
taking place at 7041 +/- 1.5 KHz.  This degree of crowding probably impedes
qso's for the weaker stations.  We have some calculations to show that the
+/- 1.5 KHz window will just accomodate 48 qso's, our approximate
population.  But that assumes a 250Hz window, and that's uncomfortably tight
for some.  So, if the regular participants could making frequent calls above
at  7038, 7039,  . . . 7044, 7045 and 7046  that would be most helpful.

Hope we'll see you Thursday night -- especially anxious for some new CA
stations, because practically our whole crew will be at Visalia meeting.

Comments to n6zfo at arrl.net

73 Bill n6zfo
Contest Director
NCCC Sprint Ladder

Quick Start Guide for NS Ladder:

 Show up Thurs night in vicinity of 14040, 7040 3540 with 100 w or less CW
at:
            0230-0200 Z (Friday UTC)
            1930-2000 PDST (Thursday night in NA)
            2030-2100 MDST
            2130-2200 CDST
            2230-2300 EDST

Use for example, the NA Sprint module in your logging program -- see
http://www.ncccsprint.com/software.htm for additional suggestions.

2) Send one of the following  Sprint-type CW Exchanges:

        A.  Responding to CQ NS:    [His/Her Call]  [Ser. #]  [Your Name]
[Your QTH] (state, province, Country) [your call]
                      -- expect immediate responses on same frequency, for
which you use exchange "B"
        B.  Sending a CQ: when a station answers,
                                     [his/her call]  [your call] [Ser #]
[Your Name] [Your QTH]

3) QSY one KHz or more and work another station: Dupes OK after 1
intervening Q on same band, immediately if QSY to a 2nd band.
4) Go at a frantic pace for half an hour then maybe join us on 3610, NCCC
Contest Net (N6RO) if you're in the West.
5) Calculate your score:
            (#Q's ) x (# Mults per band)  = Total Score.
      Also see:  N4AF's score calculator at
http://www.ncccsprint.com/ns_score.htm
6) If you wish, post your score at http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score
7) Relax and recover.
8) After you're hooked on this weekly Thursday contest, read the details and
nuances at :  www.ncccsprint.com