[CQ-Contest] CW Sprint - Saturday Evening (NA)

[Ward Silver]

Hi all,

Now that we will be all warmed up from the CWops Wednesday tests, tonight's
NS sprint (ncccsprint.com), and chasing CY9C for days on end (good job,
CY9ers!), it's time to get limbered up for the September edition of the
North American CW Sprint.  Those of you doing the CW Open's final segment
that ends at 2359 Sep 7th can quickly switch contests in your logging
software and keep right on going as the CW Sprint begins in the next minute!

CW Sprint - Sep 8th, 2024 - 0000 to 0359 UTC (logs due Sep 15th)
RTTY Sprint - Sep 15th, 2024 -  0000 to 0359 UTC (logs due Sep 22nd)


Both contests are Saturday evening in North America. Complete rules:
ncjweb.com/Sprint-Rules.pdf. Submit your log at
ncjweb.com/sprintlogsubmit.php. You can be sure your log was uploaded
by checking the Logs Received web page at ncjweb.com/cwsprintlogs. If
you are new to sprinting, take a look at Jim George, N3BB's article
posted on the NCJ NA Sprint website at
ncjweb.com/sprint-scores/CW-Sprinting-N3BB.pdf.


DX stations outside the US and Canada are very welcome to participate!
 Just jump in and give your QTH as "DX".  You might set a record for
your country!


Some helpful information for new Sprinters is below.  Hope to hear you
on the air!


73, Ward N0AX

NA CW Sprint Manager


= = = = =


The QSY rule can be confusing when calling and answering CQs.


If you call CQ, someone responds, and you complete a QSO, you then
have to move 1 kHz to call another station or 5 kHz to call CQ.

If you respond to a CQ, after the QSO you "inherit" the frequency and
you can call CQ or answer a caller who responds after the QSO.  Once
you complete that QSO, you then have to move 1 kHz to call another
station or 5 kHz to call CQ.

= = = = =

If you hear an ongoing contact, you can call the station staying on
frequency (just give your call and listen for an answer beginning with
your call).  But which station is staying?  There are some clues in
how most stations set up their Sprint messages:

If you hear an exchange like "Call#1 Call#2 number name state" then
Call#2 is going to leave the frequency after the contact and Call#1
will be ready to respond.
If you hear an exchange like "Call#1 number name state Call#2" then
Call#2 is going to inherit the frequency and you can call them.

That's not always the way stations send their information but it's very common.

= = = = =

Or you might not want to do the QSY thing at all - just pick two
frequencies at least 5 kHz apart and call CQ on one.  After making a
QSO, switch to the other frequency and call CQ again. Changing bands
counts as a 5 kHz QSY, too. With the bands open, all three bands are
likely to be open for the entire contest!