[NCC] Website Updates, NAQP CW Reminder

[Hal Offutt]

Season's Greetings to All,

I hope everyone is having a good holiday and that those of you still 
working full time are getting a little rest.

I have made a couple of updates to the website, mostly adding a little 
information on NO3M's fantastic win in the September Sprint.   If you 
have some news you'd like posted on the club website, send it to me or, 
better yet, write up a short article and send that to me.

Please be reminded that the January NAQP CW contest is only two weeks 
away.  I shouldn't have to remind you what a cool contest this has 
become, but I will, because this event does not seem to be receiving the 
attention from members that it deserves.  Do you realize that in the 
January, 2017 NAQP, over 1,000 logs were submitted for this ten-hour 
contest?  This is up from less than 400 in 2002!  This has become one of 
the most popular events of the entire year for many ops.  The winner 
last January (N2IC) had 1,585 contacts.  And this is in only 10 hours of 
operating.  If you've had too much egg nog, this is an average of 158.5 
contacts per hour!!!  What contest can you find with rates like this for 
a US station?  I'm a big Sweepstakes fan, but the NAQP has long since 
surpassed the SS in terms of quick action.  If you're one of those who 
complains about Sunday afternoon in SS, this contest is for you, 'cause 
there are no slow hours.  In fact, for those of us in this part of the 
country, the rates just keep getting better as the contest progresses 
and the action moves down to the bands where we do well.  I guarantee 
that you will have fun if you put in a little time in the January 2018 
NAQP CW.  It takes place from 1300 local on Saturday, January 13 and 
runs for the next 12 hours.  Single ops must take two hours off.  (And 
thanks to K8AZ for not scheduling the annual K8AZ NCC meeting for that 
date.)

See you in the NAQP?  Let me know if you can operate part time or full 
time and I will put together teams.  And, BTW, our teams last year 
placed 11th,  27th, 91st and 92nd out of 107 teams.   I know we can do 
better!

73, Hal W1NN

Your Webmaster (for now)