[SECC] Tips via N2NL for NA Sprint CW

[John Laney]

I wrote this for the FCG reflector in an attempt to scare up activity. 
I thought I'd share it with this
group.....

73, Dave N2NL


I wrote this up in MS Word so I hope the formatting makes it through the 
reflector...

Here is some information I have put together to assist those in this 
weekend’s CW Sprint. This is one of my favorite contests of the year, 
second only to the CQWW DX CW contest. It is a 4-hour adrenaline rush 
and the most fun you can have in contesting. To the newbie, the Sprint 
could be filled with frustration, and the confusion might chase them 
away. I certainly do not want this to happen, so I hope this information 
will help not only the new Sprinters but the seasoned pros as well. 
Please let me know if you have any tips I have forgotten. I eventually 
plan to incorporate this into a web page.

<>
CW SPRINT 101
Basics: <>
I will forgo most of the rules, since they are published in numerous 
locations. Let me cover the QSO format since it could be considered 
confusing to some. Due to the QSY rule, both call signs are used in each 
exchange to prevent confusion. The thing that makes the sprint different 
is the QSY rule. If you call a station on a certain frequency, you will 
inherit that frequency after the QSO. You are free to call CQ or send 
QRZ following the contact. Once someone calls and works you, they will 
inherit the frequency from you. You need to move at least 1 Khz before 
calling someone else or 5Khz before calling CQ again. This explained, 
here is a sample contact:

<>(k1to sends) CQ SPRINT K1TO <>

(n2nl sends) N2NL <>

(k1to sends) N2NL K1TO 123 DAN FL

(n2nl sends) K1TO 234 DAVE FL N2NL

(k1to sends) . .

<> <> This is an example of a sprint QSO. Let me break it down further. 
When K1TO sends me his report, notice he sends both our call signs, his 
following mine early in the exchange. This serves two purposes. Often, 
the frequency will be very chaotic with several people calling K1TO. He 
is acknowledging my call, and by sending his call second, late comers to 
the frequency will know the QSO is only half over. When I send my 
exchange, I will send his call (to reduce confusion), and finish the 
exchange with my call sign. In the sprint, sending your call at the end 
is essentially the same as a “QRZ”, and I will likely have several 
people calling me immediately following this transmission. My call at 
the end of the exchange signifies to all those on frequency that the QSO 
is over. It is important to try following this procedure, to reduce 
confusion. I cannot count the number of times when I tune to a QSO in 
progress, hear the call, realize I need him and call, only to realize 
that I stomped over the other half of the QSO because that individual 
did not sign his call in the right order. It slows everyone down, and 
your overall score will suffer by not following this procedure because 
you will often be asking for fills.
Note that Dan finishes with a couple dits. He is sending confirmation 
that he received my information correctly. This is EXTREMEMLY important. 
Although there may be many callers covering his acknowledgement, most 
can usually pick out the dits. Every single QSO is checked in the CW 
Sprint. It is imperative that you have copied the exchange correctly. 
Many contesters will remove a QSO from their log if they miss part of 
the exchange, and failing to listen for or send that acknowledgement is 
asking for a larger error percentage. You will undoubtedly run into a 
few people who will not acknowledge the QSO. If you have already worked 
on another other band, all the information after the QSO number is 
repetitive. Some people will try to get a couple second head start by 
searching for a new QSO after getting the number. This is very bad 
strategy, and you will find that none of those regularly in the top ten 
does this. Stay on frequency, use the repetitive information to check 
for errors, and give the other station an acknowledgement before moving 
on. <>

<>CW SPRINT 102
Sprint tips for the beginner: <>
For the beginner, the Sprint can be very intimidating. Huge signals 
across the band blasting away with high speed CW. The QSY rule makes it 
seemingly impossible to work anybody because of the perpetual pileup on 
whoever is occupying the frequency at the time. Fortunately, there are 
some things the first timer can use to their benefit. A first time 
sprinter will likely make more than a hundred QSOs if they follow these 
tips:

<>1) Let people call you! At the start of the contest, and every time 
the majority of operators change bands, it can be difficult to break 
through to make a QSO by search and pouncing. Go high up in the band 
(above .050), and CQ at your own comfortable speed. Although there will 
be some who call you at blazing speeds, the sprint operators are usually 
the elite of contesting and will slow down to your speed before 
answering. Make a QSO, move up or down at least 5 Khz (to keep within 
the rules), and call CQ again. Repeat. <>

2) Work a different band. At the start of the contest, most people will 
begin on 20M. There WILL be activity on 40 meters from the beginning. 
Things will be less chaotic there at the start. More and more people are 
using two radios, and will be CQing on 40 while S&Ping 20. Later in the 
contest, they will CQ on 20 while S&Ping 40. At the end of the contest, 
they will be S&Ping 80 while CQing on 40. Keep this in mind, and use it 
to your advantage. You can rack up many QSOs by working the 
“non-standard” bands. As a general rule, 20M is the primary band from 
0000-0130Z, 40M from 0130Z-0300Z, and 80M during the last hour. <>

3) Do not worry about multipliers! The Sprint Elite usually take QSO 
totals more into consideration than multiplier or final score. 
Multipliers are usually hit or miss. You will hurt your score overall if 
you spend your time trying to chase multipliers across the band.

Follow these two rules and you will very likely break the 100 QSO 
barrier, regardless of your station’s capability. This is an excellent 
first-timer score.

<>
<>CW SPRINT 201
Sprint tips for the intermediate: <>
Once you have broken the ice, it is time to raise your goal. 250 QSOs is 
a very reasonable goal for the intermediate contester. Here are a couple 
tips to assist you. I have written these for the SO1R type of guy (or 
gal). <>

1) Don’t be afraid to revert back to the beginner rules! Do not let a 
large time gap without a contact get you down. It happens to the best of 
us. If you get yourself into a rut, go back to the beginner rules I 
listed above. Call CQ, and make a couple easy QSOs to get back on track. <>

2) While search and pouncing, you will notice that many people will 
either work up or down the band. It happens every contest – you will 
sometimes get into a rut when you find you are competing against the 
same group of people for every contact. They will all be following you 
up or down the band. If you’re winning more than losing, no problem! 
However, usually there’s one or two people that kick your butt every 
single time. If this happens to you, spin the dial and start scanning 
from a new location. Separate yourself from those big guns, so you have 
a chance of being heard. <>

3) Similar to above, if you are tuning up the band and constantly 
running into dupes, spin the dial to work into some fresh meat. The same 
twenty some guys will often find themselves working up the band at the 
same speed, and this is not a problem if they all need to work each 
other. Find yourself in a group of dupes, move to a different section of 
the band to find new stations to work. You will find that many people 
favor certain parts of the band, so don’t be afraid to look high or low 
to find new contacts. <>

4) Work 20 meters late into the contest. Do not be afraid of sending a 
few CQs late in the contest on 20, especially if you have found yourself 
in a rut. Unless the band totally drops out, there will be activity 
there the entire contest. Part-timers will usually show up on 20 for a 
short while, then disappear. Try to work these guys. An added bonus is 
that you will usually scare up some multipliers this way. KL7’s always 
seem to show up late on 20, as well as many Caribbean multipliers. Keep 
an ear out for VY1JA – he is a regular sprinter! <>


<>CW SPRINT 301
Sprint tips for the Expert: <>
To most Sprinters, the 300-QSO barrier is the Holy Grail. Once you’ve 
broken this barrier, you’re considered an official Big Gun Sprinter™. 
Fortunately, activity has increased making this goal much easier to 
attain. Here are a couple tips directed toward the guy shooting for 300. <>

1) Don’t QSY to 80 meters too early! The third hour is usually the 
slowest in the Sprint. 20M is “dead”, and you’ve seemingly worked 
everyone on 40. 80m is hopping already so you’re drawn there. Don’t make 
the mistake to go there too early! I will never go to 80 until the last 
hour. Although activity increases there around 0230Z, it is usually 
locals working locals. If you hear N9RV on 80 and call him, usually you 
will be creamed by another W9. This will happen over and over again, 
especially early. Stay on 20 and 40, milk them dry, and QSY to 80 later 
when you will be fresh meat to all the W9’s. This way your last hour 
will be a flurry of activity – and excitement. <>

2) Scan low in the band for multipliers and QSOs. Don’t be afraid to 
tune low in the band for possible QSOs and multipliers, especially if 
things are slow higher in the band. You will likely run into a CO or 
some other Caribbean multiplier low on 40 or 20 meters. They probably 
aren’t participating in the contest, but you can usually get a name and 
QSO number to make it a valid contact. <>

3) SO2R!! Having two radio capability really helps in trying to break 
300 QSOs. While S&Ping one band, can can still be CQing on another, 
doubling your chance for a QSO. I will usually start S&Ping on 20M, 
while CQing on 40. Later, when I QSY to 40, I will begin CQing on 20 and 
stay there for most of the contest. Only during the last hour will I S&P 
80 while CQing 40. Note: although I say “S&Ping”, I won’t hesitate to CQ 
at times there also, especially if I run into a slow time where I can’t 
find anyone new to work. Strategic CQs can help you increase your QSO 
and multiplier total, especially if you hear someone you need vacating a 
frequency. Slide up or down a little bit and drop a quick CQ. More often 
than not they will call you. <>


CW SPRINT 401
Sprint tips for the Elite: <>
There are two contesters who have succeeded in breaking the 400 QSO 
barrier, N6TR and W4AN. Sorry, I can’t help you here; I’m still trying 
to figure it out myself! Unfortunately, Bill Fisher is no longer with 
us, so you will have to ask Tree how reached this achievement.

<>Additional links:
http://lists.contesting.com/_cq-contest/2003-08/msg00036.html
http://n6tr.jzap.com/sprint.html


<>I hope these tips have helped! <>
See you this weekend!

73, Dave N2NL

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