[SECC] Strategy for the start of NAQP SSB

[John Laney]

Thanks, Jere.  I will miss NAQP SSB due to going to the Huntsville 
Hamfest and ARRL SE Division Convention that weekend.

Many of us try to check 10M on the hour during daylight hours and 15M on 
the half hour.  That's a good idea.  Of course, if someone asks me to 
QSY to 10, I'll check the rest of the band while I am there.  I try to 
start on the highest open band, so I am always checking 10M just before 
18Z. This year on CW, I didn't hear anything on 15 or 10 just before 
18Z, so I started on 20, but didn't get much rate there and checked 15M 
after a few minutes, found it open and stayed there for a while.  So, in 
the early afternoon it was 10M on the hour, then 20M until the half 
hour, 15M on the half hour, then 20M until the hour, etc.  Varied a 
little bit depending on rate.  You can count on 20M being open until 02 
or 03Z, so you want to make QSOs and mults on 15 and 10 while you can. 
I usually have my second VFO set on a clear frequency high in the 15M 
phone band and on some hopefully clear frequency on 10M and, if the rate 
isn't too high, whenever someone calls on one band that I haven't worked 
on the other band and the other band seems open to that area of the 
country, even if not a mult, I'll ask them to go to the other band just 
to keep the rate up.  So, if they say OK, I'll start CQing on the other 
band.  If no callers pretty quickly, go back to the first band and 
alternate CQs for a while, one or two on 15 and then one or two on 10. 
The best rates will usually be on 20M, so don't neglect that band 
either.  Play it by ear, keep in the chair, and always be calling.  Have 
fun!  73, John, K4BAI.