[SECC] Announcement: NCCC NS Series Starts Thursday Night; 15M Added

[John T. Laney III]

*The NS Ladder Advisory group N6ZFO, N4AF, N6WM, K6UFO, W4NZ, K4BAI, 
W9RE, N3BB and W0BH announces

NS Ladder XII - "Contesting on the Edge"      Starting this week, 
Thursday night, 0230Z (Fri Zulu)
                 19:30 Pacific   2030 Mountain 2130 Central 2230 Eastern 
Time
                 30:00 mins exactly.

     NEW:  Add 15m to the usual 160, 80, 40 ,  and 20m  40 KHz up from 
band edge or 1815.
       -- 100 watts maximum
       -- Sprint format, mults per band and 1 KHz QSY rule. Contact 
stations once per band i.e. no same-band duplicate Q's.
       -- Score reports to http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/ 
<http://hornucopia.com/> (Tks, WA7BNM)
            [Note we will request logs from time to time to verify accuracy]

Summer NS is an excellent practice for the Fall NAQP and CW  NAS -- 
don't be caught loafing in the Summer sunspot doldrums.
      -- Hone your sprinting skills for the NAS
      -- Perfect multi-band switching capability in preparation for 
NAQP, enhanced w/ addn of 15 meters.

For rules (but add 15 meters) see: http://www.ncccsprint.com/ladder.html
For schedule see: http://www.ncccsprint.com/next_ns.html

Important rules:
     1) Strictly obseve the time limits  . . see 
http://www.ncccsprint.com/rules.html paragraph "Time".
     2)  After 2nd Q of couplet, leave a pause for the cq'ing stn to ask 
for fills.  Essential for new participants learning the contest.

Awards:  Bottles of CA Pinot Noir wine  from the famous W0YK vineyard 
awarded [alternate prizes for those <21] by a weighted random drawing. 
Thus from an awards standpoint, no SO1R "penalty" in this contest.  
Note: our downloadable score base, available weekly and flagged for SO2R 
use, allow a participant to generate personalized rankings by selectable 
criteria.  Minimum 5 weeks required for awards. . additional entries in 
drawing table for 1st, 2nd place scores in division and for perfect 
10-wk participation.  Divisions . . see map at 
http://www.ncccsprint.com/ladder.html

Code Speed:  We are not shy about high cw speeds .  after all it's a 
sprint.   But regular participants are admonished to slow down when 
necessary -- actually part of the strategy for maximizing score.   
Speeds above 40 wpm are discouraged but not dis-allowed.  To practice 
the NS format in a more relaxed setting, visit the 18-26 wpm Slow NS on 
20, 40 and 80, half an hour before the main event [N6WM, SNS Director]

nccc-blue reflector:  All are invited to join this low-volume reflector 
for discussing NS and NS Ladder topics.  Sign up at:
http://www.kkn.net/mailman/listinfo/nccc-blue   Phil, W6PK will see your 
request.

Final note: Howie, N4AF has a new version of his score calculation 
propram, available at http://www.ncccsprint.com/ns-score.html

73 Bill n6zfo
Contest director.  ?'s to n6zfo at arrl.net <mailto:n6zfo at arrl.net> or any 
Advisory Group member.
*