Thanks for the fine writeup. Looking forward to NAQP; but will not be
on 80m as antenna is waiting installation of new switch box.
Good hunting - Jere
In a message dated 1/18/2013 11:09:07 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
k4bai@att.net writes:
Good
luck to everyone in NAQP SSB tomorrow.
Here are a few thoughts that may
help the single ops. Remember the 10
hour limit and be sure that
your off times are at least 30 minutes.
Wait 31 minutes if you have any
question about how to count the off time.
If we have some pattern to
our band selections, it may help us work each
other and get the nearby
mults on most bands. May I suggest the following:
Remember that
you cannot use packet spots and be single op (and only
single ops can be
on a team) and that the power limit for all stations
is 100W. Try to
run in the General Class band at least some because
there will be some,
particularly newer ops, who cannot operate in the
Extra Class bands. As a
reminder, Generals can operate above 3800, 7175,
14225, and 21275 and
Technicians cannot operate above 28500.
The multipliers for this
contest remain unchanged. (Meaning that ON is
just one mult and not
broken into four as it is for SS.) Multipliers
are States, Canadian
areas as specified in the rules, and DXCC countries
in North
America. Exchange is Name and S/P/C for NA stations and only
Name
for DX stations outside NA. It may be that your logging program
won't accept only a name. If so, put "DX" in the section
window. (You
can delete the "DX" in your Cabrillo file with a text
editor. I usually
do this, but I doubt that leaving it in would hurt
your score.)
10M on the hour during the day. Check the band at
least once an hour
and work anyone you can find there. Try
running. If we get a good
opening, particularly Es, running can be
productive even from our part
of the country.
15M on the half hour
during the day and until the band seems dead.
20M is a bread and
potatoes band so be running on 20M during the day
whenever your rates on
10 and 15 are low and when you don't find mults
to work on the higher
bands.
40M activity may start early, but you will probably be able to
make rate
there during the hours of darkness, so don't abandon 20 too
early. It
is a good idea to run on 40 for at least a short while
during the latter
part of the afternoon to get the close in multipliers
before the band
goes long.
80M and 160M. May I suggest 80M on
the hour and 160M on the half hour
during the hours of
darkness.
Moving stations. Remember that multipliers count per
band. If someone
asks you to QSY to another band or to look for
their second station on
another band and you have a station that can
easily change bands,
consider doing so even if it won't be a new
multiplier. As a general
rule, unless it a buddy of yours who is
running, it is a waste of time
to ask a station who is running to give up
his run frequency to move to
another band to give you a multiplier.
AL, FL and GA mults will be easy
enough to get by running. SC and MS
stations might get better response
if those mults are rare. But, if
you are running and need the mult of a
caller on another band where
propagation is likely possible, try to get
the other station to QSY to the
other band. I'd guess that about half
of the stations you ask will
agree to try the other band and you will
actually make contact with most
of those. You should keep a note of
frequencies on the other bands
that may be relatively open for such
QSYs. Often frequencies higher in the
bands or maybe very low in the
band if the other station has an Extra
Class license. You can't tell
about that by call signs for sure, but
they are some indication.
To the extent you can consistent with your
health and family or work
obligations, keep your BIC for as long as
possible (up to 10 hours).
When you submit your score to 3830, include
your club (it's good
advertising). You should also include the club
in the header to your
Cabrillo file, just to keep in the habit. Show your
team, if you are on
one, on your 3830 submission. There will be a
pull down selection for
any registered team. There is no need to
show the team in the Cabrillo
header. You may do so, but the Robot
will disregard it. The
pre-registered teams are matched with the final
scores by the sponsors.
Upload your log as required by the rules and do so
as soon as possible.
There is a 14 day deadline, but that will change to 7
days after this
running of the NAQPs.
Good luck and much fun to
all. Operate as much as you can even if you
are not on a
team.
73, John,
K4BAI.
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