[SESprint] N2NL's Sprint Tips (FWIW)
Jeffrey Clarke
sesprint@contesting.com
Tue, 3 Sep 2002 21:05:21 -0700 (PDT)
Dave..
Thanks for all the great tips... I have been doing the Sprints since
they started years ago and the CW Sprint is my favorite contest. Now
that I am in W4-land I think all the strategies I used in Ohio are
going to go out the window... especially counting on that big hour on
80 meters during the last hour. Plus, I am now LP, since I sold my amp,
so that's going to make it even tougher. I am going to try SO2R for the
first time in a Sprint. I never bothered with it when I ran HP in the
Sprints but I'm not a newbie to it since I did it in some other
contests in Ohio when I did serious LP efforts in SS. GL to everyone on
Saturday night....
Jeff KU8E (/4)
--- David Mueller <n2nl@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I wrote down some tips I use when I run the Sprint -
> hopefully it will help someone. I've seen alot of
> advice on HOW to operate the Sprint, but not how to do
> WELL in it. This is based on my experiences in SFL,
> and might not adapt to those further north. I hope
> you can follow, as I wrote this as thoughts came to
> mind.
>
> Sprint Tips
>
> Start out on 20m. Although a lot of the W9’s have
> made a tradition of starting on 40m, which allows them
> to work each other before the band goes long, for us
> in Florida 20m is the place to be. If you have 2
> radios, keep the 2nd on 40, where you can drop a CQ if
> you are searching for a QSO on 20 or receiving an
> exchange from someone who will be taking the frequency
> from you. Likewise, if someone calls you on 40, drop
> a CQ on 20. Work 20m as long and as hard as you can
> since that is often will be your best band – most
> multipliers will be worked there. Dig deep even for
> scatter QSOs. Remember that there are a limited
> number of stations active – and the more you can work
> on a given band the more guys you are going to work
> overall.
> This goes for the entire contest. Personally, I will
> either work my way up or down the band. I will call
> someone I need, work him, and receive one caller.
> Once I relinquish the frequency I will continue up or
> down the band. Often you will notice a group of about
> 20 guys just about “in step” with you. That’s fine
> because at the beginning you need them too. If you
> find out, however, that they are constantly beating
> you out, or you have seemed to have worked everyone
> you hear, spin the dial to another part of the band
> and start over. You’ll find yourself amidst a new
> group of “fresh meat”. Try high and low in the band
> as well. you'll usually find guys staying there in
> one part of the band.
> DON’T GET FLUSTERED – the best operator will go
> through periods of frustration at not being able to
> make a QSO for a couple minutes. Eventually you work
> through it and will work another string of guys. The
> more you work yourself up, the more you are hurting
> your own effort. The contest is fast paced enough
> than to have to deal with your own issues. A second
> radio here is helpful – you can be CQing on it which
> helps you feel that at least you’re doing something
> productive.
> By about 0115Z, 20 will have pretty much dried up.
> You notice a lot of the activity is starting to
> disappear. Don’t give up on the band too quickly. 40
> will be rocking, but the sooner you go there, the
> sooner you will work the band out. I find it better
> to stay a little later on 20, which will ensure a good
> 3rd hour which is usually everybody’s worse hour for
> QSO totals. 20 will still be productive, and with
> less QRM, you will be able to work the weaker guys and
> the ones with low QSO totals. These often are rare
> multipliers also! There will be activity on 20m for
> the entire contest at this point of the cycle. With a
> 2nd radio, I will often CQ here the entire contest.
> It is more than likely that a rare multiplier will
> call in during the last hour, such as a KL7.
> Somewhere about 0130, it is time to move to 40
> meters. This is a breath of fresh air as almost
> everyone you hear is a new QSO. The rate will jump
> and you’ll be having a blast. Keep the 2nd radio on
> 20m and drop a CQ now and then when you can. If you
> listen around, all the top scorers are doing it. 20
> will be very quiet and it will be easy to tune the 2nd
> radio to find new guys you might need, all the while
> working the fresh meat on 40. 20 and 40 are your money
> bands, so make use of them. Since you stayed on 20
> longer than most, a lot of the guys have already
> worked each other on 40 so it will be easier going for
> you. Once again, keep an ear open for the weaker
> stations as they always seem to be that rare mult you
> need.
> Lets say you tune and hear a multiplier you need.
> Lets say it is WB0O. You call him but get beat by
> someone else. DON’T STICK AROUND – he will have to
> QSY before working another station. If the QSO is
> almost over, tune up the band a hair and send a CQ.
> Hopefully he’ll follow you up and answer you. If he
> doesn’t call, tune down and see if he called someone
> down the band versus up. Usually you can catch them
> this way. More than likely though you will work those
> guys later. If you get obsessed with working him,
> your rate is dropping like a rock. Often, the guys
> you need have low QSO numbers and aren’t really
> sprint-adept. Your best chance is call CQ high in the
> band slowly and wait for them to call you. This is
> another advantage of SO2R.
> Now, by 0300z, 40 has dried out for you. Most of the
> guys have already gone to 80. If you are in Florida,
> DON’T QSY THERE YET! I’ve done 4 or 5 sprints now
> from Florida. Every single time I went to 80 this
> early, I got my butt handed to me. All the W9’s will
> be working each other, and the W4’s in TN will all be
> working the W1/2/3/8/9 right through you. They’re
> simply closer and louder than you will be. 80 never
> ceases to be a frustrating band to me for this reason.
> Hopefully 20/40 will still be good because you will
> be banging your head into the wall on 80. I will QSY
> there at about 0315Z, after most of the guys have
> worked each other, and it gets a little better for
> you. I usually can blow off 70-80 QSOs in the last 40
> minutes, which is decent and keeps me in the overall
> game. If I QSY at 0300z, I might finish with another
> 5 QSOs, which is ends up being a waste of time. I
> have not yet been able to come up with a solution to
> this, other than to work 20 and 40 for all it is
> worth. It could be the station I use, but more than
> likely it is geographical location.
> Finally, there is one thing to remember. Compete
> against YOURSELF. Don’t get frustrated when N2NT
> gives you #65 when you are at #20. Those guys have
> been doing it way longer than you have, and really
> aren’t human to start with. No matter how well I
> think I’m doing, I know that eventually N6TR/K7RAT
> will call in with 50 more QSOs than I have. Compete
> against yourself, and try to better your score from
> last time. Make a goal – for most it is breaking the
> 300 QSO barrier. Some guys have tried for years and
> haven’t been able to do it yet. Recently there has
> been a flurry of sprint activity and breaking 300 is
> getting easier. Have fun, do your best, and enjoy the
> rush that is the Sprint.
>
> 73, Dave N2NL
>
> PS –I’ve only finished in the top 10 once in my life,
> so take the advice for what it is worth. This IS the
> strategy I use, and it seems to work well for me. I’m
> not hiding anything. Maybe someone who keeps kicking
> my butt will read this, find a flaw in my strategy,
> and offer me some advice. I’m open to suggestions!
>
>
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