[VHFcontesting] Spring Sprints press release

Fri Mar 16 13:22:43 EST 2007

Here's the press release that went around:

To the Amateur Radio VHF, UHF and Microwave Contest Community,

John Kalenowsky, K9JK, and Steve Gilmore, W4SHG, with support from  
Ham Radio Outlet of Virginia are honored to announce the "passing of  
the torch" for sponsorship of the Spring VHF & Up Sprint series from  
the East Tennessee DX Association to us effective with the 2007  
events. This year marks the 25th consecutive "running" of the Spring  
series of these Sprints since the ARRL announced and conducted the  
first series in 1983.

"We are pleased that John and Steve have stepped forward to assume  
the sponsorship duties for the Spring Sprints so they will continue.  
We wish them success in this venture." said Lynn Lamb, W4NL, current  
president of the East Tennessee DX Association. Lynn continued, "The  
ETDXA's efforts to finish compiling the results for the 2006 Spring  
Sprints are almost complete and will be posted on our web site  
(http://www.etdxa.org) shortly. We will also be preparing and sending  
the certificates out to the top scorers."

"Steve and I would like to thank the ETDXA for their sponsorship and  
support of the Spring Sprints since 2000, initiated by Bert Rollen,  
K4AR, and assumed later by Jeff Baker, KG4ENR/WU4O," said John. "We  
also acknowledge the 'unique' way that the Sprints were sponsored in  
1999, where 5 different clubs/organizations stepped forward to be the  
'worker bees' for the 5 events. This was in response to the ARRL's  
cessation of their sponsorship effective following 1998, having  
established a solid foundation from 16 consecutive years of support  
and development of the Spring Sprints, which is also worthy of  
recognition and appreciation."

John and Steve will be working to keep many of the ideas and intent  
of the Sprints consistent as they have evolved over their history.  
One goal will be to keep the 144, 222 and 432 MHz events on the  
traditional "Activity Nights" for those bands; Monday, Tuesday and  
Wednesday, respectively. That will ALSO include being aware of when  
the NCAA Basketball Championship game falls and efforts to avoid  
conflict there. (For 2008, this might lead to the 144 MHz event being  
on the LAST Monday in March, which IS still "Spring" and a two week  
gap between the 144 MHz and 222 MHz events.) Another piece of the  
evolution that has worked nicely has been the initiation of "MAD",  
the Microwave Activity Days on the first Saturday of each month (in  
the morning), and that will be another goal, to keep the day for the  
Microwave Sprint aligned with that first Saturday in May. The 50 MHz  
event has worked well being on the 2nd Saturday in May, scheduled in  
"Universal Time" rather than local time so all participants operate  
the same four hours as well as falling the weekend before that big  
event that happens in Dayton, Ohio, each May. That will be another  
consistency target. Another part of the schedule management effort  
will be to maintain awareness of the two VHF/UHF conferences that  
occur in April, the Eastern VHF/UHF Conference and the SVHFS  
Conference, and try to keep the individual event dates clear of those  
weekends.

Considering all of the above criteria for this year, the dates for  
the 2007 Spring VHF & Up Sprints are:
1. 144 MHz: 7-11 PM local time, Monday, Apr 9
2. 222 MHz: 7-11 PM local time, Tuesday, Apr 17
3. 432 MHz: 7-11 PM local time, Wednesday, Apr 25
4. Microwave--902 MHz and higher: 6 AM-1 PM local time, Saturday, May 5
5. 50 MHz: 2300Z May 12 - 0300Z May 13 ("local" Saturday evening in  
the Americas)

A few enhancements will be implemented for 2007...four of them notable:
1. Urging (though NOT requiring) exchange and logging of SIX- 
character Grid Square designators during the events.
2. Urging electronic/e-mailed Log Submission using the Cabrillo  
format, though paper logs WILL continue to be accepted.
3. Instituting a new ROOKIE classification.
4. Shortening deadlines for log submissions.

Basically, though, as long as you know the dates for 2007, and you've  
participated in a VHF & Up Sprint before, you already KNOW how to do it.

Steve is working on a web site that will contain the specific rules  
and further details, particularly about the above enhancements,  
announcements, maybe even a FAQ. While presently a "work in  
progress", the target is for this to be "final" by mid-March so it  
may be somewhat "dynamic" until then (but the "basics" of dates,  
scoring, log submission deadlines, etc. ARE set). Look for the web  
site at: http://www.sysadnet.com/vhfsprintrules.htm

If there is any interest in sponsoring plaques or other prizes for  
participants, those are also welcome. A few such offers have been  
received and we'd like to express our thanks and appreciation to  
these "special" supporters. Look for more info on the web site  
regarding this as well (what has already been sponsored and by whom,  
unless they prefer to remain anonymous). Remember that 2007 IS the  
25th running of the Spring Sprints so that makes this one a little  
bit "more special."

Thank you for your interest and support for continuing the VHF & Up  
Spring Sprints.

73, John & Steve

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For further information, please e-mail:  
springsprintquestions at sysadnet.com -OR- springvhfuhfsprints at gmail.com

On Mar 16, 2007, at 1:51 PM, John D'Ausilio wrote:

> On 3/16/07, David Erickson <erickson+vhf at mentis.org> wrote:
>>
>> So are there going to be Spring sprints this year?  I heard some  
>> talk as
>> to someone picking up the responsibility of running them but nothing
>> official.  If so, when are they this year?
>>
>
> John proposed these dates:
>
> 144 MHz, Monday, April 9th
> 222 MHz, Tuesday, April 17th
> 432 MHz, Wednesday, April 25th
> Microwave, Saturday, May 5th
> 50 MHz, Saturday, May 12th
>
> but I never saw any discussion. I'm probably out of town for all the
> weekday events, but hope to be able to get some time for microwave and
> 6 ..
>
> de w1rt/r john
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