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The NAQCC December 2023 Challenge NAQCC Monthly Challenges are originated and information regarding rules, ideas, or suggestions go to Gary K1YAN. Email him at ![]() Challenge pages are constructed by Steve WB4OMM; if you see typos, please let him know! Email him at ![]() Challenge results and the Challenge App (the online Challenge tracking and reporting application) is administered by Charlie N1AOK. Email him with any questions at charlie.wilber AT gmail.com PLEASE SEND ALL CHALLENGE SUBMISSIONS TO CHARLIE!!! (If you use the online Challenge App, it will automatically send it to him). THE CHALLENGE APPLICATION HAS MOVED! THE NEW LOCATION IS: http://naqcc.wb5rvz.org The FOX HOLE RADIO Challenge ![]() PREMISE: Creature comforts for the WW II GI were few and far between. Entertainment was very limited, so any diversion was welcome. Having a radio to listen to would be a great thing, but parts to make a normal radio were just not available. Someone did, however, come up with a simple receiver that could be made with parts that were possible to get in the field. Known as the foxhole radio, it required a coil, headphones, an antenna wire, a razor blade and a safety pin. Wind your coil with 120 turns or so of wire that could be salvaged from old motors or electronic equipment. Tack a razor blade to a piece of wood. Bend the end of a safety pin where it clips together so that it can be mounted on the board with the sharp end touching the razor blade. This is your detector. Wire the coil, detector and phones in series. Tie the coil / razor blade junction to an antenna and the coil / earphone junction to ground and you are done. You will need to move the pin point around on the razor blade to find a spot that exhibits diode action and fiddle with the coil to find your station of choice. Some would wire a pencil lead to the pin point to help with the diode action. Many of these sets were made and they provided the troops with a temporary escape from the war. TIME FRAME: The first day of the month 0000Z through the last day of the month 2400Z. RULES: Just make these words from calls of stations you work, subject to the General Challenge Rules. WW II GI FOXHOLE RADIO FIELD AVAILABLE PARTS SCRAP WOOD CHASSIS RAZOR BLADE BENT SAFETY PIN 120 TURN COIL The 87 total letters and numbers contain these 28 different letters and numbers: A B C D E F G H I L N O R S T U V W X Y Z 0 1 2 You can use each letter in a call TWICE. For example you could use K3WWP for 2 K's, 4 W's, and 2 P's. Subsequent QSO's with the same station cannot be used for additional letters. For example, no matter how many times you work K3WWP, you can only use his call for 8 of the letters in the words. See General Rule #5 for more details on what callsign letters can be used. If you need some help with your alphabet challenge record keeping take a look at our Alphabet Tutorial page for everything from some great pencil & paper methods to fully computerized tools. AWARDS: A certificate and Participation Point go to everyone making all the words and submitting their report before the deadline. A Participation Point goes to everyone making at least 1, but not all the words and submitting their report before the deadline. YOU MUST COMPLETE AND SUBMIT AT LEAST ONE WORD TO RECEIVE A PARTICIPATION POINT! PRIZES: A choice of an item made by master woodworker Gregg WB8LZG as shown on our prizes page here goes to someone selected via a random drawing from all who participate and submit a report for this month's challenge. A person can only win once, then they become ineligible for future drawings. LOGS: For your report, list the words you made and the station used for each letter in the word. The number of stations listed must be the same as the number of letters in each word, even though you use the same station for more than one letter as in: WORD - K3WWP N2OD WA8REI N2OD NEXT - NF8M W8REI N8XMS K9EYT (Note how N2OD is listed for both the O and D.) You may also include comments about the challenge. Please preface any comments you want posted with "SOAPBOX:" so we will know what you want posted and what is private. Send your results as text in the horizontal format shown above to Charlie N1AOK at: charlie.wilber AT gmail.com (You must type that address into your email program.) Subject must read: (your call) NAQCC (month year) Challenge For example: K3WWP NAQCC January 2022 Challenge All entries must be RECEIVED before the 10th of the following month at 2400Z. Results: All the above get a certificate and participation point. All below get only a participation point. Not eligible for a certificate or participation point for the following reason(s): @ = Non-member $ = QRO power Soapbox: |