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December 14, 2005 80M Straight Key/Bug Sprint Final Official Results: Call QSOs Mbrs Pts Mul Sco Bonus Final Awd Antenna @ height *K4BAI 33 25 58 19 1102 x2 2204 1 1/2w inv v & cf zepp @ 40' *NU4B 26 21 47 15 705 x2 1410 2 Carolina Windom @ 30' *K4UK 28 22 50 19 950 950 160m dipole @ ??' KA8MPT 18 12 30 11 330 x2 660 ?? @ ??' K9JWI 23 17 40 15 600 600 110' inv vee @ 35' *WA8REI 14 11 25 11 275 x2 550 80m sloper dpl @ 22-35' *K9VKY 15 12 27 10 270 x2 540 # 80m cf zepp @ 30' W5QLF 11 10 21 10 210 x2 420 135' inv "L" @ 30' N4FI 11 11 22 8 176 x2 352 110' random wire @ 20' *K2EKM 11 11 22 7 154 x2 308 88' doublet @ 20' *K3WWP 10 8 18 8 144 x2 288 110' attic random wire *KA2KGP 8 8 16 7 112 x2 224 80M dipole @ ??' *AG8A 8 7 15 7 105 x2 210 160-10 WINDOM @ 35' W2SH 7 7 14 7 98 x2 196 88' cf vert wire K4KO 13 11 24 8 192 192 80M Dbl Bazooka @ 62' *K4CZ 10 10 20 9 180 180 130' dblt @ 35' KF0XV 6 6 12 6 72 x2 144 40 Mtr Dipole @ 32' *KB3MQT 7 6 13 5 65 x2 130 110' attic random wire *AI4JW 7 7 14 6 84 x1.5 126 inv vee @ 30' K4NVJ 6 6 12 5 60 x2 120 88' dipole @ 35' *KD2MX 5 5 10 5 50 x2 100 ~350' rnd wire @ 20-30' *W2JEK 5 5 10 5 50 x2 100 ef hertz @ ??' *VA3RKM 5 5 10 4 40 x2 80 1/4w 160m wire @ 14' W9CC 5 3 8 4 32 x2 64 80M inv vee @ ??' KI4CKT 4 4 8 4 32 x2 64 mult-band dpl @ 25' KB3LFC 4 4 8 2 16 x2 32 250' random wire @ 15' *NU7T 2 2 4 2 8 x2 16 150' inv L @ 40' W2LJ 1 1 2 1 2 x2 4 G5RV @ 30' KD0AR 1 1 2 1 2 x2 4 80m dipole @ ??' WU7R 1 1 2 1 2 2 hbw windom @ 25' Check log from K3WWP and KB3MQT combo minus dupes: WWP/MQT 13 11 24 9 216 x2 432 110' attic random wire # - Top score from a previous non-winner * - Special Award (Most Letters/Numbers from QSO's) entrants: K3WWP (25), KB3MQT (16), K9VKY (28), KA2KGP (17), KD2MX (16), K4UK (33) WA8REI (24), AI4JW (15), VA3RKM (10), NU7T (6), AG8A (18), NU4B (31) K2EKM (22), K4CZ (20), K4BAI (33), W2JEK (12) Special Award (Most Letters/Numbers from QSO's) winner(s): K4BAI & K4UK - 33SOAPBOX: K3WWP - Wow, just when you think things can't get any worse, they do. Not only did I have my usual S9 to 10 over noise level here, but propagation seemed to be in a long skip stage and my antenna is better for shorter skip, and unless I just wasn't hearing the weaker stations at all, activity seemed to be very low. I decided to split my time between using my call and the club call to give out some 5 point club call QSO's for our Worked Members Award. My apologies to KB3KYZ (I just couldn't pull your exchange through the noise) and to the few (several?) other stations that I just couldn't copy at all. I think maybe in January I'll record my session and put up some .mp3 files on the web site to give you an idea of how hard it is for me to pull signals through my noise here. I really feel bad when I can't copy (or even hear) someone. Anyway I stuck it out for the full 2 hours even though it was frustrating most of the time. It was still a joy to work those of you that I could. I appreciate your dedication in participating in our sprints under adverse conditions. Fascinating, Captain Kirk. After looking at the results, it appears that those of us in a strip from eastern OH through NJ up into NY and ON and partway down into VA were in some kind of a propagation black hole. All results from that area (so far) are very poor and soapbox comments mention the lousy conditions. However, in parts of VA and the rest of the country, scores were high and comments mention the good conditions. I wonder if some propagation experts can explain that. W2LJ - I got home from meeting late and was only able to work the last hour of the sprint. Band conditions were simply awful last night! At first, I thought I had the wrong night; as I didn't hear anyone calling "CQ NA". Then I started calling "CQ NA" and my only QSO was with Charles W2SH. So if anyone was discouraged by their perfomances last night - don't be! And if you're thinking of not submitting a log due to very few QSOs - do it anyway! You might place higher than you think! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all on behalf of Tom, John and myself; and here's to better propagation in 2006! KA2KGP - Yes, conditions were poor at best. Signals mostly in the noise mud-line and difficult yo copy. The next mid-January sprint conditions should be better. Rig: Ten-Tec Argosy, antenna 80 m. dipole. Merry Christmas & Happy 2006 to all NAQCC members. N4FI - The noise level here was down to S5-S7 for a change. QSB was heavy, so all I had to do was wait for the weak signals to come up. Good to hear some of the newer members in there. W9CC - I have two small windows in our frequency segment that are not full of noise. At 3560 it sounds like a giant pulsed generator - both last month and this time, and that is with a noise blanker and very narrow filter. I'm always surprised to work anyone. I guess that is what makes it fun. (I have a bad noise on top of all my other noise at about 3562 that I think comes from my main computer monitor in another room. I shut it off this time and that noise was gone. Just a thought Larry. - K3WWP) KD2MX - My first contest as a member. High noise level here (S7-S8) during the sprint with most signals down in the noise. Heard snippets of other stations but not much strong/long enough to work. KA8MPT had the only consistently big signal here but he didn't hear me as strong as I heard him. I had to pack up at 10pm but I don't think I missed much. I was feeling a bit discouraged, especially after an exciting weekend working the 10-meter contest qrp. Then I read the soapbox comments to date and saw my experience of the evening wasn't unique. I empathize with K3WWP's noisy evening. I'm looking forward to future events. K4UK - Missed the first 30 minutes, busy with computer. Copied KB3MQT this time. I'm sure the number that NU4B gave out is wrong, but he repeated it a couple times. (He's # 532 so you just had that extra 6 at the end from somewhere - K3WWP) Maybe it was a Foxhunt exchange. He gave me 4W in the November sprint. So probably my score should be 49 x 19 = 931. Band in pretty good shape again this time. FISTS members are quite active in these NAQCC Sprints. KI4CKT - Enjoyed the contest. WA8REI - S9 noise and very weak signals from most stations. Great to hear some activity and fb brass pounding, though. It would have been better if this contest did not coincide with an 80 meter fox hunt. (Yes, it's too bad they scheduled their hunt the same night as our regular sprint schedule of a second Tuesday in even-numbered months. However I don't think that hurt our sprint very much, if at all. Todd was very co-operative in working with us when we informed him of the conflict.) No doubt some NAQCC members were chasing foxes, not working this contest. It was fun collecting the letters/numbers, but with my runt-pig score, I'll likely not win a pigtificate. Hi hi. Can you tell i'm also a flyin' piggy? Fun is the name of the game! Tnx to all the FB officers and members who make up the NAQCC. AI4JW - This was my first sprint. First, my apologies to the folks who endured my rotten Bug fist, I'm spoiled by the paddles. Second, I had fun and I'm looking forward to the next one! K9JWI - Conditions not as good as November. Many signals weak (NU4B and K4UK exceptions). Still an enjoyable event. VA3RKM - When I saw the clear sky and our -19C temperature I thought condx would be great. I was wrong. S8 noise level and skip. Used the 160m wire because it was quieter than the 80m dipole. First time I did not hear K3WWP. NU7T - How about special catagory for fewest letters and numbers from call signs of Sprint QSOs? I had 4 letters and 2 numbers. hi hi Thank you to all who called me unsuccessfully. I had difficulties hearing through the S-9 to 10 over QRN. Please keep trying. We are QRPrs. AG8A - Even if conditions were not great still had a good time. NU4B - Found source of S9 static from last month - turned out to be halogen bulb on other side of wall. After I turned that off much quieter on the band. This month I had loud static crashes but still alot quieter without the halogen lamp. very enjoyable - wish I could work out west. Thanks to all for the QSO's. K2EKM - Talk about weird conditions!!! Initially used my newly built SW80+ again (tweaked to a whopping 3w!) but after a number of minutes with only one response, realized that would make it a really long night, so switched to my Argonaut V at a full qrp gallon (5w). Well, it was still a long night... most strong signals I heard were from the midwest, with closer in signals fading in and out. Seemed that the midwestern stations were working people at a regular clip, but I couldn't hear but a handful. Seemed like the skip was one-way too, as some of the strong stations couldn't hear me. Sorta gave up shortly after 10pm, but went back for the last 5 minutes, and managed to snag one more (W9CC) - from the midwest (Indiana) of course! K4CZ - Conditions were good here in NC. I could hear many signals, although none beyond the southeast, northeast and midwest. Some QSB and noise but both were at manageable levels. Biggest issue was that I had to run an errand so missed about 50 minutes of the sprint. Plan to dust off my straight key for SKN so may also use it for the January sprint...sure could use those bonus points! W2SH - Entertaining house guests visiting from overseas greatly punctuated my operating time. A continuous S8 noise level from yet-to-be-determined sources didn't help. I wasn't going to send in this meager result, but now realize that being an active participant rather than just passing out a few Qs does more to support the wonderful role of NAQCC. During 2006 I hope to hear (and work) more active participants drawn from the Club's already impressive membership list. K4NVJ - I worked all I heard during the 45 minutes I was active. WU7R - Conditions horrible in MT. This was the only station I could copy the entire time. Maybe next time it will be better. RULES: Date and time: Wednesday, December 14, 0130-0330 UTC (Newcomers - remember that's Tuesday evening here in the USA) Bands Used This Month: 80 meters only Special Award: The Special Award this month goes to the one who works the most different letters and numbers (maximum 36) taken from the callsigns of stations you work in the sprint. Entry Deadline: All entries must be postmarked or email dated before 2400Z on Dec 20, 2005. Other Rules: For rules that are common to all of our sprints, check General Sprint Rules |