Inside the NCCC Sprint Grid (Week 15)

This week K7SS, a member of the Western Washington DX Club (WWDXC), scored 2178 and the top honor on the leader board. Record sprint scores remain solid without any change since week eight. An ionospheric battle emerged within the 1700 range as four operators posted between 1710 and 1770. N9CK, a member of the Society of Midwest Contesters (SMC), wins second with 1770 to his credit. N3BB, a member of the Central Texas DX and Contest Club (CTDXCC), scored 1736 taking third. It is BB's third consecutive week on the leader board.

The competition of photon powered sprinters continues in the East of Mississippi Division. First place finish goes to N9CK (SMC) while N4AF of the Potomac Valley Radio Club (PVRC) finished second by a narrow margin. AF scored 1710 just 60 photon powered points behind CK's 1770. Third goes to N4OGW, the -Q maker, who scored 1624. K4BAI, a member of the South East Contest Club (SECC) was not far behind the -Q maker. BAI scored 1581 and it is turning into a classic battle between him and OGW. Meanwhile, K0XP maintained his string of consecutive practices, a perfect fifteen.

The flag flies high for the WWDXC as K7SS keyed his way to first place against stiff competition from the CTDXCC crew in the West of the Mississippi Division. N3BB and W5JAW, both members of CTDXCC, sparred in the super heated, muggy gym of Texas. BB's photon powered sprint shoes and perhaps one well-placed multiplier, and -Q out distanced JAW in a classic week 15 match-up. JAW scored 1725 just 11 points behind BB. Meanwhile, W0BH the sprint operator in Kansas, continued his perfect string of practices. The CTDXCC crew continued a sprint tradition of tough keying as K5NZ and KZ5D a member of the Cajun Contest Club fought one in the 1200 point range. NZ'd keyed a 1224 as KZ5D posted 1200. Welcome back to K5OT another member of CTDXCC.

CQ Hall of Famer and member of the Northern California Contest Club (NCCC), N6RO, scored 1485 and a first place finish in the NCCC CA/NV division. K6VVA sponsor of the NS Sprint 3000 point 'X' prize blazed into second while W0YK posted third within the division. K6UFO keyed a 777 jack pot finish and K6TD goes four-in-a-row. Welcome back goes out to N6ZFO as well. VVA goes 15-perfect practices thus far.

The Standings:

Record Sprint Scores
1. W9RE, East, 2574 7th consecutive week
2. K7SS, West, 2409 4th consecutive week
3. W9RE, East, 2301 5th consecutive week

Grid Series Leader's Week 15
1. K7SS, West, 2178
2. N9CK, East, 1770
3. N3BB, West, 1736

East of the Mississippi Division
1. N9CK, 1770, 13 of 15
2. N4AF, 1710, 12 of 15
3. N4OGW, 1624, 13 of 15

West of the Mississippi Division
1. K7SS, 2178, 8 of 15
2. N3BB, 1736, 7 of 15
3. W5JAW, 1725, 7 of 15

NCCC CA/NV Division
1. N6RO, 1485, 14 of 15
2. K6VVA, 1190, 15 of 15
3. W0YK, 1056, 11 of 15

Keep in mind, the fastest 30-minutes in radiosport where all code speeds are welcomed. The fun of Thursday Night Madness continues illuminating stadium Earth as fans and NS groupies stand and cheer. Come out before the end of the season with your photon powered sprint shoes and join the competition on the ionospheric track. It only takes 100-watts or less. Until then, GO NS!

73 from the shack.

Reference:
Northern California Contest Club (n.d.). NS Results Retrieved on July 7, 2007 from http://www.ncccsprint.com/results.htm.

NCCC Thursday Night Madness 15 of 15

Darth Zero strikes back but the fight ain't over. Typically, I begin preparing for the Northern California Contest Club (NCCC) NS Sprint a few hours before the official 0230Z start. For example, check propagation numbers, set-up the random wire, and fire up AE6Y's CQWIN105 contest software. I listen to band conditions as well. The last step in the process is operating.

This particular evening my signal creaked below the noise floor on 20, 40, and 80-meters. Certainly, participation counts but scoring -Qs and multipliers is fundamental to radiosport. My second bout with Darth Zero signaled necessary change. Luke Skywalker did not defeat the Empire without practice and the necessary tools to do so. Neither did Sir Edmund Hillary climb Mt. Everest without a team of highly skilled and dedicated climbers. Remember Yoda asking Obi Won Kenobi if Luke would finish his training in the Empire Strikes Back? Luke mentioned he felt like taking on the entire Empire such is youth!

I'm meeting amazing, compassionate, and caring amateur radio operators. They are, at least from my perspective, Jedi Knights. There is much going on in our world. The list is endless and the conversation extensive but amidst this sea of chaos there exists goodness. The heart and soul of our hobby is alive and well. Our heart and soul are thousands of Elmer's reaching out and giving entry-level operators a hand-up. Their experience and knowledge is priceless.

It took a well timed knock for me to recognize the limits of my amateur radio knowledge and ask for help. Then the Jedi Knights or Elmer's of our hobby reached out with a smile and a wink saying, "Hey kid, we were here the whole time."

My battle across the ionosphere with Darth Zero is one aspect of our hobby as a life coach. One will meet amazing individuals along the way as well. I'm happy to report that the heart and soul of our hobby is alive and well. Stay tuned as the project unfolds and we move forward toward the Cycle 24 propagation summit.

73 from the shack.

NS Sprint Newcomer's Division (Week 14)

Hank Aaron said, "My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging."

K9BGL a member of the Society of Midwest Contesters (SMC) maintained first position for the second week in a row. BGL scored 814 while W7OM moved into second posting 792 on the division leader board. W1UE posted 756 for third and K0XP makes a first-ever appearance scoring 702 for a fourth place finish. A member of the Central Texas DX and Contest Club (CTDXCC), N9NB, rounded off the top five scoring 392.

The Standings:

Newcomer's Division Leader's Week 14
1. K9BGL, SMC, 814
2. W7OM, 792
3. W1UE, 756
4. K0XP, 702
5. N9NB, CTDXCC, 392

Newcomer Sprint Records
1. N6TV, NCCC, 1682 3rd consecutive week
2. K9BGL, SMC, 1568 3rd consecutive week
3. K5NZ, CTDXCC, 1560 3rd consective week

Will K9BGL three-peat in week 14? They keep keying away each Thursday evening in the fastest 30-minutes in radiosport. Will a sprint record fall as well? Remember, the NS Sprint runs at the speed of photon powered sprint shoes where one can operate 100-watts or less and, all code speeds welcomed!

The Northern California Contest Club's NS Sprint puts the fun in high frequency operating. Until this Thursday, GO NS!

73 from the shack.

Reference:
Northern California Contest Club (n.d.) NS Results Retrieved on July 2, 2007 from http://www.ncccsprint.com/results.htm.

Sports Quotes (n.d.) Retrieved on July 2, 2007 from http://www.indianchild.com/sports_quotes_quotations.htm.

Off the Random Wire (Week 8)

Propagation numbers looking better this weekend; Solar Flux Indice (74), A-index (4) and, K-index (1). Slowly, ever so slowly. This is my first bottom-of-the-cycle operation and it pushes my patience envelope. However, waiting for the peak operating experience is well worth the time and effort in the chair. It allows me time to learn, experiment, and hone my operating skills.

My operating perspective is much like the effort and skill involved in climbing. The bottom-of-the-cycle represents KA3DRR's base camp. It is a place where one prepares for the goal -- the propagation summit. Preparation includes but is not limited to improving my random wire antenna, refining Morse code skills, learning propagation and electronic theory, and advancing my operating privileges.

I lead a route named Desperado this morning at our local climbing area. The route is classified 5.8 which is moderate with a run out of 20-plus feet between bolt #3 and bolt #4. It took many hours of practice before this type of climbing experience. Admittedly, between bolt #3 and #4, I check my level of confidence before pressing upward toward the goal.

Perhaps the same holds true when operating high frequency (HF) as an example. I like the bumper sticker that says, "Practice breeds confidence." I struggled the first time on Desperado. My hands searched for invisible holds. My feet peeled off the rock. I fell more times than twelve. Conversely, my code speed needs improvement, KA3DRR's signal can be improved, my knowledge of electronic theory is limited as well as applying that knowledge.

I thought to myself, "This is hard work."

This weekend our G4 star gave KA3DRR a glimpse of what is to follow on the propagation summit route. I met an operator in California on 40-meters Friday evening. The wonder of database driven logs! It alerted me to our previous QSO. The 6-land operator since our last rag chew improved his antenna. He is now using a dipole at 45-feet.

The sweet Morse code sound of an HL2 on 30-meters filled my headphones. Excited? Yes! This is Morse code from South Korea compliments of Earth's ionosphere. I called. Then called again. Perhaps the station heard my KA3DRR creak just below the noise floor. It was 50-percent success. I listened to an LU5 in Argentina working Europeans on 20-meters Saturday afternoon. The Canada Day Contest fired up as well. I worked a 4-land station operating out of Alabama before switching KA3DRR off the air.

Team is important as well. Support and encouragement strengthens one's resolve. I'm grateful to those operators who say, "You can." In most cases, it takes a team to climb a mountain, and in this case climbing to the propagation summit takes a team. The work is difficult but the reward is worth the effort. It is much like that magic moment on the summit when all the world opens. There will exist many magic moments toward the propagation summit. It is an essential experience not to be missed.

73 from the shack.