Got an e-mail asking for add’l ops from RI (& beyond!) in this weekend’s NA SSB Sprint – a 4-hour contest on 20/40/80m bands only, starting this Sat. eve at 7pm local, going ’til 11pm. A new enthusiastic group of contesters has taken over sponsorship of this event from NCJ with full details at www.ssbsprint.com including a place to post your expected activity and lots of available participation prizes. They hope to have ops from all 50 states on-air. I plan at least part-time activity from here. Anyone else able to provide the RI mult??
Sprints, billed as the fastest 4 hours in radiosport [assuming enough activity!], are quite fun but have a **unique** QSY rule preventing ops from ‘running’ on a particular frequency. Takes just a bit of time to learn the rhythym — see the website for details including a ‘tips and advice’ link. But essentially, you must QSY a minimum of 5 kHz after having called CQ *and* completing a QSO before CQing again; or QSY a minimum of 1 kHz before answering another CQer ( the so-called 5/1 rule). Upon inheriting a frequency after answering another CQer, you may remain there to call CQ yourself until completing 1 QSO — then you must QSY again!
Good luck and 73, Bill W1WBB
Incredible (ie. historic) turnout for the *New* SSB Sprint…the fastest 4 hours in radiosport indeed!! The newly formed group sponsoring the contest put forth an amazing (unprecedented?) campaign promoting the event via CQ-Contest reflector, targeted emails, a great new website and other electronic means — all in the last couple of weeks!! The contest community responded with outstanding participation, incl. all 50 states, DC and most VE provinces. Very fun to be a part of.
I decided to run LP (vice QRP in my many recent contest efforts) as I was the only listed active RI ‘Sprinter’. Made 132 Q’s/46 mults in the 7-11pm Sat eve 4-hr long contest, where ‘running’ a frequency is prohibited by the rules. Lots of rapid QSY – no other event like it! W2DAN op. Dave from Tiverton RI (with a FB HF station) was a last minute addition and we were neck-and-neck by QSO count at the end — and gave me the needed RI mult.
CW portion is 8 Feb — really requires your CW messages for Run/S&P be in place. Next SSB Sprint in the Fall. It’s worth checking out!
Bill W1WBB