SKCC Week End Sprint

Last month I missed the Straight Key Century Club's Week End Sprint for some reason.  This weekend I made it a point to power up the station and get some contacts in the log.  What I really enjoy is the laid back and casual style of this CW sprint.  There are slow straight key brass pounders and speedy semi-automatic bug operators so it is easy to find contacts whatever your skill level.  Since I have the NT9K straight key (pictured above) and a Vibroplex bug both connected I will jump back and forth and use which ever key I hear the other op using.  In my opinion there is no sweeter music than that of a well executed bug to bug exchange.

I did no CQ calling or runs this time around but just wandered about handing out my number and saying hello to other club members around the country.  I even found my friend Bill, KB2RAW transmitting CQs up on 15 meters (21 MHz).  His signals were booming in loud and clear from New York State.  Increased solar radiation from the sun has the ionosphere charged up allowing for propagation on the higher frequencies.   A savvy contester knows to take advantage and check all the bands for activity.

June 12, 2011 SKCC Week End Sprint Log 

A.R.S. KD8JHJ

14.053    N4SR    Tennessee

7.108    WI0S    Minnesota

7.114    K4NP    Tennessee

7.115    NW2K    New York

7.055    WA3SLN    Pennsylvania

7.054    W4FOA    Georgia

7.050    WD9DWE    Indiana

7.049    KA2FIR    New Jersey

7.052    W1LVT    Vermont

7.052    W3NP    West Virginia

7.054    KJ4LEN    Florida

14.055  KD2JC    New Jersey

14.050    W5ZR    Louisiana

14.054    W7GVE    Arizona

14.057    N3MVX    Pennsylvania

21.053  KB2RAW    New York

14.054    WD0ECO    Missouri

7.052    K2NPN  New York

7.056    N4SR    Tennessee *

7.050    W5ZR    Louisiana *

7.054    K2OGT    New York

7.059    W1WIU    Rhode Island

7.052    KG4W    Virginia

7.112    WA0BGV    Missouri

* Denotes 2nd band contact.  During the sprint if the same station is contacted on another band that contact may be counted as an additional QSO (radio contact).  Contacting a station for the second time on the same band is known as a "dupe" or duplicate.  This QSO cannot be counted in scoring.