{"id":595,"date":"2021-09-24T20:02:44","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T20:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nf8m.com\/nf8m\/?p=595"},"modified":"2021-09-24T20:03:59","modified_gmt":"2021-09-24T20:03:59","slug":"the-north-american-cw-sprint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nf8m.com\/nf8m\/the-north-american-cw-sprint\/","title":{"rendered":"The North American CW Sprint"},"content":{"rendered":"

The North American Sprint<\/a> is a unique contest with unique rules.<\/a> Sponsored by the ARRL National Contest Journal, a four-hour CW contest takes place twice a year, the second Saturday evenings in February and September. In addition, there’s a half-hour mini-sprint<\/a> each Thursday evening at 0230z that’s sponsored by the Northern California Contest Club. (There are also RTTY versions of the sprints, and the rules are similar, but this article just covers the CW sprints.) The “Sprint QSY rule” requires that once you call CQ and work a station, you must relinquish the frequency and move at least 1 kHz before calling CQ or working another station. This means there is no “running” – a single station can’t sit on one frequency and work stations one after another as in almost every other contest. The required exchange is: both callsigns, a serial number, your first name and your state. By convention, though, there is a unique order to these elements, making it apparent as to who is the CQer and who is answering.<\/p>\n

The sequence is as follows:<\/p>\n

Station A calls CQ:<\/p>\n

CQ W8AA<\/p>\n

Station B replies:<\/p>\n

N8BB<\/p>\n

Station A replies:<\/p>\n

N8BB W8AA <number> <name> <state><\/p>\n

Station B replies:<\/p>\n

W8AA <number> <name> <state> N8BB<\/p>\n

Note that the replying station – the station that will now “inherit” the frequency – sends his call at the end of his exchange. This makes it more apparent to those tuning around as to who is about to get the frequency and if you’re quick you can call them without waiting for them to send a CQ.<\/p>\n

I have set up my N1MM Logger+ function keys to handle these intricacies. N1MM provides separate modes and macro sets for Search & Pounce and Run modes. Effectively, when you reply to the other station’s CQ, you’re in S&P mode, but when you complete the QSO and inherit the frequency, you’re in Run mode. So, my function keys are set up as follows:<\/p>\n