The Sprint Survival Web Page
"The Sprint - the most fun you can have in 4 hours with your clothes on." - N6TR
This page was put together by some of the sprint veterans as an introduction to this very unique contest. The information here will make it easy for you to enjoy your initial sprint experience at whatever operating level you are comfortable with. We will also provide tips which will result in improving your score over time.
If you have ever heard a big gun like K1AR running Europeans during a DX contest - you have probably wished you had his frequency. Imagine what would happen if you called John, and after the QSO, John would hand you the frequency. In the Sprint, this can happen. In fact, it happens thousands of times in four hours. Not only would John hand you the frequency (without you even asking), he will be glad you called him. This unique feature helps put the operator back into the equation. You can't win a sprint just by pressing the F1 key.
The Sprints are held in February and September. For exact dates and full rules - check out the NCJ web page by clicking on the NCJ logo at the top of this page or one of the specific links as shown. The CW Sprint is typically on the second Saturday of February, and the Saturday after Labour Day in September. The Phone Sprint is typically the first Saturday in February and the Saturday after the CW Sprint in September. These dates are "local" time in North America.
Sprint Rules - from the NCJ Web Site.
Official NCJ Contest Web Page - includes records and e-mail addresses of the editors.
The sprints are held on 20, 40 and 80 meters. The contest starts at 00Z and runs for 4 hours. Most stations start on 20, but in recent sprints, some of the mid-west and east coast stations spend the first fifteen or twenty minutes on 40 meters, and then QSY up to 20 meters. This is done to allow them to work each other before the skip gets too long later in the contest. The only risk to this is that their 20 meter QSO total might suffer. By 0130Z, most of the activity has moved to 40 meters, but you will still find some activity on 20 as late as 0230. It is sometimes a good strategy to QSY back to 20 for a few minutes around 0200 to pick up some potential multipliers. Most stations spend the last hour on 80 meters.
The frequencies typically used on CW are 14025-14060, 7025-7060 and 3525-3560. The top ten kHz is where the slower stations tend to hang out (above the fray). If you are not comfortable at the blazing speeds many of the sprint operatiors use on CW, your best bet is to go to the top ten kHz and call CQ at a comfortable speed. The good sprint operators will call you at your speed. On SSB, the typical frequencies are 14235-14300, 7190-7250 and 3800-3850.
The Exchange
The exchange is both calls (more about this later), a QSO number, your name and your QTH (state/province/DXCC country). If this was the end of the rules - we would have just another average contest.
The one rule that makes the sprint a whole new experience is the QSY rule. The QSY rule has two parts:
Initiating a QSO can be done by any of the following means:
This sounds a lot more complicated than it is. Essentially, think of it this way - if you "own" the frequency, after making a QSO, the person you worked now owns the frequency and you have to go find a new one. You can either move 1 KHz and answer someone and then inherit their frequency - or move 5 KHz and call CQ yourself.
This is obviously a lot different than just CQing away on one frequency. I like to think of it is as rewarding the act of searching and pouncing. If you find someone CQing and call them - you get rewarded by working them - and then having your own frequency for another QSO. Many times, people will call you before you even have a chance to CQ. Sprint champions have figured out that getting two QSOs per frequency is much better than one - and are eager to find stations they can call as they are finishing up a QSO.
To help illustrate how this all works, we have some WAV files that will step you through the process. First, we will do it on phone - and then on CW.
SSB Sprint QSO Example
The first WAV file shows a complete QSO on SSB in the sprint. You will hear the following:
Now - the Sprint QSY rule comes into play. Since K7RAT "owned" the frequency before the QSO with N6TR - he must now QSY to another frequency and N6TR "owns" the frequency. N6TR can now call CQ on this frequency.
Hear K7RAT QSL the QSO and then N6TR calling CQ
Note that N6TR paused between the time he heard K7RAT say "QSL" and when he started calling CQ. Often, someone else will be listening in on the QSO, and as soon as K7RAT acknowledges the QSO - they will jump in with their callsign to work N6TR without him even having to call a CQ. We will see this demonstrated in the CW example.
As soon as someone answers N6TR - N6TR will have to QSY and the new station will get the frequency.
If K7RAT hung around to work this third person without first working someone else - he has violated the QSY rule. He must QSY at least 1 kHz before he can call anyone. He must QSY 5 kHz before if he wants to CQ again. Another violation would occur if K7RAT indicated anything to help initiate a new QSO before leaving the frequency. For example, if he said "N6TR QSL - I am going up 5 kHz" or even "I'll be back in a minute", he is breaking the QSY rule. Any comments like that are the same as calling CQ - and this can't be done until he has QSYed at least 5 kHz.
CW Sprint QSO Example
Fasten your seat belts and listen to two consecutive CW QSOs in the sprint. These are actual off the air QSOs. After you have listened to it once, we will break it down into pieces and explain what is going on. This is a big file - so it will take a minute or two to download. The rest of the files are much shorter.
Click here to listen to two CW sprint QSOs
Okay - hopefully that didn't blow you away too badly. Keep in mind that you can approach the sprint at a CW speed you are comfortable with by simply calling CQ at that speed.
Okay - let's listen to this all again - but a small part each time.
The first thing that happened, is that N6TR is tuning around the band and hears W4PA sending an exchange. He hears "4GA 60 SCOTT TN W4PA". Note how both calls are sent in the exchange. The first call is AA4GA, but we don't hear the first two letters.
Click here to hear W4PA sending his exchange
It is interesting to note that W4PA sent his call at the end of the exchange, not near the front. This is an indication that W4PA is about to "own" the frequency. If he had put his call in the front part of the exchange (i.e., after AA4GA), that would indicate that the other station has to send their exchange next and W4PA isn't interested in having someone call him at that point.
The fact that W4PA sends his call at the end of the exchange tips N6TR off that he can work W4PA in just a few seconds if he wants. The sequence of events is W4PA finishing his exchange, AA4GA acknowledging the exchange (by sending "TU") and then N6TR dumping in his call to work W4PA.
Click here to hear all of this take place in 4.58 seconds!
W4PA will now send his exchange to N6TR. This time he will put his call up near the front of the exchange.
Click here to hear W4PA sending his exchange to N6TR
Click here to hear N6TR sending his exchange to W4PA
Note that N6TR has the serial number sent a little slower than the rest of the exchange. This is done on purpose to help make the number easier to copy. Also, N6TR sends his call at the end of the exchange.
When N6TR is done, W4PA will QSL the QSO. N6TR will wait a half second to see if anyone is going to call. Remember on SSB - nobody did, and he called CQ.
Listen to N6TR finish his exchange, W4PA QSLing the QSO with a DAH, and then K5TR sending his call.
Listen to N6TR sending his exchange to K5TR
and finally
Listen to K5TR sending his exchange to N6TR
This whole process - including the last half of the QSO with AA4GA at the start took a total of only 40 seconds.
Listen one more time to the whole thing (it won't take any time to download since it is in your cache now).
Remember, if you are more comfortable operating at 15, 20 or 25 WPM, the best thing to do is call CQ at the speed you want to send at. The good operators will QRS to your speed and call you. A good place to do this is above the main activity on 14050-14060, 7050-7060 and 3550-3560. This is where sprint operators look for the slower stations. You will typically find less QRM on these frequencies as well.
If you are interested in knowing more - here are some other places to check out.
How
to finish a QSO in the CW Sprint - N6TR
CW Sprinting - Beginners Guide
- W4AN
Some Sprint CW Practice- K5TR
Two Radios in The Sprint (a TR Log perspective) - N6TR
We hope this introduction will make your sprint experience more enjoyable. If you have specific questions or ideas on how to improve this introduction, please send e-mail to n6tr@contesting.com and we will get right back to you.