Operating NS
Basically, NS is like the NCJ NA CW Sprint. In addition, the multipliers are counted on each band, so the band-multiplier strategy of NAQP comes into play. The other rule modifications don't effect an operating strategy as much: dupes count, 100 watt maximum power, 160 meters as a fourth band, and the 5kHz QSY rule relaxed to 1kHz.
Beginner Strategy
Because of the QSY rule, no more than two stations can be worked on given frequency before tuning at least 1KHz away. This can be confusing and disconcerting for the new contester, or a contester new to sprint contests. In addition, the order of the exchange elements is recommended to be different depending upon which of the two QSOs is being worked on the frequency. This adds further confusion and often frustration for the newcomer.
However, once a QSO is established on a frequency, it is likely that a series of QSOs to continue on that frequency, with different stations only there for 1-2 of those QSOs. Therefore, a newcomer can listen on the frequency, copy the QSOs and get into the rhythm of the exchanges before jumping in. There is no need to frantically tune around the band as stations are jumping from one frequency to another.
Marc, W6ZZZ (sk), offered the following suggestion assuming you can switch bands quickly (160m/80m/40m/20m) without a lot of fiddling around and retuning:
- Pick your "best" band, the one where you feel "strongest" be it 20m or 40m. Assume it is 40m for the following discussion.
- Sweep 40m from about 030 to 050 and make all the contacts you can (at whatever speed you can do this). Go for accuracy and ask for fills if you need it. Also if you do a S&P QSO and then call CQ about 3 times with no answer start S&P again.
- Sweep 20m.
- Sweep 40m.
- Sweep 80m.
- Sweep 40m.
- Sweep 160m (1805-1820kHz).
- Go back to step 2 if you still have time left.
Ken, N6RO, said: "Strategy in this version of NS is the hardest yet!" and "Multiplier strategy is now the name of this game."
Intermediate Strategy
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Advanced Strategy - SO2R
N3BB:
It's an interesting transition from one radio to two radios. The Sprint format offers both the highest reward for SO2R compared with SO1R but also requires the most difficulty in making that transition. There are some outstanding SO2R operators in the NS family, including N6RO, N4OGW, N4AF, W9RE and others. My own experience with the transition may be summarized as follows:
1. Your score will go down at first compared with one radio. There will be a period of wacky QLFing and it will be embarrassing to transmit the wrong stuff at the wrong time. Stick with it and you will recover and eventually exceed the one radio scores.
2. There are two primary ways SO2R will help in the sprint format. Note, the sprint format. In a regular contest, you simply run on one band with the highest CQ rates, and S&P on the next most productive band for contacts and/or multipliers. In a sprint format such as the NS, there is no "running," so the plan is completely different. Use SO2R for these two purposes:
A. When you are completing a "couplet," and will be leaving a frequency, you can start a CQ on another band at the same time you are receiving the exchange information from the station who will be remaining on the frequency. After you send your info to him and he starts to send his info to you, you initiate your "inactive radio" CQ. Program this "inactive radio CQ" to be the same length as the exchange you are receiving. Of course this is an inexact science, but with some experimentation and practice, you will come up with a practical length. In my case, this CQ is "CQ NS NS N3BB N3BB" The intent is when you receive the exchange, ending with the station's call (since he is staying on frequency), you can send your QSL (this is important, you must send a QSL. In my case, I like "TU" as my QSL as it's a bit easier to copy than a single dit or a single "R") and immediately you will have someone calling you on the other band. In this case, you turn the couplet into a triplet.
By the way, once you get this triplet, it's possible to continue to extend the "inactive radio" CQing and this results in ping ponging back and forth between two bands until finally you don't get a caller. I've actually had this continue for five or six continuous QSOs on occasion. When you are doing this, it's important to listen on the inactive band and be sure you are CQing on a clear frequency. I realize a "clear frequency" might not actually be clear as it might involve a station you can't hear because someone is skipping over you, but in general it works.
The late W4AN told me that in the NA Sprint when he first broke the magic 400 QSO mark, he didn't answer a single person (to start a couplet) the first hour. He ping ponged back and forth between 40 and 20 meters doing "inactive radio" CQing and continuing to go back and forth. I'm not sure I believe him literally but I do believe the overall concept.
B. The second key function of SO2R is using the "inactive radio" CQing as a "space filler" while you are looking for someone to call to start a couplet. It's a free CQ on the inactive band. If no one answers you, there is nothing lost since you are tuning on the "active band" looking for someone (who is not a dupe) to call. You don't even listen to the "inactive radio" CQ until it ends to see if someone calls you. Otherwise just keep sending those free CQs on the "inactive band" while you are tuning for someone to call on the active band. Another advantage of these "inactive radio" CQs is that you will pick up some additional multipliers as well as QSOs from semi-active stations in the NS or Sprint as they will answer you. W4AN used to say "In the ideal case, you should be transmitting one hundred percent of the time to maximize your contacts and scores in a contest." This will increase the more time you have a signal on the air and this will increase your score.
Like any type of strategy, there are details which make it more effective and these come with practice. Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" states it takes ten thousand hours to become expert in anything. I believe this, whether it's skiing downhill or playing golf or tennis or competing at a high level in the NS or the Sprint!
N4OGW:
I think it took me one full summer NS season to become comfortable with sprint SO2R. Before that I could do simple SO2R in NAQP, SS, ... Sprint is a substantially different technique, but once you learn it, SO2R in "regular" contests will become even easier.
Before trying sprint SO2R, one thing that might help is to be able to do SO1R sprint without using the paddles for anything. Jumping back and forth between paddle and keyboard will slow you down and makes SO2R harder. I also can't send manually and listen to the other radio. You should have memory keys programmed for number, name, state, and call fills (NR?, ...). This might be difficult on certain logging programs that don't provide enough memory slots.
At least for me, learning SO2R sprint was all about learning specific patterns for the two modes Jim mentioned, down to the individual keystrokes. You can practice these with your logging program outside the contest with just sidetones on. For example, if I am cqing on band 1 and looking for calls on band 2, I do (trlog):
1. focus radio 2
2. press F8 repeatedly
3. press space if I need to call someone on radio 2
4. type call and press enter if someone answers on radio 1It really helped me to precisely know what keys I am going to press. Of course things go wrong, and the harder part is to cope in those cases!
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Northern California Contest Club
