[qrp-canada] Contests and other events

[Robert MacKenzie]

   There are a few events this month that might be of interest to QRPers. 
The NAQCC monthly challenge is to work VEs, so giving or collecting Canadian 
calls is worth something extra in January. (And I see today  that the NAQCC 
is offering a free FISTS subscription to the 2007 Participation award winner 
for VE/DX stations.)

    Contest Club Ontario is getting teams together to work the NAQP CW 
contest tomorrow afternoon. (That another way to work VEs.)  If you want to 
join CCO to be on a team, just check out the club web page ( cco.ve3xd.com ) 
and sign up for membership and/or contact the president who is the team 
coordinator. This year's president, Chris, VA3NR is a big QRP contest op and 
very supportive of newer contesters. I find that a contest club membership 
really helps keep me going in contesting. And it's always easy to find my 
scores on the club site -- near the bottom of the list! We also field a CCO 
team or two of those interested for the two big QRP-ARCI parties.

    The NAQCC 2-hour sprint is next week at 8:30pm EST Wednesday (Jan 18, 
0130Z). And a special 160m sprint is at the same time on the following week 
on Wednesday (Thursday, Jan 25 0130 UTC) just prior to that weekend's major 
CQ 160 contest. Top-band contests like these are great ways to make contacts 
on QRP with crummy antennas, since everyone is listening hard for points 
(especially late at night). I still use a straight key, so sending speed is 
not a big concern. As for receiving, usually you can copy an exchange 
several times to get it right before giving the op a call yourself.

Bob VA3RKM (Ottawa)