The FRC asks it members to primarily concentrate on the two major DX contests: CQWW and ARRL DX. There are some major domestic contests that provide a great chance for you to build up your contesting skills for the major DX events. Some of the reasons that domestic events are attractive include.

You don't need a huge station to participate. Fifty watts to a dipole will let you play the game.
CW speeds are usually slower than in the DX events. Participants have to slow down because the European bottomless pit is not available.
QRM levels are usually a bit lower than the DX events. There's more room for the little guys.
It's a great way to get to know the US and VE contesters. The guys that are usually trying to steal our run frequencies in the DX events, hi.

The major domestic contests are: ARRL November Sweepstakes, the NCJ North American QSO Parties and the NCJ North American Sprints. Here is a little information about each contest.

ARRL November Sweepstakes

CW - First full weekend in November. Yes, the weekend after CQWW SSB, ugh.
SSB - Third full weekend in November. Yes, the weekend before CQWW CW, ugh again.

SS is THE domestic championship for the US and Canada. The first SS was run in 1930, making it one of the oldest contests around (The ARRL International Relay competitions in 1927 28 were probably the first contests). Sweepstakes CW probably has the highest level of competition of any contest in the world, with usually less than 100 QSOs separating the #1 and #10 positions. It is possible to make the top ten in CW SS from almost anywhere in the country. Not many other contests can make that claim. SS Phone is also very competitive, but operating SS Phone from the East Coast can be like banging your head against a wall. It's pretty much impossible to keep up with the stations west of the Mississippi.

SS also has a fairly long exchange, which makes things a bit more challenging. Another unique aspect of SS, is that you are only allowed to work a station once in the contest, not once on each band. This one rather simple rule is what gives SS its unique flavor. Because of the single QSO limitation, everyone starts to run out of new stations to work after the first few hours of the contest, so it is not a 24 hour run fest. Some people give this as a reason to dislike SS, but it is actually a great rule that makes little gun participants more important. For example, let's say it is Sunday afternoon around 3:00 PM local time (SS starts at 4:00 PM Saturday) and you are just sitting down at the rig to make your first SS QSOs. There will be quite a bit of activity on 40m at this time, and many of the serious SS participants will be scouring 40m looking for new contacts. Even if you're only running 50 watts to a dipole at 30 feet, a CQ SS on the first clear spot around 7050 or so will eventually result in a fairly steady run as all those serious guys find you. You don't need a huge station for SS. You can have a ball is SS with a low dipole for 40m, especially from this part of the country.

Also interesting in SS is the multipliers. This is probably the only contest where is possible to work all the multipliers. Many people make it a goal to make a "clean sweep and contact all the mults in SS.

Now I know that all us FRCers will be worn out from out serious efforts in CQWW SSB, so putting in a full time SS CW effort is pretty rough. However, getting on and making some QSOs in SS CW is a great opportunity to brush up on your CW before CQWW CW.

With this in mind, here are some recommendations for the best times/bands to operate SS for the casual participant, who is just looking to have some fun. Along the way, you will be improving your operating skills for the upcoming CQWW and ARRL DX events.

SS CW

Best activity is from the start (2100Z) until around 0500Z.
40m will be THE BAND from the East Coast, there will be quite a bit activity there even at the start of the contest.
Don't be afraid to call slow CQs up high in the band if that is what you are comfortable with. The good operators will slow down for you.
A low 40m dipole is a killer SS antenna (seriously).
Another good activity peak is on Sunday morning from around 1200Z 1500Z
It will really slow down on Sunday afternoon, everyone is watching football.
If you really wanna be popular don't get on until the last few hours of the contest, by this time everyone will be looking for new stations (that's you).
40 meters, 40 meters, 40 meters.... In serious 24 hour efforts, typically 50 60% of QSOs come from 40.

SS Phone

High activity from the start until around 0500Z.
High bands more important at the start than on CW. Try search and pounce on 10 and 15 if you can't run.
Broadcast QRM on 40m phone the first night is a real pain!
Don't worry about the west of the Mississippi crowd running circles around your serial numbers, the idea here is to have fun.
75m can be real good after around 7 to 8 PM local time, but you probably need to be running an amp to hold a frequency. The QRM can get terrible on 75 (it is phone).
40m is great on Sunday morning (no more foreign broadcast). If you are not doing a full time effort in SS Phone, this is a great time to get on for some easy rate.

NCJ North American QSO Parties

CW - Second weekend in January & first weekend in August (18Z saturday 06Z Sunday)
SSB - Third weekend in January and third weekend in August (18Z Saturday 06Z Sunday)

The NAQPs have evolved over the past few years to become a very fun event. Single operators are limited to operating 10 hours out of the 12 hour period. The exchange is simple, just your name and state (e.g. AA3B BUD PA). The NAQP is an exciter only contest. All entrants are limited to 100 watts maximum. It's quite a pleasure to operate a contest and not have all those kilowatt signals spread across the bands.

The NAQP is a great contest to practice several skills that can be used in DX contests. The low power limit makes fast band changes a snap. Since the multipliers are states and provinces per band, there is a lot of multiplier passing that goes on in the NAQPs. Keep that multiplier needed window open on your contest software and don't be afraid to ask someone to QSY for a new multiplier. The NAQP is also a great contest to learn two radio operating. The 100 watt limit makes two radio implementation easy. Even if your second station is just a multiband vertical it can be used very effectively in this contest.

A few NAQP operating tips:

Start on the high bands, there will be plenty of time for the low bands later.
Work those mults on the high bands early, those bands might not be open later.
Kill some off time early. Take an hour off sometime in the first three hours.
Look for the occasional nighttime sporadic E opening on the high bands.
Don't forget 160

NCJ North American Sprint

CW - Second weekend in February and first weekend in September (00Z 04Z Sunday)
SSB - First weekend in February and second weekend in September (00Z 04Z Sunday)

Note that Sunday UTC is Saturday night local.

The Sprints are very short, but very intense contests. There is a very unique QSY rule that allows you to make at most two QSOs on a frequency before you must QSY. Basically, if you answer a CQ, the frequency is yours after completion of the exchange with the CQing station. Then you can make one more QSO on this frequency (you are the CQing station now) before having to QSY.

The Sprint is not an easy contest, but it is certainly one of the best contests for developing quick search and pounce skills. Some of the best operators in the country regularly operate the Sprint. It can be very intimidating to the newcomer. But remember all the top Sprinters started out the same way. Anyone who is interested in trying the Sprint should look at N6TR's excellent Sprint survival web page at http://web.jzap.com/n6tr/sprint.html

There's also a bunch of State QSO Parties throughout the year to keep your contest skills in tune. The California, Florida and Pennsylvania QSO parties are three of the biggest.

Domestic contests are a lot of fun. Let's hear lots of FRC calls in the domestic events.

de N2NC, John

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