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Founded, January 2006
28,531 members strong
as of 19-Mar-2024

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Straight Key Sprint Europe (SKSE)

Submit Results | SKSE Results | Rules | Scoring

The SKSE was created by Thomas Horsten, M0TRN (now OZ5TN), SKCC #7344T, and is modelled on the ordinary SKS but with adjustments to make it more accessible to our European members.

The 2-hour Straight Key Sprint Europe (SKSE) occurs on the FIRST Thursday of Every Month and the Sprint time is adjusted for British Summer Time (BST) as follows:
      - Jan/Feb/Mar: 2000Z - 2200Z
      - Apr/May/Jun/Jul/Aug/Sep/Oct: 1900Z - 2100Z
      - Nov/Dec: 2000Z - 2200Z

THE SPRINT IS EXTENDED BY 15 MINUTES IN EACH END FOR QRS CONTACTS ONLY. This means you can start making QSO's at 1845Z/1945z and your last QSO may begin no later than 2115Z/2215z. But any CQ call and any QSO's made in the extended time MUST be at QRS speed, at 12 WPM or slower.

The idea is to give newcomers and slower operators a chance to join in the fun. While you can have QSO's with anybody as long as you stick to QRS speed, please try to follow the spirit of this extension and avoid just having a couple of extra QSO's with your friends that you normally work at 20 WPM or more, instead try to listen for the slower operators.

One way to accomplish this is to find a clear spot and call CQ SKSE at 12 WPM (or less), and allow the QRS chasers to get in.

All QSO's from the extended QRS time will be scored as if they were a part of the main event.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the air on Thursday!


Rules

Eligibility:

The SKCC's Straight Key Sprint Europe is open to all licensed amateurs, as well as shortwave listeners. All active participants must use a manual key (straight key, sideswiper, or bug), unless granted an exception. You can read the SKCC Key Policy and waiver process here.

Frequencies:

Participants may sprint on 160-6 meters, excluding the WARC bands (60, 30, 17, and 12 meters). Suggested frequencies are on or around the SKCC calling frequencies: 1.820, 3.550, 7.038, 7.055 and 7.120, 14.050, 21.050 and 21.114, 28.050 and 28.114, and 50.090 Mhz. K3UK's sked page or other spotting tools are permitted for this event. Where two frequencies are listed for the same band, score as one band.

Exchange:

The minimum exchange must include RST, QTH, operator name, and SKCC number. If you are not a club member, please send "none" for SKCC number. Please give a realistic RST, not a perfunctory 599 or 559. If you don't get a signal report, please ask for it. For QTH, US and Canadian stations should use their two-letter state or province abbreviation. Stations outside the US and Canada should use their SKCC SPC codes. You can find the SKCC SPC codes here.

This is an informal event, so if you are not an SKCC member, take a moment to visit our home page and apply for a number. It's free! And if you are a member and have completed the required exchange, hang around and chat for a bit with non-members. It's good PR!

Scoring

For amateur-radio operators

-- Each unique QSO counts as one point. You may count contacts with the same station on multiple bands, but only once per band. You earn one multiplier point for each state, province, or country worked, but you can count a state, province, or country only once per SKSE.

-- You earn bonus points for working Centurions, Tribunes, and Senators. You can work the same C, T, or S on multiple bands for QSO points, but his or her C, T or S counts once per SKSE for bonus points. Each C is worth 5 points, each T is worth 10 points, and each S is worth 15 points.

For shortwave listeners:

You must copy at least one side of a SKSE QSO for a QSO point. If you copy both sides of a exchanges, that counts as 2 QSO points. You can count the same station more than once only if you copy that station's QSO on a different band -- one QSO per band.

As you enter your contact information on the submissions page, the page calculates your score automatically by multiplying the total number of QSOs by the total number of multipliers, then adds the total bonus points you enter, based on the bonus-point scheme for the event. Because this scheme varies from event to event, you'll need to calculate your bonus totals.

Total = (QSO x Multipliers) + bonus points

Submissions:

Please use the submissions page, reached by clicking on "Submit Results" link at the top of this page.

Logs are not required unless the SKSE manager requests them. The deadline for submitting or correcting your entry is 2359 UTC on the Thursday following the event. If you are correcting your entry, you must resubmit all your information, not just the item that needed the correction.

If you are a non-member, use "none" in place of SKCC number on the submissions page. If you are an SWL and have a unique SWL club ID, use that in place of a call sign. If you don't have a club ID, make up a unique, one-word ID to use.

Please address any questions or ideas for improvement to the SKS-E Manager,
Luc, ON5UK, 13764S.

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