[Elecraft] Elecraft Century Club (ECC) Schedule

[Daniel Reynolds]

The Problem
-----------
You want to contact other Elecraft owners. Perhaps you are pursuing the
Elecraft Century Club award (http://www.elecraft.com/elecraft_awards.htm).
Maybe you just want to make more contacts and like the challenge of QRP.

What if you knew that you could turn on your K1/K2 (almost) anytime and work
another K1/K2?

We could adopt (I didn't say own...) a few frequencies and know that someone
might be calling on one of those frequencies every 15 minutes.


The Basic Idea
--------------
We all know the QRP frequencies. We could aim for +2 khz above the QRP
frequencies to give room for those who are rock bound (e.g. in the US ... 3562,
7042, 10108, 14062, 18098, 21062, 24908, 28062) ... (+/- 0.6 kHz QRM ...
standard RIT on K2).

The schedule could rotate every 15 minutes.

0 minutes - 80m or 160m
3 minutes - 40m or 30m
6 minutes - 20m
9 minutes - 15 or 17m
12 minutes - 10 or 12m
15 minutes - back to 80m or 160m

Call "CQ CQ CQ ECC DE <Your Call x3> ECC K"
[Hopefully no one has a callsign starting with ECC]
When you make contact, be sure to exchange rig info (model, SN).

If you made a contact and wanted to ragchew, you could hopefully move off the
call frequency before the next rotation starts.


Another Idea
------------
If we wanted to get real elaborate - we could suggest that Elecraft operators
in the US call CQ on the ECC frequency +/- their region (based on their
physical region, NOT their callsign #)...

rgn\band 80m CW   40m CW  30m CW   20m CW   17m CW   15m CW   12m CW   10m CW
0        3561.0   7041.0  10107.0  14061.0  18097.0  21061.0  24907.0  28061.0
1        3561.2   7041.2  10107.2  14061.2  18097.2  21061.2  24907.2  28061.2
2        3561.4   7041.4  10107.4  14061.4  18097.4  21061.4  24907.4  28061.4
3        3561.6   7041.6  10107.6  14061.6  18097.6  21061.6  24907.6  28061.6
4        3561.8   7041.8  10107.8  14061.8  18097.8  21061.8  24907.8  28061.8
5        3562.0   7042.0  10108.0  14062.0  18098.0  21062.0  24908.0  28062.0
6        3562.2   7042.2  10108.2  14062.2  18098.2  21062.2  24908.2  28062.2
7        3562.4   7042.4  10108.4  14062.4  18098.4  21062.4  24908.4  28062.4
8        3562.6   7042.6  10108.6  14062.6  18098.6  21062.6  24908.6  28062.6
9        3562.8   7042.8  10108.8  14062.8  18098.8  21062.8  24908.8  28062.8

This frequency arrangement might be a little too close for comfort ... perhaps
it could be rearranged for 400 Hz separation instead of 200 Hz (e.g.
7040.0-7043.6 on 40m). It really depends on band conditions and demand for
bandwidth. This method could assist operators who are working towards their
Elecraft Worked All States award. Knowing that you'll hear certain regions on
certain frequencies, you'll focus more on those particular frequencies as you
listen for CQ's. It would also be fun for propagation analysis.

In addition, there could be an alternate frequency for QRM. Maybe if you found
QRM on your frequency you could opt to go below the QRP frequency (e.g. 7040
minus (region x .4) : 7040.0-7036.4 ... OR 7036 plus (region x .4) :
7036.0-7039.6).

I realize that this is really complicating things... making it this elaborate
destroys the KISS principle, but if things got really busy on a Friday or
Saturday evening and the band was getting crowded, this might help. If we
adopted the elaborate plan, we might be able to alleviate potential congestion
from eager Elecraft owners (EEO's) by utilizing +/- 4Khz around the QRP
frequency.


In Summary
----------
Please keep in mind - all I'm trying to do is make it easier for Elecraft
owners to contact each other. If we know what frequencies and times to call and
listen, we have a greater chance of bumping into each other. 

The KISS principle suggests to look for an Elecraft operator around the QRP
frequency every 15 minutes.

Now I'm looking forward to all of your comments.

72/73,
Daniel/AA0NI