So, What's a Spartan Sprint, and How Do I Play?

Spartan Sprints are two-hour gatherings sponsored by the Adventure Radio Society, held the first Monday of every month. The Spartan Sprints have a unique, three-faceted focus. They encourage outdoor operation with backcountry radio gear (if outdoor operation isn't practical, home-based operation is fine). They gather fascinating information about the upper atmosphere, documenting how low power signals can travel long distances. And they encourage the growth of a like-minded community of amateur radio operators who generously share their knowledge and experiences.

Which Bands?

Bands of operation are 80 meters, 40 meters, 20 meters, 15 meters and 10 meters. You may operate any number of bands - your choice. Many Spartan Sprint operators gravitate to the QRP CW calling frequencies on these bands.

Equipment and Antennas

Spartan Sprinters use 5 Watts or less. We encourage you to experiment with 1 Watt or less. You will be surprised at how effective these low levels can be, and how much fun QRPp really is. Similarly, we encourage you to experiment with simple wire antennas. And we encourage Sprinters to use equipment they built from "scratch" - that is, equipment built from schematics.

Exchange

Exchange RST, SPC (state, province or country) and power output. If you choose to call CQ, use the format "CQ SP," or "CQ QRP TEST." You can give yourself credit for working the same station on a second, third, or fourth band.

What Is the Weight of My Station?

The weight of your station is determined by weighing everything at your operating position up to, but not including, your feedline and antenna. In other words, your rig, key, keyer, antenna tuning unit, battery, headphones, and so on. 

Submit Your Spartan Sprint Log

Please send the following information in an email to: SpartanSprint@yahoo.com

• Your call sign
• Total number of contacts during Sprint
• The weight of your station (in pounds - includes all gear except antenna and feedline)
• Soapbox comments about your Sprint experience

Check Out the Spartan Sprint Results

The results of each month's contest appear on the Friday following each month's first-Monday Sprint. They are posted here on this website. You can find results from previous months here, as well.

- Richard Fisher, KI6SN

SCOREBOARD: November 2021 Spartan Sprint

 For an enlarged view, please click on the Scoreboard.

SOAPBOX: November 2021 Spartan Sprint

HISTORY MAKING SPRINT: Michael Falk, AA9RK, and his son, Max, KD9NZB, made ARS history in November when they operated as separate competitors in the Spartan Sprint - the first-ever father-son Sprint participants. In addition, Max, 10, is the youngest participant ever. "I have enjoyed getting back into CW this past year or two," Michael said, "and Max is having fun with it too. His interests in ham radio are very different from mine, but that's fine.  I'm glad he has interests in ham radio at all. He works on his CW occasionally, and he's also very casually working on his General exam pool." (Photograph courtesy of AA9RK)

KD9NZB

I am a 10 year old Technician class operator and I am learning CW.  72! Max, KD9NZB

NQ2W

Ten-Tec Jupiter to a mini-beam at 25ft for 20m, a full-wave delta loop at about 50ft for 40m, and a dipole at about 50ft for 80m. 1 QSO on 20m, 9 on 40m, and 8 on 80m. My 80m dipole is performing a lot better up here in the Adirondacks than my 80m near bottom-loaded vertical did in Albany. It's nice to have some space both horizontally and vertically. Two-banders with  K4BAI, WB5BKL, K7TQ, K9DRP, WB9HFK, and NØTA. I said it last month but it's worth repeating - it's great to be back. Thanks for the QSOs and thanks to Richard, KI6SN, for the opportunity created by the Spartan Sprints. Looking forward to next month...Will, NQ2W

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp or a 40M dipole.  7 states this month (worked IL 5 times!).  Nada on 20M.  Best signals:  40M - NK6A, 80M - W5ESE.  Doubles with WB9HFK, K9DRP, and NQ2W.  Had fun.

W4NLT

Got 4 QSO quickly then things petered out on 40M. NØTA remained strong for a while. Ops limited to a 40M dipole. 73/72, Andy

K3JZD

Just used 40m. Conditions have been better.  Perhaps seeing some after affects from the recent solar storm.  Used my backup SOTA kit: FT-817 with a 21700 Li-Ion battery pack that I have been testing.  Has more capacity than my 18650 Li-Ion pack, but is a little heavier. 73 - Jody - K3JZD

K7TQ

As I did in October, I operated using my mobile setup, KX2 and Scorpion 680 antenna, from the top of the Lewiston, ID grade which has a 2,500 foot drop off favoring the east and south.  Below are the cities of Lewiston, ID and Clarkston, WA at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers. Catching KI6SN was a treat.  We haven't had a QSO in quite a while. 40 m was good all the way to the east coast and 80 m yielded a Q to CO and one to NY. A fun evening.

W5ESE

Conditions seemed pretty decent; No contacts on 20m. 40m was the money band, but 80m was pretty good, also. Used the Omni VI and a 300' Horizontal Loop.

N9OHW

MTR-3B putting out 2 Watts from a 9 volt battery, with a light 3D-printed plastic paddle and earbuds for 9.8 oz.  6 QSOs: one on 20m and the rest on 40m. Antenna was a Buddipole in horizontal configuration.  QTH was in the San Francisco bay area. Good to hear and work KI6SN for the first time, as well as NØTA, K7TQ, NK6A, and two QRO stations who came by to give out points, KI5AL and W0CCA. 73, Mike N9OHW.

K4PQC

I started out on 40 meters and didn't hear any stations so I picked a spot and made a run for it. I only worked 4 stations on 7041 W5ESE, NQ2W W5QLF and WB5BKL. After calling CQ I noticed that my receive signals were intermittent and had some trouble copying. I thought at first there was quite a bit of QSB so after I didn't hear any more stations I swapped filters and went to 80 meters and immediately found John - K4BAI but right after I found out what the problem was: when I took the ATS- 3b out of the case I should have reinforced the antenna connector. The SMB connector broke loose from the PCB. I stopped for almost a half hour soldering the connector. About 0250z I was back on the air and then found KB9LLD. My LiPo battery had had a rest and was almost putting out 3 watts again. Even with a problem this sprint is still lots of Fun. 72 to everyone for the QSOs, see you next month, Phil.

AA4GA

I obviously haven't operated the Spartan Sprint in a long time, but decided to get in for a bit this time around.  Unfortunately, I needed a tuner, so instead of using one of the lightweight rigs, I used the KX3 to take advantage of the built-in tuner. Power by Eneloops, paddle was a Te-Ne-Ke Micro. I checked out 20 meters just before the start, heard nothing and got no Reverse Beacon action, so I headed to 40 meters. Pretty good reports on RBB initially, with noticeable reduction in signal strength after about a half hour. I gave up after an hour or so and listened for a few minutes on 80, but heard no Sprinters. I look forward to the next time I operate being able to go tuner-free and use one of the KD1JV rigs. Thanks to all for the QSOs - good to hear some familiar calls I haven't heard in a while.  And thanks to KI6SN for keeping the Sprint going! 73 de Lee, AA4GA

K4BAI

No stations heard on 20M. Band seemed dead. 8 QSOs on 40. Skip was pretty long - worked CA 2 way 5W QRO with NK6A.  3 QSOs with stations in WI.  13 QSOs on 80M. Best "DX" was NØTA, worked on both bands. Thanks for all QSOs.  73/72, John, K4BAI.

KB9LLD

First time participating in Spartan Sprint. Operated for one hour on 80m only with full 80m loop antenna up 25-30 ft. 73, Tony, KB9LLD

K9DRP

Had to quit early tonight but still had a fun run. Lots of 2 band contacts tonight. Got to work Richard, KI6SN on 40! Good to hear NQ2W on 80 this evening. Ran the Argo VI getting ready for tomorrow's fox hunt.  Let's do it again next month. 72, Don, K9DRP

NØTA

40m = 17, 80m = 8. 1.25 hrs. Nice evening. K3 @ 5w, doublet at 25 ft. Thanks for the Q's.

K3RLL

Back in Florida for the winter and life under the tyranny of my HOA and their Draconian antenna restrictions. So very happy for the contacts tonight, and they were good ones! My wet string antenna somehow improved over that half-hour. Big signal was K3JZD in PA. The Spartan Sprint has provided a lot of fun for quite some number of years now. My thanks and appreciation to ARS staff and management. 72/73, Don K3RLL

AA9RK

Contacts: 2. Weight: 13 lbs (IC-7300 and accoutrements - did not set up the QRP gear tonight). Great contacts with great operators. 5 watts into a dipole. 73 de AA9RK

RESULTS: October '21 ARS Spartan Sprint

 

For an enlarged view, please click on the Scoreboard.

SOAPBOX: October '21 ARS Spartan Sprint

 K7PD

Decided to try the KX3 turned down to 2 watts.   British Columbia on 20 meters was not in the Sprint, Got WVØH, N9OHW, NK6A, AND K7TQ on 40. Antenna is 64 ft. center-fed doublet. Band apparently went south, I turned power up to 5 watts and got nothing new.

AB9CA

Had only about 45 minutes. Nearly made a Q on 20 with WB5BKL but QSB got him. Moved to 40 and logged 7 then seemed to run out of guys who could hear me. Logged NY GA NH VA ID CO TX. Went to 80 but was likely too early for anyone to be there. Rig was K3 at 5w to Inv Vee. Thanks for the Qs! Hope to hear everyone plus more next month! Dave, AB9CA

K4PQC

The WX here in N. Georgia was atrocious - flooding rains and raging thunder storms.  All of the bands were noisy with static and lightning crashes. I could only work the loudest stations and, apologies to those who either couldn't complete QSOs or took multiple tries and time to complete - especially to WO9B and W5ESE that took multiple tries and finally with their patience we were able to make contacts. I heard John - K4BAI on 40 and 80 but was only able to work him on 80. I had to shut down my station several times because of nearby lightning strikes. My ARS Spartan Sprint station here is scaled down to a Steve Weber KD1JV designed ATS-3b with the case removed, ear buds, homemade paddles plus a 250mah LiPo battery supply.  72/73 to all and especially to those who had to put up with my multiple request to repeat either calls or info, Phil

NQ2W

It's great to be back on the air. I enjoyed hearing some old friends and making some new ones. I used my K1 to a temporary sloping 40m dipole fed at about 40 feet. WB9HFK won the strong signal honors this time around. All in all, I think 40m was in pretty good shape for this sprint...but that's the opinion of someone who has been off the air for more than 5 years! Thanks for the contacts. I hope to be back next month. Now, back to piecing this station back together. 72, Will, NQ2W

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp or a 40M dipole. One QRO QSO removed from score. 8 states this month.  Impressive QSB on 20M (Don, NK6A was 589, then 339 - called it 449 - AB9CA similar). Best signals: 20M - AB9CA, 40M - K4BAI, 80M - W5ESE. Doubles with AB9CA and K4BAI. Had fun.

K3JZD

Just used 40m.  However I had a high noise level which covered some QRP signals.  All I could accomplish were QSOs into GA and TX.  Used my backup SOTA kit this time: FT-817 with a 16850 LiIon battery pack.  Not really a lightweight station here, but it needed some exercise.   73 - Jody - K3JZD

K7TQ

I operated from the top of the Lewiston, ID grade which has a 2,500 foot drop off favoring the east and south. The cities of Lewiston, ID and Clarkston, WA are below at the confluence of the Clearwater River and the Snake River.  Watching the cities light up as it got dark and radioing was a great way to spend the evening.

W5ESE

Conditions seemed pretty decent; 40m being the money band. Used the Omni VI and a 300' Horizontal Loop.

N9OHW

First Spartan Sprint in many years.  9 QSOs to 8 SPC's, calling from SCV in California. 2 QSO's on 20M and the rest on 40M.  MTR-3B to a Buddipole.  Battery was a 12V LiPo for 5W, but I later realized I could have saved about 6 ounces if I had remembered to use a 9V battery for 3W.  Most memorable QSO was K4BEN, my college-aged nephew Ben whom I Elmered when he was in high school, calling from his dorm in Virginia via a remote ham radio in Massachusetts. Unplanned and a pleasant surprise! 73, Mike

WVØH

Eight 40-meter QSOs at 2Watts and 0.6056 pounds running my MTR4BV2 and a 7.2v (9v) rechargeable battery by EBL. My paddle is a single lever homebrew from a bamboo hamburger skewer wired directly onto a stereo plug shoved in the back of the rig. I worked WB4HMA on 7030.000 but a CQer came on and we tried to connect thru the QRM but had to move down a bit to complete the QSO and we finally made it. Whew! He was number 8 and nobody else after that. Thanks to all who participated and to KI6SN for doing this month after month. Much appreciated. 72, WVØH Myron

KE4I

Didn't hear many stations. I think this is my first, but I look forward to doing it again. Dennis

WB9HFK

Rig: Icom 7300 @ 5W; Antenna: Hustler 6BTV Gnd Mtd with 60 Radials.

K4BAI

QSOs by band: 40M: 14; 80M: 3.  No stations heard on 20M here. Thanks for all QSOs. 73/72, John, K4BAI.

AA9RK

Ten Tec Argo 556, power cord, 5 ft of RG-213, MFJ-993B tuner. Bad QSB, but good QSOs. 4 watts into a dipole. 73 de AA9RK, Michael

K3RLL

RBN was giving good reports but signals seemed weak on 40m this evening, with the strong exception of W1PID. I think we had pipeline between PA and NH tonight. HIHI. Thanks for the contacts and for the Spartan Sprint. Always fun with great ops.  72/73, Don 

LATEST UPDATES: The 2021 Adventure Radio Society FOBB Scoreboard

For an updated 2021 FOBB Scoreboard, click here.

SCOREBOARD: September 2021 ARS Spartan Sprint

 

For an enlarged view, click on the Scoreboard.