By H. Ward Silver, N0AX
October 25, 2004
The biggest DX contest of the year is this coming weekend - CQ WW SSB. It has been estimated that up to 35,000 hams participate in this one (not all at the same time) from all corners of the globe and that makes it one of the world's largest sporting events. A time-honored tactic for those in some far-off location is to get a special callsign to stand out and attract attention. These are often from an obscure part of the host country's prefix roster and can be confusing. Maybe having a little practice in looking up unfamiliar combinations will come in handy? If a prefix is given as a clue, you should fill in the name of the country in the puzzle. See you from NK7U this weekend!
If you'd like a hand with the more obscure clues, prefix lists are
available in the ARRL Operating Manual, the ARRL Handbook, and on the
Web. These are good to have handy while tuning the
bands.
|
Across
1. PY, host of WRTC-2006
4. 6W
10. You need one to enter some
countries
12. Popular antenna support
13. Three of these divide the
world
17. Opposite of your
18. UX
21. HH
24. Earliest mode for
radiotelephone (abbr.)
25. Assist
27. Most common German prefix
28. Country that preceded the CIS
(abbr.)
31. Honduran prefix
32. JS
35. Unit of resistance
37. Nickname for ZL resident
39. Switch contacts usually not
connected
40. CW abbreviation for male
acquaintance
41. One half of VP5
42. European country prefix and US
state abbr.
44. Used to communicate letters on
phone
46. 6D
48. El Salvadoran prefix
49. Iceland prefix
50. Luxembourg prefix
51. T4
53. DS
56. Czech Republic prefix
57. Take it easy
58. Switch contacts usually closed
60. It's the same as its square
61. A6
63. The home to prefixes beginning
with '2'
64. When the license is not yet
granted, the call is ... (abbr.)
65. One of the World Series teams
Down
1. VP9
2. Type of wire gauge (abbr.)
3. First stock offering (abbr.)
4. Big domestic contest on two
November weekends (abbr.)
5. Spanish prefix
6. Ethiopian prefix
7. J3
8. Added to your new Extra call
until the license arrives
9. Semiconductor light
11. Organization that assigns
prefixes (abbr.)
14. Tajikistan prefix
15. YI
16. Resident of 5W
19. Russian prefix
20. Irish prefix
22. The other half of VP5
23. Island (abbr.)
26. Distance (abbr.)
29. Stitch together
30. 3G
33. Meaning of "/P"
34. What you put in your belt for
each New One
35. Peruvian prefix
36. Net leader (abbr.)
38. Radio manufacturer
41. Bolivian prefix
43. African prefix and US state
abbr.
44. 3Z
45. Last part of a call sign
46. Below HF
47. Rules pilots follow under low
visibility
49. Adjust an amplifier
51. Organized group of hams (no,
not 'oxymoron')
52. Ham satellite ID (abbr.)
54. Scares birds off your tower
55. The time it takes to crack a
pileup
59. Moroccan prefix
62. First two-letter US prefix
