I have created a new event for FISTS and newer CW ops.


PROVISIONAL: LISTEN FOR LEARNERS 2018
DESCRIPTION The idea is for older hands to work newcomers. We encourage members with less than ONE years' membership of FISTS to call during the periods stated. This is not an award; it's a simple challenge.
DATES and
TIMES Every day, February 2018. Times : 0000, 0300, 0600, 0900, 1200, 1500, 1800, 2100. All times Zulu. FIVE minutes calling period.
BANDS Operation only on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, & 10m bands.
FREQUENCIES FISTS Centres of Activity. Please spread around both calling and listening.
EXCHANGE The minimum exchange is:
FISTS member number (if applicable).
GENERAL New members of less than 1 year in FISTS to call CQ FISTS (LFL if you wish). Established members, 1 year or more, to listen during the periods H15 to H20 and H45 to H50 and reply to newcomers. Established QSOs are not expected to cease and if you forget the activity and call CQ, never mind. Members can submit reports of numbers worked, soap-box comments etc. etc. The aim is simply to get a density of newcomers calling and of old hands listening so that newcomers get a decent QSO from an 'understanding' operator! To benefit all operators, if calling traffic volume is high please try to QSY. Newcomers remember, the CoA is only a CENTRE. Feel free to call around.

Please email David G4YVM with any questions: link text
SCORING Points awarded 1 per QSO to beginners and 1 per QSO exceeding 15 minutes to older hands (of more than 1 years' membership). POINTS AWARDED FOR MEMBER:MEMBER QSO ONLY.
LOGS Send in your entry no later than the 7th of April and include your callsign, name, and email address (if you have one).

Log formats:
You must put this in your log's 'Comment' (or similar) field: LFL
The free FISTS Log Converter program http://fists.co.uk/flc for Windows is recommended for creating and submitting logs quickly and easily.
Excel, Calc, CSV (comma-separated values), or TSV (tab-separated values) files. The first row/record in the file must include these exact column names although they don't need to be in this order:
QSO_Date, Call, Freq, Time_On, Time_Off, FISTS, Mode, Points, Comment
Example:
2018/03/01,G4LHI,7.027,15:05,15:23,2219,CW,1,LFL
'QSO_Date', 'Time_On', & 'Time_Off' are UTC.
'Freq' is in MHz and must be a decimal number only, e.g. 7.027
'FISTS' must either be blank or contain a FISTS member number only, e.g. 8385
'Mode' must be CW
'Points' can contain a number or be left blank, e.g. 1
'Comment' must include LFL, e.g. Nice QSO LFL
ADIF files. These can be ADI (text) files or ADX (XML) files and must include the fields named above.
Other file formats may be acceptable - please ask.
If you don't have access to email, you can use official FISTS Activity paper log sheets; please ask and we will post you a set.
The email address for entries is link text.

Good luck, Gaffer.

Presumably you mean 'March 2018' ?

Sadly. I don't have a transmit antenna for 80m yet, and the Fc hasn't reached anywhere near 7MHz for a while now, (that's why I'm haunting 60m ) but maybe at the end of the month when the clocks go forward.

Yes...March. Delay between writing and actually getting going. Sorry

D

Great idea. How are you going to let people know though?
The times are good, gives all a chance.

I still consider myself a learner and new at CW, would be nice if there was a similar ongoing thing for the learners who keep trying to get going on CW and who can only manage a limited speed comfortably, but who may have been a member for a long time.

It's posted on fists website and through fists BrassPounder.

I've also put it here...on HRD

D

To be honest, I don't even know if I am a member any more, haven't heard anything at all for well over a year.
I don't think I have received a notification for subs or paid one!

There's a new KN at the printers Steve. I think subs were forgotten.

Normal service should be resumed shortly

D

Thanks, that is very good news, KN and Sprat are some of the best reads there are.

I can log into the members area, I will try and renew my subs.

Have renewed. I get my KN by download, and have it printed here.

Good news

It starts on Thursday...

Thursday 01 March to 31 March UTC:
Listen for Learners (FISTS CW Club Europe) runs throughout March and encourages QSOs with newer members who joined on or after 01 March 2017. QSOs can be at any time BUT it’s recommended that newer members call CQ LFL starting on the hour for up to 5 minutes at these times: 0000, 0300, 0600, 0900, 1200, 1500, 1800, & 2100 UTC. Minimum exchange is FISTS member number but otherwise talk about whatever you wish such as RST, Name, QTH, WX, transceiver, antenna, Morse key,... See the Activities Calendar for full details.

Final call , rules and link to logger software

The new Listen for Learners activity http://fists.co.uk/lfl (FISTS CW Club
Europe) runs throughout March and encourages QSOs with newer members who
joined on or after 01 March 2017. QSOs can be at any time BUT it's
recommended that newer members call CQ LFL on or around the centre of
activity frequencies http://fists.co.uk/frequencies.html starting on the
hour for up to 5 minutes at: 0000, 0300, 0600, 0900, 1200, 1500, 1800, &
2100 UTC. Bands 160/80/40/20/15/10/2m. Minimum exchange is FISTS member
number but otherwise talk about whatever you wish e.g. RST, Name, QTH, WX,
transceiver, antenna, Morse key,...

See the Listen for Learners rules for full details http://fists.co.uk/lfl .

The latest version of FISTS Log Converter http://fists.co.uk/flc , 3.4.6,
supports Listen for Learners for 160m-10m. A newer version will be
available within a few days that adds support for 2m.

(a) "...This is not an award; it's a simple challenge..."

(b) "...SCORING Points awarded 1 per QSO to beginners and 1 per QSO exceeding 15 minutes to older hands..."

If its not an award, why are we having points?

If I was a CW newbie I'd be put off at the prospect of a results table being produced.

I've been in FISTS long enough (#355) to remember a time when activity events were just that. Geo would summarise comments received and everyone would have a good time & just get on with the job in hand.

Having points provokes the competetive element. Learners are struggling to gain confidence, not points.

I decided to award points because a good many people enjoy collecting them...cf the ladder. I shall be collating comments etc etc of course, and if people wish to partake but not submit a log they can do just that. For others, they like to see, and show, how many qso they have had. Thats all.

I can't see why a learner would be put off, really can't see that at all.

Anyway,all I'll take your comments on board when I review the activity for further airing if it works this time

D