West Virginia QSO Party
Call: N4JRI/M
Operator(s): N4JRI
Station: N4JRI/M
Class: MobileSSB LP
QTH: Mobile
Operating Time (hrs): 8.5
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs Dig Qs
----------------------------
80:
40: 18
20: 9
15:
10:
----------------------------
Total: 0 27 0 Mults = 13 Total Score = 951
Club:
Comments:
Lone-wolf mobile using FT857D with Little Tarheel II and West Mountain
TargetTuner. Ran 75w early increasing to 100w after a couple hours.
This is my second year doing WVQP, and the first-ever QSO Party where I made
absolutely no in-state contacts--although I did try to work N8II's pileup
around 0150Z. Band conditions were obviously not good. I activated Fayette,
Greenbrier, Nicholas, Webster, Randolph and Pocahontas counties, and was unable
to activate Barbour on 40, 20 or 80 despite a fantastic mountaintop location.
Because of this, I blew off Upshur, took a dinner break in Elkins, and started
heading for home (Richmond, VA) also skipping planned activations for Tucker,
Pendleton, Grant and Hardy. Could not get a reply, or find another
participating station from 3:30-7:00p local time. Finally activated Randolph
County fully 5 hours after I first entered it (at the POC county line on Cheat
Mt). Spent the last 45min at the VA State line on US250 and found conditions
sharply improved and pileups in place on 40 and 20m.
Two equipment lessons learned. 1st, I need a better screwdriver controller.
2nd, I desperately need a voice keyer for operating mobile alone.
I think that WV could learn a few lessons from Virginia's event:
1 - VA allows FM simplex up to 70cm which opens a number of options including
the inclusion of Technicians, and allowing mobiles to do band-hopping when
conditions are bad, or when they cross paths. Unless there's a Quiet Zone
issue, it would be good to consider here.
2 - VA allows a mobiles to use an activated county as a multiplier if they make
10 or more contacts from there. It's a good incentive, since we often talk to
the same people from each county we activate. I always give out way more
multipliers than I get.
3 - WV needs better preliminary communication. VA & NC have a means of ops
communicating their plans prior to contest time and it's very helpful. NC uses
a Yahoo forum, & VA publishes emailed comments. I would imitate NC.
4 - Make clear where we are being spotted. I found no evidence that the
qsoparty.com site was used. Was it the DX cluster or MARAC? There's no place to
find this stuff out.
I'd like to see this be a great event. I work it hard and have even talked it
up to other mobile ops in VA. More mobiles would certainly help, but it's got
to be worth that long drive. I came from Richmond, VA for a very lonely,
voice-straining, deer-dodging event where I was tempted to just stop and check
out all the yard sales. Even so, I'll probably be back next year, fueled by the
enthusiasm the VA event generates, and my love of WV's countryside.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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