Alabama QSO Party
Call: N8II
Operator(s): N8II
Station: N8II
Class: SOMixed HP
QTH: WV
Operating Time (hrs): 9.8
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs
--------------------
160: 1 0
80: 21 0
40: 77 9
20: 73 35
15: 0 0
10: 0 0
--------------------
Total: 172 44 CW Mults = 62 Ph Mults = 29 Total Score = 35,308
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
Storm prediction especially in the summer is a pretty inexact science. I checked
the contest calendar (for a change) and confirmed that AQP was on tap. Then I
checked the Weather Channel forecast to find chance of rain/thunder at least
50% for many hours starting 2PM peaking at 80%! It turned out that we had no
rain and the nearest storms were over 50 miles away at closest. So, I was not
liking my chances of a storm interrupted QP and horsed around Saturday morning
working a good Indonesian opening on 15 meters (first time in over a month!)
and walking with XYL/dog finally starting at 1643Z. Activity was not
overwhelming and the museum ship weekend definitely had a negative effect on 20
meter phone activity.
I dared to operate near a ship station which I was not hearing and was scolded
by a MS station in a fairly nice way and also received an anonymous e-mail.
Honestly, I try not to spoil anyone's fun or daily routine and try to CQ on a
clear frequency. I do have no sympathy for the guys on 75 M who
"monitor" a frequency without continually using it. However, there
were several mobiles active which kept my interest going.
Band conditions were pretty decent and seemed to favor me after dark. I checked
15 CW a few times to find no activity except the EU FD and never begged someone
to give it a try. My guess is that plenty of Q's could have been made on 15
during the evening, because 20 stayed open on Es right up until 04Z with great
signals most of the time. The nadir of the contest was around 2000-2045Z when
20 almost faded out and I had line noise loud enough to cover up all of the
mobiles on 40. After a 35 minute break ending 2054Z things were much better,
line noise down to normal fairly low and 20 open again!
Many thanks to mobiles K4NO(6 QSO's), N4QP(3 Q's), Jim KC4HW(7), the ever
present Ed KN4Y(13) and Tom K4ZGB(14), and the mobile teams of N4ZZ(36!) and
W4AN (42 Q's!). Both of the teams were on the whole QP! Special thanks to
W4AN/M ops Jeff KU8E and John, K4BAI (+3rd op/driver) for many QSY's to 20 SSB
to increase the phone mult total. I felt a bit guilty when I moved them and
N4ZZ a couple of times in the last 90 minutes and they called CQ with no
answers after hearing my S9+ signal. KN4Y did get a ZL call after I moved him
to 20 CW late.
I worked Tom, N4KG on 4 bands (should have tried 15/10) and he was my lone 160
QSO. Also high in Q's with 4 or more were other home stations N4UC, W4DHN,
W4DRN (seeing double!), WA1FCN/4, and NV4B. Many thanks to all for the QSO's.
It is a bummer that plaques have been discontinued this year not so much for
me, but for the mobiles who invest so much time, effort, and expense in making
the QP a success. It probably only slightly decreases the number of active
stations, but has a bigger effect on how long guys will operate. I would be
more than willing to sponsor a plaque for the high mobile score, but guess it
is not possible for AL. I sponsor the LP 7QP mobile plaque.
73, Jeff
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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