Virginia QSO Party - 2022
Call: K1HTV
Operator(s): K1HTV
Station: K1HTV
Class: SOAB/MixedFixed LP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 21
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs Dig Qs
----------------------------
160: 0 0 0
80: 105 71 0
40: 44 36 33
20: 14 16 178
15: 1 0 259
10: 0 0 27
6: 0 10 0
2: 0 93 0
UHF: 0 56 0
----------------------------
Total: 164 282 497 Mults = 171 Total Score = 318,000
Club: Fauquier ARA
Comments:
The analog QSOs on HF and U/V were logged using N1MM. But since WSJT-X and N1MM
don't work well together for the VQP, I had to log the digital QSOs (496 on FT4,
only 1 on pokey FT8) separately. They were stored in the WSJT-X ADI and LOG
files.
Here is the procedure I use to make and log FT4 QSOs.
I create an 'Tx5' macro consisting of a space followed by "CUL VA 73".
“CUL” in the abbreviation for Culpeper County, where I live.
In the VQP, on FT4 I only call DX stations.
When I start to call a station, I drop the Tx5 macro down and press the
"Home" key.
Next, I type my next 3 digit QSO number. This produces a 13 character long 73
message.
If the station answers my call, the QSO begins.
When WSJT-X receives a Tx4 message of either calls and RRR or Calls and RR73, my
Tx5 message is sent. As soon as a QSO is complete and the WSJT-X log box pops
up, I type the 3 digit number in the log box "Comments" field and hit
Enter. This logs the QSO in WSJT-X and sends it to N1MM. The Date, Time, Freq,
& Mode are logged but the "Comment" field or any of the other
fields in WSJT-X cannot be included. When things are flowing, the FT4 QSO rate
can be 2 per minute.
When the contest is over I use convert the wsjtx.adi file to Cabrillo using the
SP7DQR “ADIF2CABR” program. Before running it, the “Comment” field
must be modified so it becomes the sent QSO number. Additional editing is done
using Notepad++ to remove the plus and minus signs from the dB report received,
which is used as the received number. Then the required number of spaces and
leading zeros are added to get the file to conform to the Cabrillo format.
It’s a real pain and I wish that the N1MM folks would allow users in QSO
parties to edit data in the N1MM+ log box window. Presently users cannot do.
Because of the limits of the WSJT-X software, the WSJT-X Development Group is
not able to support any of the State QSO parties. Using FT4 and FT8 with N1MM+
in QSO Parties requires a number of workarounds.
HF Meters propagation was great both days. I found 15 Meters to be the best,
with 20M second. 10 Meters was open for a couple dozen European and SA stations
but wasn’t as populated on FT4 as 15M was. FT4 really requires focus to keep
the rate up at 2 QSOs per minute. Manually editing the Tx5 macro for each QSO
and then again add the QSO number to the “Comment” field doesn’t leave
much spare time before clicking on the next available station calling CQ.
Looking forward to the Summer 6M Es season.
73,
Rich – K1HTV
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