[3830] CaQP VE7ASK Single Op LP

[ve7ask at rac.ca]

                    California QSO Party

Call: VE7ASK
Operator(s): VE7ASK
Station: VE7ASK

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: BC
Operating Time (hrs): 20

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs
--------------------
  160:           
   80:   51      
   40:   65      
   20:  101      
   15:   47      
   10:           
    6:           
    2:           
--------------------
Total:  264     0  Mults = 51  Total Score = 40,239

Club: 

Comments:

Lots of CA stations supporting this one... wish more came down to the CW portion
of the bands more often. Was kinda lonely on 80m Saturday night (though I guess
I could have gone up to SSB land, hi). 

The antennas were same old pair of low (30 ft.) G5RVs, but seemed to do OK this
time around with the short haul. 

Haven't yet decided on contesting software, so I'm trying out a lot of them over
this contesting season before shelling out the rather thin Canadian dollars for
a full-blown package. 

Tried to use the CQPwin software but it wouldn't key on COM2 RTS line on my old
machine. Will work on it some more, as it looks like a useful tool for other
contests, too. For this time out, I turned to free and robust GenLog, and it
worked FB. However, post-contest I discovered it only offers ASCII log export
for CQP so had to build a Cabrillo format with Excel. Took about half an hour of
fiddling to get it right, but it worked. Sure liked GenLog for operating,
though. CW character spacing is a teensy bit off for perfection, but close
enough for the lads we know, hi hi. (And it beat the heck out of hand-cranking
the 20 yr-old Versakeyer.)

Got 51 counties -- enough that I had faint hopes for a clean sweep for a while
there. Never did hear Butte and seven others. Missed K6AQL/M on a few but worked
at least half a dozen new mults (thanks for all that driving, and the mults! A
SUPER effort there, friends). 

Notably, 10M never did open up to CA from BC (at least, not with my antennas).
Heard some weak stations from the Midwest (hi Bill, N0AC) but not one CA op.
Took a full 10 minutes to work W6BJH in Shasta County on 40M, but at last he
heard me under the big sigs and got the deal done. In general, signals were
pretty good considering we had an A-index of 40 prior to the party (I was
playing in the PSK Rumble and things were not so hot Friday night).

I was impressed with the patience of the operators throughout -- no grumps, no
bullies. Not a one. And polite? How about KE6SCO (answering one of my rare CQs)
asking if we had worked before on 20M, then asking again just to make sure. And
twice I said I didn't think we had. But it was a dupe. Totally my fault.

Managed to put in some fun time with the kids and XYL, host a full house for a
nine-year-old's birthday party Saturday afternoon, and get in a nap or two. I
expected to make 100 or so QSOs, based on past performance in state parties.
When I hit 200, I was pleasantly surprised and although the last 50 or so were
quite tough to find it was great to break 250 and 40,000 points. Hope the judges
don't nibble that down too much, hi.

I've only listened to a few other state QSO parties, and participated in the
well-supported TN QSO Party and WA Salmon Run, but this must be the most active
state QSO party, and one you can all be very, very proud of. A real pleasure to
hand out some points and get 'em in return. 

CU in 2003.
73, Bud -- VE7ASK.


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