[3830] BC QSO VA7ODX Multi-OpMixed HP

[webform at b4h.net]

                    British Columbia QSO Party

Call: VA7ODX
Operator(s): VA7BEC VA7KO VA7AM
Station: VA7ODX

Class: Multi-OpMixed HP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 12

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Dig Qs  CW Mults  Ph Mults  Dig Mults
-----------------------------------------------------------
  160:                                                 
   80:    2      3               3          4          
   40:   10     91              11         40          
   20:   91    345      91      41         62        38
   15:   54    355      64      24         56        28
   10:   30                                            
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total:  187    794     155      96        162        66  Total Score = 957,744

Club: Orca DX and Contest Club

Comments:

A word from the sponsor…

Many of the challenges that characterized BCQP 2015 appeared to impact BCQP
2016 as well. It was again a long weekend in British Columbia -- Family Day on
Feb 8 -- as well as Chinese New Year, so a day at the radio might have been
replaced by other activities. Instead of K1N as a major draw for operator time
near and far, there was VP8SGI. Nevertheless, as last year, the long weekend
might also have enabled people who wouldn't normally have time on a weekend for
radio to allocate Saturday for on-air pursuits and leave the honey-do list for
Sunday or Monday. And the draw of VP8SGI might have put people in the chair
when they might have otherwise been out and about. 

Since the above challenges also presented opportunities, they more or less
cancel each other out. The most challenging factor was then undoubtedly related
to band conditions. Really quite disappointing. Many Qs at the sponsor station
VA7ODX were a real struggle, like whispers in a storm. 10m was quite impossible
on PH and not good for RTTY, either. The CW op fared better. 15m and 20m
provided steady pileups, particularly on PH, booming eastward, apparently, with
pretty good coverage to the Maritimes and all along the eastern seaboard, and
even further south to Brazil. More Qs with Alaska than ever before. A mini-run
to JA. Surprises galore. Despite perceived difficulties. In fact, the PH
portion of the VA7ODX log is much higher in Q count than last year, but the
mult count is significantly lower, mainly because there were no 10m contacts. 

PH and CW operators shifted to the low bands as the sun was setting but
encountered very high noise levels. And yet, there were Qs to be made. Yes, it
was much more difficult to discern the whispers through the noise, but it was
possible. Moral of the story? It's always worth calling CQ. 

Undoubtedly, there were operators near and far who might have heard VA7ODX and
tried valiantly to catch operator attention without success. SRI. We weren't
ignoring you. We just didn't hear you. There are many reasons for this, from
antenna direction to band conditions to local QRM. 

It was wonderful to hear so many familiar callsigns. I was delighted to give
out the sponsor station bonus points and multiplier to stations throughout
Canada and the United States and beyond on PH. There are always some lovely
surprise DX contacts, too, and 2016 was no different. More JA than usual as
well as some EU, ZS, XE, SA and the Caribbean. More AK, too. And a VE8! Many
signals were incredibly good given how terrible band conditions seemed to be.
While CW and RTTY operators were not kept as busy as me, they too had
smile-inducing memorable moments. 

On the CW topic, in BCQP 2015, we tried out alternate suggested frequencies for
CW after 0000z to help participants make more Q above the NA Sprint mayhem. We
tried this again in 2016. But CW operators still found the going very tough
amid FOC and NA Sprint events, particularly the latter. It would be nice to
find a way to address this situation but the obvious "move the date"
is not an option.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to tip my contest coordinator's hat
to everyone who got on the air and/or helped others get on the air for BCQP
2016, wherever the QTH was. On behalf of the VA7ODX team and Orca DXCC, thank
you for calling "CQ BCQP" and/or answering CQs. You made time in
front of the radio very well spent.

See you again in BCQP 2017. 

MNI TNX de VA7ODX team (Rebecca VA7BEC, Koji VA7KO and Dave VA7AM)


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