[3830] VaQP W4GO/M SOAB/PhMobile HP

[webform at b4h.net]

                    Virginia QSO Party

Call: W4GO/M
Operator(s): W4GO
Station: W4GO/M

Class: SOAB/PhMobile HP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 21:48

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Dig Qs
----------------------------
  160:                   
   80:         1124      
   40:          125      
   20:            5      
   15:                   
   10:                   
    6:                   
    2:                   
  UHF:                   
----------------------------
Total:   0     1254     0  Mults = 109  Total Score = 162,668

Club: Fauquier ARA

Comments:

Another enjoyable Virginia QSO Party in the log. This was my sixth consecutive
year in the contest and my first as an HF mobile entry. Thanks to everyone for
the QSOs, and in particular for bearing with my difficulty hearing over nearly
ubiquitous RFI from overhead utility lines. Despite finding a few RF-quiet
operating sites, “again? again?” and “was that 164, roger?” were
unfortunately the rule, rather than the exception.

I activated 37 counties and independent cities (C&ICs), all of them in or
bordering the Tidewater region of Eastern Virginia: STA, KGE, WES, RIC, ESS,
LAN, NUM, MID, MAT, GLO, KQN, KWM, NEW, JAM, YOR, WMX, NNX, PQX, HAX, NFX, VBX,
CPX, POX, SUX, IOW, SUR, PRG, CCY, HOX, PBX, COX, CHE, RIX, HCO, HAN, CLN, SPO.

Being worth three points per QSO and frequently venturing into rare mult
territory, mobile stations are always in-demand in this contest and I was no
exception. There were 75 stations who worked me 5 or more times. There were 12
stations who worked me 20 or more times. Virtually all of these repeat contacts
were in unique C&ICs, rather than dupes or multiple bands. Many call signs
and voices were familiar by the end, which made it easier to extract them from
the pile-ups.

My top chaser was N4RP (QRP, no less), whom I worked 29 times from 29 C&ICs.
Other top chasers were W8BT, W4ZAO, K5VIP, KX4KU and K3CCR, with 28, 27, 26, 25
and 25 QSOs, respectively.

The antenna, built around a manually-tuned, six-inch diameter Texas BugCatcher
loading coil, performed well enough that I was able to hold a run frequency on
80 m with minimal difficulty. As last year, 80 m was the optimum band for
in-state coverage, even during daylight hours.

The rest of the story by the numbers:

162668 claimed score, including bonus points and bonus mults per contest rules.
This is a new personal best in this contest.

1254 QSOs, excluding dupes

481 mi driven

322 unique call signs worked

200 W PEP transmitter output

76 Virginia C&ICs worked

37 Virginia C&ICs activated

30 states worked, excluding Virginia

16 mobile-to-mobile QSOs (all on 80 m SSB)

3 VE Provinces worked

0 DX entities worked, excluding W and VE

Thanks for riding along. See you from the road next year. 73.


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/