[3830] 7QP N8II SOMixed LP

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                    7th Call Area QSO Party - 2022

Call: N8II
Operator(s): N8II
Station: N8II

Class: SOMixed LP
QTH: WV
Operating Time (hrs): ~12.5

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Dig Qs
----------------------------
  160:                   
   80:                   
   40:                   
   20:                   
   15:  ~37      4       
   10:    1              
    6:                   
    2:                   
----------------------------
Total:  231    175      0  Mults = 136  Total Score = 141,848

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

I used a combined QP log, so no band/mode breakdowns available. This year with
Mothers Day on Sunday, I chose to maximize 7QP in lieu of a serious effort also
in NEQP (no 40M with NEQP until it was open well to 7's). Conditions to New
England were incredibly great on Sunday most of the day with even a 10M opening
which made me regret my choice. For much of the 7QP, time seemed to go by too
quickly despite slow QSO rates. I hit a better stride after 22Z, but QRN and
weak signals from some were an issue while others were quite loud at the same
time. Band conditions were better on 20 and much better on 15 than in 2021, but
activity was not as good as the best prior years especially on SSB.

First and foremost, 15M was open much better than the totals would indicate.
PHONE OPS, you are losing QSO's by not making an effort on 15M. This is a very
disturbing trend; the current solar activity supports daily east to west USA
openings on a daily basis. For about 75-90 minutes around 18Z, signals on CW
were good here from all over the 7th area and I would suspect 15 was open quite
late thanks to sporadic E help, but no one was operating. The band was open to
AZ/NV for many hours. Thanks to KT7E in Yamhill, OR for my lone 10M CW QSO and 6
Q's total. It took me slightly over 2 hours starting at 1330Z to make my first
100 QSO's. 15M was open at 15Z. I was able to run stations up until about 1530Z
on 20M SSB, then not able to run much until 21Z. The D layer blanketing cuts
down on 20M signal levels quite a bit at this time of year from here making
QSO's with N7WA/M and other weak stations almost impossible. Many well equipped
stations were loud all day. I spent 15 minutes sweeping across 40 at 1625Z
working the INQP. Once I was able to run on 20M in my evening, I made the best
of it until about 0130Z. A lot of county expeditions and other from rare
counties always call in. The noise on 20M at sunset and after was nearly S9 from
storms out west. Our local Wx was awful, cold in 40's with wind and steady
mostly light rain. Fortunately, the precip static on my yagis was not a problem
like it was the week before in FQP. Quite a few weak stations called, a few a
real struggle to pull through. Having good processed audio really helps during
conditions like we had. 20 was still open at 0155Z, but I was overdue for 40M.
02Z seemed to be the perfect time to hit 40 from here as 7 land signals were
good and pile ups were minimal. I swept across 40 CW quickly not having to wait
much at all in pile ups. 40 phone was sparsely used, but I worked most all of
the few I heard. 80M was not in great shape at 03Z; I could tell several ops
really struggled to hear me through the noise. I QRT'ed at 0335Z having worked
most of what I could from here on the low bands.

Thanks to the mobiles who operated. Always enjoyable to work Jefferson OR and ID
(same name as my county). It was tough to hear any of them on 20 during mid day.
I did a little better with Dick, N7XU this year with 7 Q's but quite a few times
he has not the only one I worked in the OR counties he covered. Randy K7TQ/M
provided a lot of rare ID counties and was there well into my evening. I only
caught Duffey, KK6MC/M 3 times for 6 Q's. Thanks to Dink, N7WA for 6 Q's and
some rare mults, always a bit of a challenge to find/hear from here.

There were many expeditions was in last year, some with very good signals.
Thanks for putting out those rare counties. 

I could make 500 QSO's as I have in the past with more activity on 15M. Please
try 15 and 10M next year. Thanks for all of the QSO's and calls. I tried CQ's on
20 CW and only received a very few answers. 20 phone was okay thanks to the
longer evening opening.

73, Jeff


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