[3830] CPQP VE4GV Single Op HP

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                    Canadian Prairies QSO Party - 2022

Call: VE4GV
Operator(s): VE4GV
Station: VE4GV

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: MB - SEL
Operating Time (hrs): 10

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  CW Mults  Ph Mults
----------------------------------------
   40:  130    130      35         7
   20:  117    101      25        17
   15:    3              3          
   10:                              
----------------------------------------
Total:  247    231      63        24  Total Score = 41,847

Club: Radiosport Manitoba

Comments:

I traveled up to my cottage in the interlake of Manitoba to be able to provide
the Selkirk-Interlake (SEL) multiplier for our inaugural Prairie QSO party. My
station consists of an IC 7300 with Elecraft 500 Watt amp/tuner combo . Antenna
is a simple multiband dipole at around 30 feet for 10-80m   Considering the poor
conditions of the past couple of weeks , with the recent climb of SFI to approx.
150 , we had some optimism that the higher bands might be open from VE4 for the
QSO party. Unfortunately, the K index started to climb and being 45 km north of
Winnipeg, 15 M just didn't open as well for me as I had Expected. The initial
hours were actually pretty good but after the first couple of hours rates tended
to taper off and I was constantly searching for a band to continue runs,
switching between CW  (which seemed to have more participation) and SSB. 15
didn't materialize . We didn't have any propagation on 10 meters and although I
checked frequently, it was too early to go to 40 by the early afternoon. Being
in Manitoba skip did not allow us to get a lot of the multipliers in
Saskatchewan and Alberta on 20 because they were inside the skip zone. I had to
wait to 40 meters opened before we could work those malts. Once 40 meters opened
, things got really good and I was very pleased with the rates and the fact that
we could work a lot of the multipliers that we had missed on the higher bands.

The 10 hour QSO party seems to be a really good time frame, though it might be
interesting to see how addition of 80 meters might play into this competition.
It certainly would be nice to have 10 and 15 open but for the prairies it's
likely that the skip zone would prevent us from working a lot of the prairie
multipliers. Being so close to Winnipeg I was surprised how few Winnipeg
stations and multipliers of the city I worked. 

Special thanks to  Cary VE4EA and the organizers of the contest . This is
actually a lot of fun mostly because it was planned at a really good time of
year when many of us Cottagers are opening up our cottages . It doesn't ruin the
whole weekend and allows us to do the necessary prep work for the cottages while
still participating in the QSO party. Congratulations to Ed VE4VT for his
outstanding score. 
One last observation, reviewing the scores I saw a lot of familiar calls 
thanks!) but also worked a lot of American 2X3 call signs that it seems did not
report to 3830 . I believe there was a ton of casual participation buy those who
may have not been familiar with contesting and  the QSO party but were kind
enough to give us a contact. They probably wanted to work one of the Prairie
Canadian province stations who may have had a less than familiar prefix or that
they had never worked previously.  Perhaps once the contest is a little bit more
well known, we will have greater participation. Thanks again for all the fun. 

Looking forward to seeing you all in the Canada day contest well I hope the
weather it will be better . It got down to freezing temps up here last night!  

Here's hoping summer's on the way soon and old sol favors us with better
propagation .

73 Rob VE4GV


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