[CQ-Contest] N3SH Bonus Stations in the Pa QSO Party

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

I'm a touch surprised that this question has come up now, as it has been discussed multiple times on the Pa QSO reflector, and I believe I've mentioned it here from time to time to.

The N3SH Bonus Stations will be operating from the following 7 counties:

Allegheny (3 sites, 1 SSB/VHF, 1 CW, 1 RTTY & PSK-31)
Butler
Clarion
Fayette
McKean
Venango
Washington
+ N3SH/Mobile from multiple additional counties

The "primary" operations, Allegheny, Fayette, and Washington, are each expected to have at least two stations QRV at all times.  The "secondary" operations (the others) are each expected to have at least one station QRV at all times.  

Each location will ID with their county -- ie N3SH Allegheny on phone, N3SH MCK on CW, etc. -- so that other contesters looking for the (200 point per QSO!) bonus stations will know which one is which.

We are aware that some software packages have difficulties with a multi-county operation like this.  I have previously suggested that contesters using these packages log the various N3SH stations as "rovers" to get around the software limitations... but I've been blasted for doing so by so many who reacted only to that line without reading the entire post that at this point, I make no such suggestions.  Since this is NOT the first time this was done in the contest (the W3UU Bonus Station in 2003 did the same thing, though from fewer locations I belive), it shouldn't be a big surprise.  

Good luck, & hope to see you in the contest this weekend!

73, ron w3wn


Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 12:49:28 -0000
From: "Randy Thompson" <k5zd at charter.net>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] 2006 Pa QSO Party Plans
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>

How many N3SH stations are there?  Are they all going to be on at the same
time?  How will we know one from another for duping?  

For you rules mavens, don't forget that the PA QSO Party is the only contest
in the world that scores in 1/2 point increments.  I think QSOs on 40cw are
worth 1.5 points each (or something like that).

Randy K5ZD