[CQ-Contest] FQP 2007 results posted!

K1to at aol.com K1to at aol.com
Wed Apr 16 22:20:26 EDT 2008


In a message dated 4/17/2008 1:10:15 AM Greenwich Standard Time, 
k0rc at pclink.com writes:


> I was looking over the FLQP rules and was surprised to see the 80m band 
> (nor 
> 160m) is not an operating choice. During the MNQP, over 15% of the contacts 
> are logged on the 80m band.
> 
> What is the thought/background/reason for this decision?
> 

Bob - 

Thanks for your interest and query.  This topic was addressed in the 2007 
write-up lead which I will repeat below.  First, though, one very important 
difference to note:  The FQP does not count Florida counties as multipliers for 
Florida entrants.  Minnesota does, as does PA and a few others.  That tends to 
drive people to the lowest band open and makes it a regional QSO party and the 
FQP consciously steered away from that philosophy.  

>From the write-up:
"We’ve resisted including 80 Meters in the FQP for a number of reasons, but 
it might be worth restating them, since we get a few inquiries each year about 
that. First, we wanted the FQP to be more than a regional QSO Party.  This has 
been successful to date as we’ve had a winner from CA and a county sweep from 
Europe. Any activity on 80M is likely to be regionalized. Secondly, we wanted 
the mobiles to be on equal footing.  Erecting a mobile antenna for 80M is 
non-trivial, especially one that tunes
on both modes. Thirdly, there are only 2 hours of darkness in Florida out of 
the 20 operating hours. In higher sunspot years, 20 Meters remains open the 
entire time and it’s hard enough to get people to move to 40 for a little while, 
let alone 80. We
don’t want to change the rules several times each sunspot cycle to 
accommodate the conditions of that period. Fourth, we actually have some empirical 
evidence. We
included 80 Meters in 1998, the first running. Activity levels there were 
dismal. I believe we took a survey after that event and the vast majority voted 
to remove 80 Meters. We’re quite aware that it reduces the number of contacts 
that our close-in W4 neighbors can make. But read on and you’ll even see some 
great success
from TN and SC this time! "

73, Dan, K1TO


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