[CQ-Contest] US Zipcode Help Needed

[Robert Chudek - K0RC]

The Zip Codes in the FCC database may or may not be useful for your 
particular purpose. These are mailing addresses, not necessarily the 
operating QTH of the station(s) in question. In addition there is a built-in 
hysteresis with hams (and the general population) constantly moving about.

This became evident as I put together the tool we use in the Minnesota QSO 
Party to forecast which rovers will be in each county, starting at what 
time, and for what duration. I wanted to determine which counties were most 
"rare", by ranking all 87 of them in my list from fewest to most HF licensed 
hams.

The best that I can do was a "probability" of the number of amateurs living 
within a specific county. The first realization is zip codes don't respect 
county boundaries. I did find a marketing database I could extrapolate and 
get a better "per county count." Another issue is a fellow may live in 
Minneapolis (with that address and zip code in the FCC database) but operate 
from his cabin 150 miles away.

So the answer is (as usual) "it depends."

73 de Bob - KØRC in CHS

P.S.'s:

The Minnesota QSO Party will be on the air Saturday, February 7, 2009. Rules 
and stuff here:  www.w0aa.org

The MnQP mobile planner can be downloaded here:  http://tinyurl.com/a27mbk




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Keane K1MK" <k1mk at alum.mit.edu>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 8:52 AM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] US Zipcode Help Needed


>I think Vic hit it on the head. The USPS does change zone boundaries and
> prefixes on occasion. Haven't found any place on the Web where past
> changes have been archived.
>
> 73,
> Mike K1MK
>
> On 1/20/2009 9:13 PM, Victor A. Kean, Jr. wrote:
>>> The FCC database contains a number of US contester callsigns with
>>> zipcodes that, according to all the checks I have made at a number of
>>> sources, just don't exist. Despite this, some of 'mystery' zipcodes
>>> have, in some cases, over 100 callsigns using them !!
>>
>> Tim:
>>
>> I note zip code 02173 on the list.  I used to live in that zip code,
>> which used to be Lexington, Massachusetts.  It now has a different
>> zip code, 02421.
>>
>> I postulate that most of the zip codes on your list have been replaced,
>> but there is no reason for the zip code in the FCC database to be
>> updated.
>>
>> Just a guess.
>>
>> Victor, K1LT (ex WA1LKU of 02173)
>
>
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