[CQ-Contest] Who Is the Oldest?

[Alan Sewell N5NA]

A search of "QSO Party" in the QST archive turned up an announcement of 
the West Virginia 3rd QSO Party on April 10, 1947.  That was in the 
April, 1947, QST page 134.

There was an announcement of the 3rd PA QSO Party on September 19 & 20, 
1959.  That was in the September, 1959, QST page 100.

There were a couple of announcements of ARRL QSO parties before that.  
The Dakota Division had a QSO party in October, 1934.  The NNJ Section 
had a QSO Party on two weekends in April & May, 1935.

73,

Alan  N5NA


Ward Silver wrote:
> Such a subject is sure to generate some discussion :-)  The specific subject is "which state QSO party is the oldest?"  In the last issue of the Contest Update (www.arrl.org/contest/update) I printed the claim of California's QSO Party to being the oldest of the lot.  Subsequently, a question was raised about that - is the Pennsylvania QSO Party older?  I don't know - and possibly there are others with a claim to the title.
>
> Now - let's be sure we distinguish between "longest continuously running state QSO party" and "first state QSO party".  I'd kinda like to know both.  This year is CQP's 45th running - that's pretty good!  Can any others match or exceed that?  And when was the very first state QSO party, anyway, regardless of activity since then?  And no regional or local contests - it has to be a contest aimed at a single state (yes, territories are OK, too, you KL7's and KH6's).
>
> An interesting question - let the games begin!
>
> 73, Ward N0AX
> Editor - Contest Update
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