[CQ-Contest] QSO Parties and Newbies

[Jimk8mr at aol.com]

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the Ohio QSO Party, from 1600z to 0400z. I earlier  
posted a quick rules summary, and full rules are available at:    
www.ohqp.org.   Kansas and Hawaii are also hosting parties this  weekend.

State QSO parties are great events for newcomers. They are  generally low 
key affairs, and often give the person a chance to feel rare and  
appreciated. We've put a lot of effort into stirring up interest among the hams  here 
in Ohio. A list of planned operations is available on the OhQP web site.  
Among those who will be on are many newer hams, and not so new hams who are new 
 or very casual contest operators.

I hope you will show up to help them  enjoy the event. Especially for those 
of you in less common states or provinces,  a QSO will do a lot to help 
them enjoy their contesting experience.

>From  outside the host state QSO parties are often handled by tuning for in 
state guys  who are CQing. On CW this is pretty much the way to go. On SSB, 
however, many of  these new guys are not accustomed to running, and 
especially on the higher  bands, will not make noise if they don't hear contest 
activity. So don't  hesitate to find a frequency (preferably near the suggested 
frequencies) and  call "CQ OHIO". You may find a good response to your 
CQ's. Be pleasant to the  newbies, and help them enjoy a positive experience in 
the contesting  world.

Exchange is serial number and county (Ohio) or state/province/ or  "DX". 
Suggested SSB frequencies are 3825, 7200, 14250, 21300, and 28450. CW  centers 
on 45 KHz up.

And don't hesitate to call any big time contesters  you hear as well!    :>)


73  -   Jim   K8MR

OhQP Chairman