[CQ-Contest] QSO Party Rules

[Gary McAdams]

Having worked every state in the union more than once, I usually only 
participate in state QSO parties for fun.

But since I live in Washington state, a number of our local clubs are 
fairly competitive amongst ourselves. I am a member of at least three of 
those state clubs and i have always participated in the Salmon Run with 
my first club, the Radio Club of Tacoma. We started doing this as a club 
fund raiser about five or ten years ago and I've never missed one since 
then.

I don't get why K9YC would avoid state QSO party because of the mobiles 
/ rovers not doing it "his way". The rovers will do what they want to do 
to maximize THEIR score, not anyone else's score. Yeah, after local 
sunset most of them are found on 80 meters and we locals use that to our 
advantage to get the "clean sweep". This does not affect their daytime 
operation too much. Most of them will be available on whatever bands are 
open during the day as will the home based stations. This just makes 
sense, doesn't it?

No one, to my knowledge, ever dictates how the rovers are to work their 
stations. Looking for those last few counties is one of the things that 
make our QSO party fun. The rules for the Salmon Run are a bit different 
than others, but that too, makes it fun. If the differences bother you, 
then don't work the Washington state QSO party. We won't miss you,and 
complaining about it here will not change that. The Salmon Run IS set up 
to accommodate in state participation and that was done to get more 
Washington state hams on the air during it. Out of state participants 
are a bonus!

Our club got the last few counties yesterday and we will be on all day 
today, going for points, on whatever band offers the best opportunity. 
Yesterday, I worked the club station on 15 meters for about three hours 
during the period from about 1000 to 1300 local. Made lots of Q's there. 
Ten was a bust, fifteen was good for a while and of course twenty was 
doing it's usual thing.

73, Gary WG7X

Radio Club of Tacoma...


On 9/18/2022 4:54 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> Nonetheless, I have to wonder why anyone would boycott a particular 
> QSO party because of its rules.  Do you really care about your QSO 
> party score, or do you get on for the fun of working people?  I've 
> always assumed that the only people who cared about scores were the 
> in-state folks anyway.
>
>