[SCCC] New England QSO Party this weekend

[W6ph at aol.com]

>From K1KI:
 
 
The New England QSO Party is this weekend.    Hope that isn't a surprise to 
you!

I've sent out reminders to previous participants, and to the CQ-Contest 
reflector but thought I'd include some additional notes here.

We have activity planned from all 67 New England counties - and there are a 
lot of YCCC members involved in the effort.

Last year we had almost 430 logs submitted - 149 from New England.  Of 
those, I see more than 80 YCCC callsigns present.   Id' sure be great to have 
even more YCCC activity this year.

There's really nothing like the rush of being the focus of interest in a 
contest.  Not quite like being in the Caribbean in the ARRL DX Contest, but 
not too far from it at times.   It's a great time to work on your running 
skills with much less QRM than a DX contest.   Best of all, QSO Parties are 
where a lot of new contesters come from.   It's a great training ground.

So - please give it whirl this weekend - and as K5ZD and others found out 
last year, it just might draw you in for more time than you expected.

Here are the basics:

*  The contest period runs from 2000Z Saturday May 2 until 0500Z Sunday May 
3 (4pm EDT Saturday until 1am EDT Sunday) and 1300Z Sunday May 3 until 
2400Z Sunday (9am EDT Sunday until 8pm EDT Sunday). 

*  Suggested frequencies are: CW - 3540 7035 14040 21040 28040, SSB - 3850 
7280 14280 21380 28380.  ** Now that the broadcast stations are mostly out 
of 7125-7200, try 7180 on 40m SSB.**     Digital QSOs count the same as CW 
QSOs

*  New England stations send signal report, county and state, and can work 
anyone, including other NE stations.  Non-New England stations send signal 
report plus state/province/country.

The full rules are available on the NEQP web site at www.neqp.org

We have a wide variety of plaques - approaching 40 of them, plus some 
special awards, and certificates for everyone who sends in a log with 25 valid 
QSOs.   Thanks to the many clubs and individuals who have contributed!

The first day will certainly have a lot of competing activity from the 7th 
call area QP, the Indiana QP, and the MARAC County Hunter's QP - and maybe 
from the Italian (ARI) DX Contest.    That should mean there will be no lack 
of stations to work - even with no sunspots (a little one is disappearing 
around to the back of the sun).   The 7QP and INQP won't be around on the 
second day so it may be a little less crowded.

If you only plan to participate in the 7QP or INQP or MARAC or ARI contest, 
we'd still like to have your log and we'll take it in any format, though 
Cabrillo is preferred.   Don't bother to cull out the non-New England QSOs, 
we'll handle it.   If you log the county and state for New England stations 
we'll score it as a competitive entry - otherwise it will be used as a very 
much appreciated check log.   Send logs to logs at neqp.org

Contacts will also count for the ARRL's Year of the State QSO Party (and 
certificate) --> http://www.arrl.org/awards/ysqso/

Have a lot of fun!

-- Tom/K1KI

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