2015 Virginia QSO Party
Tidbits

Updated: 16 March 2015


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On 16 Mar 15, Doug, KF4VTT, emailed:


K4EG/M plans on operating per below on 80/75/40/20/15 CW and SSB.  Operators will be N4MIO, W1ES and KF4VTT.  We will be dropping off KK4CLY to operate QRP from Martinsville.

Location Abbreviation Operating Time Total Time
DAY 1


Martinsville MVX 1000AM-1030AM 0.5
Henry County HRY 1030AM-1100AM 0.5
Franklin County FRA 1100AM-1130AM 0.5
Roanoke County ROA 1130AM-1200PM 0.5
Roanoke City ROX 1200PM-130PM 1.5
Salem SAX 130PM-230PM 1
Roanoke County ROA 230PM-300PM 0.5
Floyd County FLO 300PM-430PM 1.5
Patrick County PAT 430PM-600PM 1.5
Carroll County CRL 600PM-700PM 1
Patrick County PAT 700PM-800PM 1

DAY 2


Patrick County PAT 800AM-900AM 1
Henry County HRY 900AM-930AM 0.5
Martinsville MVX 930AM-1000AM 0.5
Henry County HRY 1000AM-1030AM 0.5
Pittsylvania County PIT 1030AM-1100AM 0.5
Danville DVX 1100AM-100PM 2
Pittsylvania County PIT 100PM-130PM 0.5
Halifax County HAL 130PM-230PM 1
Charlotte County CHA 230PM-300PM 0.5
Lunenburg County LUN 300PM-430PM 1.5
Charlotte County CHA 430PM-600PM 1.5
Campbell County CAM 600PM-700PM 1
Halifax County HAL 700PM-730PM 0.5
Pittsylvania County PIT 730PM-800PM 0.5

73,
Doug Fleming
KF4VTT

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On 15 March 2015, Bill, KJ4VTH, emailed:
 
Weather permitting, I plan to operate from a park in the City of Falls Church.  I will being using an FT-857 and a Buddipole on whatever SSB frequencies seem to be active - probably 2m/10m/20m.

73, Bill  KJ4VTH 

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On 1 Mar 15, John, KK4BSM, emailed:
KK4BSM/E will be operating as a multi-multi expedition for the 2015 VQP.

Day 1: Lexington City (LEX), Rockbridge County (RBR)
Day 2: Fluvanna County (FLU)

We will have two stations running CW/SSB on mainly 80m and 40m + VHF.

Please spot us as our operating time will be limited by our battery supply.

Best Regards,
John, KK4BSM


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On 1 Mar 15, John, KX4O, emailed:
Announcement #1
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Here are my plans this year...

WX permitting KX4O/P returns to VQP portable operation leaning on 2007 experiences partially seen in this image...

     http://kx4o.qsolog.com/htmlQSL.php?id=909

This will be a QRP operation on SSB, CW and RTTY using primarily 40 and 20 meters.  I tested the RTTY gear during the NAQP RTTY contest and it seems to work well netting west coast QSOs with under one watt.  I hope the digital QSOs merit the effort.
Antennas will tend towards simplicity and quick deploy with an end fed 40m dipole and my portable vertical for 20m.  Options include:
As for which counties and cities to activate, I'm just not sure yet, but will try to bring the rare ones to light.



Announcement #2
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The QSOParty DX Cluster is ready to go for VAQP 2015.  It has a web interface as well as traditional telnet.  Go here for details...

  http://www.qsoparty.com/

Note, this DX Cluster is NOT connected to the main body of DX traffic.  It is purposely just for QSO Parties such as VAQP.  It has proven useful for quite a few users in recent years.


Thanks.
John, kx4o


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On 27 Feb 15, Ben, N3FQ, emailed:
LARG members and VA QSO organizers-

With two of my three children newly licensed last month, we decided to have an adventure during the VA QSO party and participate together as an expedition team focusing on south central Virginia (western counties seem to be covered regularly with rovers).

Our plan: Sat- EMX, GVL, SUS, PRG, PBX, CHX, AME, POW, CUM, SHM, APP, and CHA. 
Sun- LEX, STX, HIG

We will operate primarily 75m PH and 40m PH from within our van with a full size NVIS 75m dipole outside the van. Saturday will be shorter 30 minute operating periods (may spend more time with less areas covered depending on stamina and set up/take down times), but Sun will be an hour at each location with around around three hours in Highland at the end of the contest. I look forward to hearing everyone on the air and please spot us if you hear us, especially when I get to Highland County (so you can get the worked all VA). And please have patience with my kids when they operate as they will be on the wrong end of potential pile ups.

   -Ben, N3FQ
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On 18 Feb 15, Kevin, KJ4OAP emailed:

Hello Gordon,

Looking forward to another great weekend out driving around Virginia and participating in the VA QSO party.  Things didn't quite go as planned last year since a wintery mix shutdown my route on the second day.  We improvised a new route and still had a lot of fun though!

Anyways, here's my plan for this coming year to post on the pre-party tidbits. We'll hopefully activate some of the rarer counties and cities:

Wythe, Smyth, Washington, Bristol City, Scott, Lee, Norton City, Wise, Dickenson, Russell, and Tazewell on day one

and then

Radford City, Floyd, Franklin, Roanoke County, Roanoke City, Salem City, Craig, Covington, Allegheny, Lexington, Rockbridge, and Buena Vista on day two.

In the past we've been able to operate 40, 20, and 2m but we may try for higher bands if possible.  I'll chase propagation where possible.

73 and GL!
-Kevin, KJ4OAP

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