2020 Virginia QSO Party

Post Party Tidbits

Updated:3 August 2020







On 10 August 2020, we received mail from Ed, W2CVW:





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On 3 August 2020, Roger, N1NN, emailed:

... thank you for another great looking VAQP certificate!

73, Roger N1NN

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On 1 August 2020, Bert, N4CW, emailed:

... , first, thanks for sending me the certificate; I didn't know if I had accomplished enough to earn it! It wasn't a good day, mobiling-wise. I normally do my mobile activities with my son-in-law, W4TMO (also PVRC), but with Covid-19 limitations, it just wasn't going to happen. I would have done much better with him driving and helping with the problems I encountered. Well, in the spirit on ham radio, I made do with what I had!

I hope I can try this again next year. Thanks for your support and pass along my thanks to the club for sponsoring the event and the award.

73, Bert, N4CW

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On 13 May 2020, Dave, K3SR, emailed:

Gordon, 

Hope all is going well in finishing VAQP stuff for this year.  I�ve been playing with my log files and various software merging/sorting packages and wanted to pass on a few personal tidbits I�ve discovered concerning my VAQP operations.

I�ve participated in 9 VAQPs, the first was 2005.   Combining all VAQPs I participated in I�ve worked: 
Not counting 2020 I�ve won at least 1 plaque each time I�ve participated except my first year for a total of 8. 

It�s unfortunate that the Manassas Hamfest has been cancelled.   Is SPARC considering any type of on-line VAQP briefing or will none be done this year?

Thanks for all the work you do to make this a great contest.

de K3SK  
Dave Buckwalter
Cumberland County
Farmville VA
 


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Two QSL Cards we received.



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On 30 April 2020, Andy, K1RA, emailed:
 
...

Although we'd called it off months ago, due to lack of interest, Terry W8ZN, Jason W4EO and I did manage to put KW4VA on the air again from the W4RX station in Clarke, as you probably know by the scores.  We spent all day Friday before the contest setting up antennas and re-working the shack and managed to run without any failures.  We setup a KW HF digital/CW station , a KW HF SSB station and a 50-100W V/UHF station..You can see some pix here

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JiL3AiVPMQ3WgEsV7

Since the larger attended FARA W4VA operation from the basement of KA4RRU in FAU was canceled due to operating station proximity concerns and the virus , the 3 of us felt we needed to attempt something to boost activity.  Safe to say, none of us got sick from the event and are all still healthy and well :)

73

andyz - K1RA

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On 11 April 2020, John, KJ4PGD, emailed:
Attached is an excel spreadsheet that contains the log sheet for KJ4PGD-E during 2020 Virginia QSO Party. 

Also attached are pictures of the expeditions base camp. 

Please let me know if you have any questions and that you have received this email.

Thanks and 73s,
John
KJ4PGD














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On 28 March 2020, the Olde Virginia Hams posted an article.

https://w4ovh.net/ovh-virginia-qso-party-stories/

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On 27 March 2020, John, KX4O, reported that use of the online spotting network at http://www.qsoparty.com/ was very active this year with significantly more spots than previously. 



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SOAPBOX as of 28 March 2020

KJ4OAP-P Certainly one of the strangest (and not just because of the
 virus), but also a super cool contest this year. My
 apologies for not reading the rules and signing �stroke
 x-ray,� first time doing an expedition operation. I hadn�t
 originally planned to operate until my plans changed the
 week of the contest.  Quickly threw something together for a
 plan, but knew I�d need 80m based on the HF radar data I
 monitor. Took some leftover speaker wire, split it apart and
 soldered that to the ground for my antenna mount. That
 seemed to work a little better, though still was in the
 noise for some. Originally wanted to do digital only, but
 joined in during a bad band part of Saturday.  Maybe 80m
 digital isn�t as active too. Made one contact though on an
 070 contest, so sending in separate logs! I should have
 stuck with digital looking back. Until next year, 73!

AA8TA Too competition and QRM with the Russian DX test and a RTTY
event.  Not much heard here until 80 meters opened up.  Most
activity seemed to be in the last hour.

AB1A due to c-virus parks closed operated from apartment with 9ft whip antenna +
loading coil with really high noise level in valley luck to get these contacts 73 to all

AB4I This was my first VQP! TR4W worked well. 73, AB4I

AE0TT 40 meters wasn't long enough and 20 was too long.  enjoyed the qso party.
til next year.

F6EPO Saturday no Va on 20m, Sunday more VA until 19h GMT..(listen Va on dxcluster, mny qso on 80-40m)

K0MPH I wasn't able to get on Saturday and on Sunday there was almost
no activity on 40 and 20 (80 doesn't work from MN during the
day).  I was expecting more activity from VA.

K0STP operators on 80m need to grow up

K1AUS Only had a few hours on Sunday to work the contest. Only 3 VA
stations heard over 6 hours on 20 and 40 meters where K3SK, KW4VA
and N4HB. Will be better next year.

K1SO The band was really active.

K2KR Tough time from Colorado

K2WPM-4 Tried to activate 8 counties expedition.
-4 Succeeded in 5.
-4 This is the best party ever!

K3SK First time with no equipment issues!    Propagation was poor. 
Thankfully I finally got myself a 40 meter beam to make up for it. 
 
K4AWM As usual, a fun contest for part and full time contestants.

K4CGY Great Contest,  many gentlemen little QRM

K4H-M This effort was accomplished with AK2M and KI2H sharing a Ford
 F-150 Supercrew with multiple transceivers and antennas. Please
 visit http://www.k4h.live for details.

K7CS Heard very few stations at my qth.

KA0REN EXCELLENT !

KA7HBH Thanks for another great fun event. Too bad 40 did not have better conditions.
Thanks to the mobile and expedition stations for providing multipliers and patience!

KC4RCR First Contest Attempt Ever. Home-made j-pole.


KC7TNU-M It was Great connecting with Ian N8IK/M and Rande KN4JVX/M on Simplex
 Mobile in Fairfax County & Arlington, VA on 2M & 70CM!... This was my
 second Virginia QSO Party and I increased over 100% with 3 contacts
 this year!... Thank you very much!!! '73 KC7TNU/M...

KD2GTF I made a few contacts for the VA QSO party this weekend but I did not
intend to really participate.  I wanted to log them for you in case you need
to verify the other operators logs so they get credit.

KD5ILA Heard no stations calling for the VAQP but did have three

KD9GY terrible band conditions, but had fun!

KE4S Tried something new (for me) - normal operation is HF. I
connected my IC-910H to the computer as a second radio and
operated VHF-FM in addition to the K3 on HF. Not real
integration, but at least both rigs logged to the computer!

KF5VO I wish more VA stations were reaching out to out of state stations. I heard very few, which my log shows.

KJ4YKG Thanks for the great party!  See you next year.

KJ9C SATURDAY WAS A BUST FROM HERE. NOT MANY VA TRIED LONGER PROP BANDS

KK4ZUU Fixed, added FM Sun after swapping antenna to Diamond X50a on LMR400 at 20ft.
If no pandemic next year, mobile! 73, David

KN4CHI Age 14 YOUTH

KN9W Horrible time with bands, only 40 worked at all for me

KS1G Fun time, did a bit better than 2019.  Kudos to all the great
operators and county activators.  Special shout-out to W4GO/M! 
Now if I could just arrange for *all* my neighbors to power-down
and kill the S9+ noise level on 80M...

KV8Q Hoping to find a few new counties on CW in this SSB event.  Found
one so I call it a success.  Happy for the Q's.  Thanks - 73  tom
Rig = TenTec Eagle @ 100 Watts    Antenna = Mag Loop (40 thru
15) and an Isotron-80 in attic 12' above garage floor and an
indoor 10 meter dipole.

N1NN 12TH VIRGINIA QSO PARTY

NX6T While running the BARTG RTTY contest, I found a 1/2 hour (14:30z)
to look for VA stations.  As usual, I was disappointed by the POOR
in-state QSO party turnout.  Throughout the day I would tune down
to the CW band, and NO VA stations.
Read all about it at: http://WQ6X.Blogspot.com

OM2VL I was QRV only on Sunday. It was 2 different Virginia QPs on same
weekend. 80m SSB VA QSO Party and Virginia QSO Party on other
bands. I could take part on the 2nd QP ;) ... Last year not many
QSOs on 20m, but later 40m/80m was good. (80m: 23/0, 40m: 29/20,
20m: 19/5) This year 20m was excellent - 84 QSO!!!, thanks to so
many VA resident stations who come on this band and called
me.This year 20m closed at 18:55Z. After that I was on 40m CW
later SSB but not really big pileup. It seems everybody was on
80m or behind 7.200 ... Last 50 minutes I went on 80m and band
was full of strong stations. Unfortunately I had PC failure
during my QSO with AK4CJ, and recovery takes 25 minutes :( I lost
during this time about 10 QSO sure. My big thanks to mobile
station KG3V/M who called me on 20m and we made also on 80m. Only
this 2 mobile QSO in my LOG, others did his private QP without
Europe stations.  I worked 10 Independent City + 39 counties (no
any from my missed 12). When somebody will be QRV from the
following counties please let me know: Buchanan, Charlotte,
Grayson, Greensville, Highland, Lee, Middlesex, Rappahannock,
Russell, Southampton, Surry, Sussex.
Most QSOs with stations - 3 QSO (80/40/20m):
K4BSK, K4GM, K4ORD, KA4RRU, N4PD, NR3N, W4PM.
Thanks for organizing the QP and QSOs!
PLEASE QSLs (real paper) for my awards.
regards, Laci OM2VL

SP6JOE  straight key,no computer,worked from my summer house

W4IPC  ROOKIE

W4WSE See you next year...keep up the good work.

WB2FUE A FUN CONTEST EVEN THOUGH CONDITIONS NOT THE GREATEST.
FIRST TIME FOR ME IN THE VQP.


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