Post Party Tidbits

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On, 25 April 2024, Gil, KIM4OZH, emailed:

Gordon and all, Thanks again for presenting what is to me the most enjoyable contest I participate in. For the eight years I have operated mobile/rover in this contest my scores have increased every year,likely from becoming a better operator and improved station automation. I am now utilizing 9 bands with home built antennas and a home built fully automatic antenna switching system,including a proprietary multi-band HF antenna. The system can switch to any band 80m to 70cm in 3 seconds from N1MM commands. The weather was perfect for me and in spite of hitting a tree branch and breaking my 220 antenna [repaired in the field] I was able to activate [for the first time] all 28 CCIC + 1 as advertised. Please find a few pictures of this year's operation with some new gadgets. Once again thanks for all your efforts.

Gil KM4OZH 73

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On 19 March, David, KK4ZUU, emailed:

Good day,

I witnessed a period of little on 40m but s9 noise suddenly appeared when I was out in the countryside on 40m Sunday, it seems the timing of my experience can be explained as a solar flare from sunspot AR3615 noted on spaceweather.com.

https://spaceweather.com/images2024/18mar24/blackoutmap.jpg

https://spaceweather.com/images2024/18mar24/blackoutmap.jpg

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73,
david kk4zuu

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On 19 March 2024, John emailed:

The weekend is over and the VAQP appears to be a success for Virginia ham operators.

The observation I have is Virginia only wanted to operate with Virginia and surrounding states.

I was watching KX4O's provided dxcluster devoted to VQP contacts and the majority of all listed announced frequencies were 40 and 80 meters.... both days.     Very few were on 20, 15.   10 meters was mostly dead for the NW.

As you can see from my score, 8 contacts on 20 and 15 over 3 hours of hunting was not for me very fun.    These were the only stations I heard yet propagation gave a 75 - 90 percent opportunity from WWA.

40 meters during the day does not work for most states west of the Rocky Mountains..

I really like the State QSO Parties and want to grab as many counties as possible but....

So, this is my opinion and I hope you take this as a suggestion and not a criticism as I will try again next year.

And I hope to hear same East Coast stations in April and September (7QP and Salmon Run)    We will be working 20 - 10 during the daylight hours.

73 and thanks for the VAQP 2024

John

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On 18 March 2024, Rick, K3IW, emailed:

Phew, after 61 years licensed, the old timer is slowing down; I worked only a few hours both days. The party was very enjoyable, especially with the regulars camping on their spots and mobiles providing those rare county contacts. I, myself mostly pounced with my IC-705 peanut whistle at five watts to my delta loop on 40 or my ladder line OCF dipole on 80. Once again, it was all QRP CW for me. After I ran out of fresh contacts, I tried running a couple of frequencies SLOWLY, because my slightly cramped setup isn't conducive to quickly logging QSO's. My QRP signal attracted some stations I hadn't worked.

I heard someone on CW in MON answering other calls, but I didn't work anyone in Montgomery or my surrounding areas of Giles, Pulaski or Floyd. Maybe this brass pounder is going extinct.

In all, thanks to everyone who made the 2024 Virginia QSO Party possible and a success.

"Charlie" provides some CAT control during the operating event.

73,
Robert "Rick" Barrow, K3IW
Christiansburg, VA

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