GQN this Saturday!
Howdy folks,
It's that time of the month again to reduce power, clean those antennas and charge those batteries! The next GQN event is this Saturday, 1st March.
From feedback received, the rules have been updates slightly. The frequencies for 40 m SSB has been extended due to crowded band conditions and some DX coming through. The frequencies are as follows:
- Main calling frequency: 7.090 MHz (no change)
- Then upwards in 5 kHz steps: 7.095, 7.100 etc (no change)
- Also downwards from 7.070 MHz in steps of 5 kHz: 7.070, 7.065, 7.060 etc but no lower than 7.040 (new)
Don't be afraid to spread out if band conditions warrant it!
Proposal to simplify logging requirements:
Several pieces of feedback suggest the current logging system is cumbersome or otherwise difficult to deal with. In light of this, I have come up with several ideas to make logging easier and remove barriers to GQN participation. I would appreciate your feedback on the following ideas:
- Removing the back-country category. Logs from 2024 show that one operator operated once from a back-country location. Removing this would simplify the data exchange and log.
- Removing the portable, back-country, DX and CW columns from the log. Portable operation would be indicated by the station using /P or "stroke portable" as a callsign postfix. CW would be indicated by a new column for mode. DX would be indicated by the other station's callsign.
- Removing the QRPp column. QRPp operation would be indicated by a station using /QRPP as a callsign postfix.
- Removing the requirement to record other station's operating power. The rules would be changed such that any contact logged is implied to be operating at 10 W or less
This would simplify the exchange requirements to callsign, RS(T), serial, name and location. This would also potentially allow other logging programs to be used, with the possibility of moving away from the current spreadsheet-based log altogether.
Please holler back with any ideas, counter-proposals etc. Any changes will most likely be implemented next year so there is plenty of time for any further suggestions to be discussed and implemented.
Thanks, and I'll see you on the air this Saturday!
Tim ZL3PIE