Wednesday, March 22, 2023

What Do We Say about NAQP RTTY?




















While radiosport activities are a major focus nearly every weekend, sometimes it gets relegated to 2nd priority.  After taking 2nd place in the Toastmasters Alameda area speech contest Friday evening, my attention was free to finalize a 2-part presentation on radiosport contesting for Saturday's monthly meeting of the Amateur Radio Club of Alameda (ARCA).  Afterwards, client commitments kept me in Alameda longer than originally anticipated.

22:47z found me in the operators chair of the WQ6X portable setup @W7AYT's QTH in Concord.  While 10 & 15 meter band conditions have been AWEsome all week, on Saturday, by 23:00z
10-meters was already over @W7AYT; no stations were heard and no RBN beacons decoded
my "CQ NAQP" calls.  15-meters was good for about 20 minutes of reliable communication.  Technically, there were no Space-WX storms that weekend, altho signals seemed to flutter
in and out over a 7-second period, turning decodable signals into gibberish MUSH.








The main objective for the 6-hours contest run was to confirm the efficacy of running QRP RTTY. 
When running frequencies, I would send "CQ NAQP WQ6X WQ6X/QRP".  Because my signal was weaker than most, calling stations would call in considerably OFF frequency, requiring me to use the clarifier to properly tune them in to effect proper RTTY decoding.  After responding to my "UR CL Again?" twice, they just disappear?  HuH?  

Just a minute ago, you walked all over other calling stations to QSO with WQ6X, and now you
are GONE?  Wassup with that?  Meanwhile many of the other calling stations also disappeared;
in retrospect, I shoulda worked them FIRST.  Instead, nearly 40-seconds of valuable time is wasted,
and NO QSOs are logged, requiring yet another "CQ NAQP..." call all over again.  The new watch phrase for 2023 radiosport contests is "PAY ATTENTION !".













Despite running less than 6 hours, when it was all over, according to the 3830 Scores, it would 
seem that WQ6X running QRP achieved a 1st place in the Single-OP Assisted QRP category.












DiD YOU work the NAQP RTTY Contest?

Is WQ6X/QRP in YOUR LoG?



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