WQ6X as W6R Runs a Routine QRP Triple-OP CQP

 

 

As I explained in the previous CQP Blog, it seems like from the beginning, CQP offers up an expansive playing field to play on (radiosport-wise) - each year I discover here-to-for undiscovered
(for me anyway) ways to play the CQP game.  When it's ALL over, the Question becomes, DiD the CQP contest overall adequately activate all 58 California counties [nearly] all of the time?

The original idea was to put together a club-run multi-single operation for the Amateur Radio
Club of Alameda (ARCA) using our club callsign - Kilowatt 6 Quebec London Foxtrot (K6QLF). 
Too many variables derailed running an event for 30 hours at the Oakland Yacht Club (in Alameda).  Scouting the CQP website, I happened onto an alternate approach to CQP-23 that eventually ended
up in a triple-OP operation for WQ6X, setting 2 county records in the process.

With careful planning, it was determined that a CQP triple-OP could be accomplished by:

• Putting in hours for NX6T (RIVE) remotely on BOTH Ssb and CW.
• Run remotely from Ramona as W6R (SDIE) assisted QRP on BOTH Ssb and CW.
• Run unassisted QRP as WQ6X (CCOS) on BOTH Ssb and CW.

The goal was to be part of a high score in ALL-3 operations, while at the same time

setting QRP county records for BOTH WQ6X and W6R - all from three different locations:
Anza, Concord and Ramona.  Because each QTH had its unique propagation characteristics,
the operating-strategy was different, NoT only for each time of day, but for each callsign
(I.e. different operating QTH).

When it was all over, those goals were ALL accomplished.  More than anything,
this is a testament to the importance of operating CQP with an advance plan,
physically documented, open to modification at any time.

Along the way, Space-WX effects on propagation were always a consideration.
The days leading up to CQP, the solar conflicts were many and varied. 
By Saturday, things had calmed down considerably.  

I guess really, the easiest way to describe things is to post the 3830
Soapbox comments for these GiG operations, beginning with W6R:

wOw!  What a Bizarre CQP weekend.

When the original plan to operate QRP from a sailboat in ALAM

county de-materialized, a triple-OP operation was created running

from W7AYT's QTH in Concord.

W6R (R=Ramona) was run QRP remotely, giving access to a Stepp-IR,

Shorty-40 and 75-meter Inv-Vee @ 55-feet on the hilltop in Ramona (SDIE).

In between, WQ6X made some QSOs also running QRP from CCOS and even put

in a Sunday early-morning shift for NX6T running remotely from Anza.

If calculations are correct, W6R set an SDIE county record for 

SO(A) QRP, while WQ6X set a CCOS county record for SO QRP.

The 3830 Soapbox comments for WQ6X are similar, yet different.

wOw!  What a Bizarre CQP weekend.

When the original plan to operate QRP from a sailboat in ALAM

county de-materialized, a triple-OP operation was created running

from W7AYT's QTH in Concord.

While the antenna system @W7AYT is marginal it was enough to make 

a significant presence from CCOS.  The band condx were AWEsome overall.

In between, I ran as W6R remotely running QRP from SDIE and even 

put in a Sunday early-morning shift for NX6T running remotely from Anza.

If calculations are correct, W6R set an SDIE county record for SO(A) QRP, 

while WQ6X set a CCOS county record for SO QRP.

N7NR submitted the CQP Score for NX6T and had this to say:

Our entry in CQP went very well thanks to the excellent efforts of all of our ops.  It helped that a majority of our ops took the time Friday evening to test out their internet connection and our logger with a few practice Qs during a ZOOM training session.

We invited a couple of guest ops this year -- KC7V and KL7SB -- both of whom helped us a bunch.  Thanks Mike and Steve.  In addition to all of the ops, I especially want to thank the station owner, John, WA6TQT, for allowing us to use his great station.  Also, John saved the day for us when the first shift op noticed a high SWR on 10m.  In less than an hour John was able to bypass the troublesome Stackmatch so that the 10m stack could be used for the remainder of the contest. 

THANKS JOHN!!

Finally, a huge thanks to all the callers who made this such a fun event.

73, Dave, N7NR

The bottom-line for me is that I managed CQP operations from 3 different California Counties and was a significant part of each of those operations scoring a 1st-place for their respective counties (RIVE, SDIE & CCOS) while setting a new county record for San Diego (SDIE) and Contra Costa (CCOS) counties.  How do we ToP THAT for CQP 24?  At this moment, I DUNNO.

DiD YOU work the California QSO Party (CQP)??

Is NX6T, W6R or WQ6X in YOUR LoG?