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Results Article 2009

by K8MR

Time flies when you're having fun! It's been 10 years since the Ohio QSO Party was resurrected by the Mad River Radio Club in 1999. With your fantastic participation, the OhQP is now one of the premier state QSO parties.

While we've all been waiting for some sunspots to return, we've also evolved our operating practices to adapt to what we have. This year these adaptations combined with some reasonably good conditions resulted in several all time records being set.

In particular we've really discovered 75/80 meters, including during the daytime hours. Overall 33,531 qsos were reported, with 2688 stations showing up in the 219 logs we received. Compared to the previous record breaking year of 2005, when some excellent sporadic E skip provided good short distance qsos on the higher bands, qso totals were quite close while the band breakdowns were quite different:

All 88 Ohio counties were worked on both modes. No qsos were reported with Prince Edward Island or the Canadian Yukon/Northwest Territories. No CW qsos were made with North Dakota, Wyoming, Saskatchewan, or incredibly, Kentucky! Maybe some CW operator from Ohio needs to go south across the Ohio River next year!

Several new Ohio category records were set this year: KW8N for Single Op High Power, K8O (K2KW opr.) for Single Op Low Power, and K8MR/M for mobile. Multioperator K8T in Jefferson county and the Delaware Amateur Radio Association came close to setting new records, but in the end no cigars for them.

The top single operator was Bob Hayes, KW8N, of Lorain county. Bob did the contest Field Day style. No, not with generators and dipoles strung up in trees, but rather by being up at 6:30 am the day of the contest to erect antennas. With the help of a crane he put up his rebuilt 4 element KLM 40 meter yagi, as well as a ten meter beam, on his 120 foot tower. He finished that project an hour before the contest and still had the energy for the 12 hours of operating. Unlike Field Day, he did not take down his antennas after the contest.

Ken Silverman, K2KW, operated as K8O from N0FP's station in Butler county to take the Single Operator Low Power category by a wide margin. From Wayne county Dave Balint, N8IW, led Ohio's QRP ops. AD8J and W3NO headed over from Pittsburgh to join WA3C at his Jefferson county hilltop station, operating as K8T to easily win the multioperator category. K8MR recruited driver AC8E to travel through 26 counties in eastern and central Ohio to take the Mobile category, and once again Ralph Matheny, K8RYU, headed southwest from his Marietta home, along with driver KB8DP, to activate some of Ohio's rarest counties and win the Rover category.

From Allen county, Sharon Martarello, KJ8F, repeated as the top YL in the OhQP. She had some good competition from Judy Cerreto, KC8BOM in Lorain county. KC8BOM had an unusual log: zero qsos on 40 meters! Judy, we hope to see you back next year with an antenna for that band as well!

Tim Mitchell, K9TM, three hundred yards away from Michigan in Lucas county, finished second in the SOHP category, and in the process won the SSB Single Operator plaque. The newly sponsored CW plaque involved a close finish between Steve Bolia, N8BJQ, and Tom Hain, KV8Q. Steve started with the advantage of high power, but Tom's persistent multiplier hunting nearly pulled off an upset from his low power station.

The SSB and CW plaques are awarded to the highest SSB and CW scores; operating on the other mode does not disqualify one from winning one of these plaques. However we award only one plaque to any person, so KW8N, who received the SOHP plaque, was ineligible for the SSB plaque.

The Delaware Amateur Radio Association repeats as the winner of the Ohio club trophy.

From outside Ohio, the top score was by Dick Van Zandt, K9OM, back at his summer QTH in Illinois. Erik Martin, N5WR, took top in low power from Tennessee, and Jim Lageson, N0UR turned in a tremendous QRP effort from Minnesota. His score was topped by only five high power and two low power scores. From the far reaches of the Mountain and Pacific time zones, John Desloge, N6MU, persisted though less than wonderful propagation to win a plaque for his efforts. Harry Van Enckevort, PA3ARM, a perennial OQP participant, took the top DX honors this year. Tennessee was a good place to work Ohio this year, and the Tennessee Contest Group was numero uno among out of state clubs.

While we appreciate everyone, inside or outside Ohio, who gets on for the contest, special thanks go those out of state guys who make a special trip to join us from Ohio. The second place multiop effort, N9FN, was by N9FN and W9IU who came from Indiana to operate Field Day style (real Field Day style!) from Celina in Mercer county. W9MSE came all the way from Wisconsin (with his brother in law as a driver) to join us as a mobile, although he did have an extra incentive in the form of visiting his daughter's family in North Canton. KJ9C and W3AG made trips to operate mobile. Perhaps the most interesting mobile effort was by N8KR. Ken didn't drive over to Ohio to operate mobile; he flew! With pilot W9CB and two GPS's (one for the pilot, one for keeping track of which county) they certainly were able to cover lots of territory.

The question is often raised of “what are the rarest counties?” This is a difficult question, and it varies from year to year. See the adjoining list of qsos reported by county (and also by state/province). There are two lists for Ohio activity; one of overall activity, and one where qsos with known mobile station were omitted. The later gives an idea of fixed station activity. This year if you worked Defiance or Morgan counties, you worked a mobile or rover! Might that say something about what was rare?

Thanks go to the various Mad River Radio Club members who do the work to make the Ohio QSO Party possible. Tim Mitchell, K9TM, did the log checking and web design. Ken Silverman, K2KW, was the guy from whom you probably received a few emails encouraging you to get on for the OQP. Everett Jackson, WZ8P, is the producer of the beautiful OQP plaques. Hank Greeb, N8XX, contributed some invaluable help with additional URL redirects. OQP Chairman Jim Stahl, does the report writeup as well as all the other duties of a boss.

The Mad River Radio Club also sponsors the Michigan QSO Party, which will be held on Saturday, April 17. The rules are similar, though not identical, to the OhQP Rules. Full info can be found at www.miqp.org. We hope lots of you will join us for the fun with our friends up north in Michigan.

A word about the Mad River Radio Club. We are a club interested in ham radio contesting, although many of us are by no means contest crazy fanatics. The club is officially centered in Findlay, so with the ARRL's 175 mile radius for club competition, our territory covers most of Ohio, lower Michigan, and parts of Indiana and Ontario. If you'd like to know more about us, check our web site, www.madriverradioclub.org. We also host our annual “Suite in the Sun” at the Dayton Hamvention; our booth at flea market spaces 3617-3619, on Friday and Saturday. We invite all of you to stop by, say hello, chat about the Ohio and Michigan QSO parties, or about anything else that sounds good!

The 2010 Ohio QSO Party returns on Saturday, August 28. The calendar cycle has returned to having only four Saturdays in August, so for the next few years the OhQP will once again be on the last Saturday of August. Mark those calendars now to avoid conflicts later. We're looking forward to seeing you all then!

SOAPBOX COMMENTS

As always, we had a lot of fun in the OQP... Actual operating time was about six hours this year... Murphy arrived late in the contest when he let all of the smoke out of my antenna relay switch. We had to make some temporary repairs in the dark, but that's all part of the fun...

- AA8HH

First time in the QSO Party. QRP using Ten-Tec Argonaut II at 5W and end fed random wire. Looking forward to next year's QSO Party.

- AB8FJ

Enjoyed working the OHQP; will be back next year.

- AC5O

FT817 (5 watt) - antenna:dipole

- IV3AOL

I more than doubled my score from last year! Of course, last year was my first time. Last year I also avoided phone because I dislike phone and I avoided 75 meters because I didn't have an antenna for that part of the band, and I don't have a coaxial antenna tuner.

This year, just hours before the test, I added another wire in parallel with the 2 other 3.5 MHz wires that hang to the side of my 160 meter "T". I cut the wire for 3.825, and it came out resonant at 3.775, but the rig was happy anyway. (Paralleling wires causes the

higher frequency wires to be very narrow.) I started on 40, and alternated between 40 and 20 until early evening. Then I tried 80 and wow! Never heard so much activity during daylight

on that band! I should have been there sooner. I only worked K8MR mobile just once, when he was just one county over. I worked W8TK several times, although I could never hear him well.

But Tom is pretty patient. I worked K8RYU a few times, too, although I botched the county the first time. Thanks to the rovers for making the test interesting.

Jackson County was an easy multiplier this year. Next year I'll try to have a second radio (looking at squandering some of the looking-for-a-job reserve money for a K3) and check 80 meters more often.

Equipment: IC765, ETO 91B (thanks, K8ND), numerous verticals, Beverages (which are indispensable when all you have is a vertical).

- K1LT

Good activity, especially the mobiles, considering the noisy bands. Since I was born and grew up in Richmond, Indiana, just a few miles from Ohio, may I be an honorary Buckeye?

- K1TN

Great activity, lousy condx on 20.

- K3TN

I have enjoyed this contest for many years, this is the first year for mobile operation. What a great time. See every on OQP 2010

- K8CR

This was the first time I've ever had more qsos on 80 CW than on 40 CW! The mobile mini-window at 3545 seemed to work well from my perspective.

- K8MR

The best antenna on 75/80 was the 4-square. The best antenna on 40 was the low dipole.

The best antenna on 20 was the beam. Listened a few times on 15 but never heard a signal.

- K8T

I only had 2 QSO's on 80m so not many counties this year but had around 35 states. decided to stayed a home. and do the contest from a fixed location. All in all, a fun event.

- K8WDN

Last year I operated from Mercer County with N9FN... but this time I was visiting my mother in Florida and really enjoyed the contest from my pickup truck. I took plenty of breaks tor beverage refills, and even cooked burgers on the grill for dinner, but still had a ball. I worked many very fine ops and am grateful for everyone who pulled my call out of the piles & QRM.

- K9FN

Terrific contest with excellent mobile ops!

- K9OM

First Time Doing the Ohio QSO Party I really loved this Event. I will Be back Next year

- KB8STK

First QSO Party. Hope to work more next year,

- KC8FNF

My second contest ever.

- KC8UNR

PCARS ..great time ! Used new PCARS Communications Trailer for the 80/40 station!

- KD8CKP

This was my first OHQP!!! I had a blast! Can't wait to do it again!!!

- KD8ISH

Great participation by OH ops made this contest fun! Thanks!

- KE7DX

Nice, popular contest

- KI4BXU

Just a short 8 hour effort this year

- KJ9C

My best effort in the OQP. Spent lots of time changing bands. 80 was quiet here until the sun went down and then it got real noisy. Skip went long there right after sundown also. Missed 15 counties and 15 states/providences. Worked quite a few DX stations also. Not a peep

on either 10 or 15 here. Maybe next year. Speaking of which, I'll hope to see you all again then. Thanks to the mobiles for all of the counties and thanks to everyone else for all of the Q's.

- KV8Q

Got crane to come 6:30 am saturday morning to put up 10 meter and 40 meter beams on top of tower

- KW8N

Many thunderstorms here in MD. Hope everyone plans to participate in the 2010 MDC QSO Party.

- KZ3AB

2nd ohio qso party my congrats to all that copied my probably weak 40 meter signals I had to run six watts to a low 4' to 10' sloping 1/4 wave wire on 40 and any power higher than that disrupted my new high speed internet connection see you all next year with a corrected set-up

- N1NN

Was having a great time for the first 2 1/2 hours, until thunderstorms arrived. They lasted all day.

- N4VA

Got in about 10.5 hrs. Nice to have good weather here for a change. Offtime I can blame on my 8 month old great grandson whom I had not seen for a few weeks. He did get his first exposure to CW when I put the headphones on him. He smiled - I think that is a good sign. His sending leaves a bit do be desired. I'll work on him.

Congrats to all of the mobiles and rovers. Was fun following them around the state. Could not hear much out of the southeast portion of the state. More Q's than last year and a better score but sill a bit short At least nothing broke. Wait till next year!!

- N8BJQ

Chris AA8VL and I did an Old fashioned portable operation. No computers, just a card table, a radio, an antenna and paper logs. Do you know that ink, paper and rain aren't compatible?

- N9AG

We had a great time operating portable from Mercer County in a shelter at Eastview Park in

Celina. Of course it rained when we put the antennas up, it rained when we took the antennas down, and it was damp/cold/windy in between. Other than that, it was a fun time! :-)

73 - Dave - N9FN and Don - W9IU

- N9FN

Worked the Ohio QSO Party this year from Boquete, Panama. Bettered my score from last years. Never heard my hometown county of Lorain County. Maybe next year.

- HP3/NC6Q

Had a lot of fun. See you all next year.

- ND3R

Could only put in a few hours...would have really enjoyed Saturday night. Nice to work old friend K8MFO and K8MR.

- ND8L

Didn't have much time available for the event. But got on a few times to hand out the WA multiplier. Lots of activity and heard some big numbers.

- NG7Z

Band conditions were much better into Houston this year than last and great participation on the part of the OH operators. Had fun chasing the mobiles from county to county including K8MR(13), W9MSE(9), W8TK(8), W8CAR(6), W1NN(5), and K8RYU(4). The best ears award goes to K8MR who managed to pull my signal out of the 80m QRN, usually on the first call.

73/Chuck/NO5W TXQP Coordinator

- NO5W

Thanks for this nice party and giving me a chance to work 6 new OH counties! Unfortunately propagation on 20 mts was not that good as in 2003 when I had participated my very first time, however later installed 3el MAG340 by Force12 did a great job for me during my second attempt. Greeting to all mobiles who managed to hear my weak DX sigs through local US pileups and cu next year ! Dima, UA3AGW

- UA3AGW

Nice friendly contest.

- VA3OR

K1 (5 WATTS) G5RV, 20M dead, 40M OK, courteous ops

- W0PQ

Had a great time; lots of activity, both mobiles and fixed stations. Conditions seemed quite good also. Thanks to everyone. Rig was TS830S (100w), Butternut HF6V vertical.

- W1END

Local thunderstorms kept contest time low.. The QRN was so bad.

- W2UDT

I had to limit my operating time due to an electrical storm in my area.

- W4ZPR

I had a ball. Thanks for sponsoring THE OHIO QSO PARTY!

- W5ESE

Very good and nice ops - it was fun! Thank you!

- W8DYF

Got home in time to get started at 10 p.m. local. Had fun! Thanks to W8WTS for the honor (chore) of copying my straight key fist.

- W8KNO

nice program

- W8MFU

A six-hour effort, but fun while it lasted.

- W8TM

Just a short effort on my way to/from Ohio

- W9ELI

It was a great contest, I had a great time.

- W9MSE

1st OH QSO party, was a lot of fun

- WB0PYF

First contest other than Field Day. Tnx!

- WB2CWJ