[ILQSO] HINTS AND LIST

[James Funk]

Regarding operating strategy, it depends on where you are and what you
have.
A fixed station with lots of antennas and some power can go crazy
changing bands and switching modes.  You will for sure want to keep
looking for mobiles as they change counties because sometimes we are
only in a county ten or fifteen minutes. Other than that, you'll want to
call CQ a LOT.  A few stations last year emphasized SSB (from home) and
worked several hundred stations, mostly by calling CQ.  

Yes, 40 is the band for in-state, but *it depends*.  If you are a fixed
station with a decent high-angle antenna, you will work IL stations with
ease on 40.  Bear in mind that Illinois is a LONG state. Guys in Chicago
may well work the mobiles down south on 20, but 40 is a better option.
If you are a mobile, you simply are going to have trouble working other
mobiles UNLESS THEY STAND BY FOR MOBILES as has been suggested.  If 20
is good, mobiles will spend quite a bit of time there and you'll just
have to slug it out to work them.  

My strategy as to bands has been to spend about half of the first 5
hours on 20 and half on 40.  This is true whether I'm mobile or fixed.
The difference is that I do very little SSB when mobile; it's just too
much work and not nearly as productive as CW.  I try to work some SSB
when mobile because there are easy multipliers to be found there that
don't seem to show up on CW. The years that I've not operated SSB
(equipment problems) I figure I've missed a dozen mults.  I try to
always work at least 20 and 40 cw from each county to give as many as
possible a chance for the multiplier.

In-state, you'll want to CQ on 20 a lot for multipliers, on either mode.
Mobiles won't spend much time on SSB on any band.  By late afternoon, 40
SSB is a zoo; fixed stations will still do well on SSB but mobiles will
have a rough time.  I have not done much on 75 SSB as a mobile but fixed
stations will pick up some easy mults there after about 2230Z or 2300Z.
The real action is on 80 CW after about 2300Z, and with the move to an
end time of 0100Z, it might be a good idea to start checking 80 CW even
by 2200Z.

If 15 opens up (10???), spend a little time around 21390 calling CQ and
you might pick up some mults and maybe your 5 DXCC countries.  I
wouldn't count on much action on 15 SSB, though, as I haven't done well
there even in high sunspot years.  I like to at least check 15 CW when
I'm mobile as it may be the DX stations' best chance for contacts if the
band opens.

Bear in mind who the active mobiles are and where they are headed next.
Many of us use the same frequencies when we move from band to band; I
usually set memories for 3547, 7047 and 14047 and start there when I QSY
if the frequency is open. Even if you're doing well CQing on 20 or 40
SSB, be sure to sweep the band every 15 or 20 minutes to look for
mobiles that have changed counties.  One strategy that will endear
yourself to everyone is to offer your frequency to a strong mobile so
others can work them....

There are no separate categories for "assisted" in ILQP, so consider
yourselves invited to "assist".  The idea here is to generate activity
and have fun!  The DX clusters may frown upon domestic spotting, but
here's a site that doesn't: http://ch.w6rk.com/.  Check it out; it's
easy to use, updates frequently (depends on how many entries you display
at a time) and is a great way to alert one another to who is where.

Here is the activity list I have so far:

ADAM: 
ALEX: N5RP/M
BOND:  
BOON: KN9T/P
BROW: 
BURO: NN9K/M
CALH: 
CARR: K9OT, KB9LIE
CASS: K9NT/P
CHAM: N9Q/P, WN9O/M, NN9K/M
CHRS: W9DUA/P, NN9K/M
CLAY: 
CLNT:  AD9P/P
CLRK: 
COLE: NN9K/M
COOK: 
CRAW: 
CUMB: 
DEKA: KN9T/P
DEWT: WN9O/M, NN9K/M, W9TO/P
DOUG: N9Q/P, NN9K/M
DUPG: 
EDGR: N9Q/P
EDWA: 
EFFG: 
FAYE: 
FORD: WN9O/M
FRNK:  N5RP/M
FULT: 
GALL:  
GREE: W9FGH/P
GRUN: WN9O/M
HAML: 
HANC:
HARD: 
HENR: NN9K/M
HNDR: NA9Q/P
IROQ: WN9O/M
JACK: N5RP/M
JASP: 
JEFF: N5RP/M
JERS: W9FGH/P
JODA: AA9DY/P
JOHN: N5RP/M
KANE: NN9K/M
KANK: WN9O/M
KEND: 
KNOX: NN9K/M
LAKE: N9UM
LASA: NN9K/M
LAWR: 
LEE: N9YPN/P
LOGN: NN9K/M
LIVG: WN9O/M
MACN: W9TO/P
MADI: W9GKA
MARI: 
MASN: 
MCDN: 
MCHE: 
MCLE: WN9O/M, NN9K/M
MCPN: W9FGH/P
MNRD: 
MNRO:
MNTG: NN9K/M
MORG: 
MOUL: 
MRCR: NA9Q/P, NN9K/M
MSHL: NN9K/M
MSSC: N5RP/M
OGLE: KN9T/P, N9YPN/P
PEOR: NN9K/M
PERR: N5RP/M
PIAT: WN9O/M, W9TO/P
PIKE: 
POPE: N5RP/M
PULA: N5RP/M
PUTN: NN9K/M
RAND: N5RP/M
RICH:  
ROCK: NN9K/M
SALI:  N5RP/M
SANG: W9DUA/P, NN9K/M
SCHY: 
SCLA: KI9A, K9ZA/P, K9BGL
SCOT: 
SHEL: NN9K/M
STAR: 
STEP: K0PG
TAZW: NN9K/M
UNIO:  N5RP/M
VERM: N9Q/P, WN9O/M
WABA: 
WARR: NA9Q/P, NN9K/M
WASH: K9ZA/P
WAYN: 
WBGO: KN9T/P
WHIT:  
WILL: WN9O/M
WMSN: N5RP/M
WOOD: NN9K/M
WTSD: N9YPN/P

Yes, there are lots of "holes" but there are many who will be active and
haven't finalized plans yet.

Keep the stuff coming.
73, Jim N9JF

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