[ILQSO] 20 meters- a further analysis

[Hank Greeb]

John:

I've only operated in ILQP twice, last year and this year.  Last year I 
only worked one station on 20 (in 30 minutes) before going to 40, but 
later I tried 20 at about 1740Z and worked 8 in 20 minutes before giving 
up and going back to 40.  A rate of 8 Q's in 20 minutes doesn't hack it 
for the contester in me.  Last year I found a "local" in the next county 
on 20, which didn't happen this year.

This year  I worked 6 Q's initially, 3 DX and 3 US (No Illinois), and 
later I worked 4 more.  The closest stations were in Virginia or Quebec.

Previous experience was the Ohio QSO party, and I remember some of the 
years when there were some Ohio contacts - very short skip!

73 de n8xx Hg

John Geiger wrote:
> To further analyze the change in activity levels on 20 meters, I went back thru the electronic logs I had, which only were from 2002-2007.  I must have logged by paper in 2001 when operating from OK.  I know I was using paper logging before that, and 1999 and 2000 were mobile in Illinois with no 20 meter QSOs because I didn't have a 20 meter hamstick!  
>
> Anyways, I wanted to see how many 20 meter QSOs I made in the ILQP each year, and when I first went to 40 meters.  Each year I was using the same antenna, and using 100 watts each time.  My data shows that this is becoming more of a low bands contest each year:
>
> Year   20m QSOs    First 40m QSO
> 2002     154         2226Z
> 2003     120         2124Z
> 2004     120         2020Z
> 2005      89         1821Z
> 2006      24         1757Z
> 2007       4!        1742Z
>
> So each year I made fewer 20m QSOs and was on 40 earlier each year.  I remember in the 2001-2004 I couldn't even hear stations on 40m the first couple of = hours of the contest, and they were very weak when I did hear them.  
>
> This year I did make more 80m QSOs than usual in the contest, and signals were great up there.  I hope this trend reverses itself when the sunspots reappear, as it was nice to work stations on 20m, then again later on 40 and 80, getting 3 QSOs with each fixed or portable station.  This year it was pretty much just a 40m and 80m QSO with each one.
>
> 73s John AA5JG