[ILQSO] County line operations.

[Jim Funk]

Good question, comes up every year like clockwork....

MARAC is pretty specific about being ON the county line as near as it can be determined. This is not always easy, as not all signs are ON  the line, sometimes signs for two counties are separated by 50 feet or more, etc.  Wet lines are not specifically prohibited by MARAC but most do not run them because it would require parking on a bridge (not usually a great idea).

MARAC does not recognize 3 and 4 county contacts per se. Purists would ask a mobile/portable "where were you EXACTLY" when I worked you?" and claim counties accordingly.

Not all QSO parties treat lines and corners the same.  Some (Wisconsin) do not allow them.  Some (TX) require you to make a contact for each county even if the mobile is on the line or corner.  Some (IN) allow only lines, not corners. AR allows one to be much farther from an actual corner.  IL has always (well...as long as I can remember) allowed corners, and Danny's wording below has been in place for a long time: "As near as possible with safety in mind."

I personally try, when setting up on a corner, to have some portion of my antennas in each county, as near as I can determine.  This might involve stringing a dipole across a road or even running a counterpoise through a culvert....  But I have not done anything but mobile/rover in several years.

The discussion will continue.  I would love to see the day when there are so many single and two-county portables that I don't need to drive 400 miles during ILQP....

73, Jim N9JF

-----Original Message-----
From: Danny Pease [mailto:dpease at adams.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 10:33 AM
To: 'Tim Childers KB9FBI'; Jim Funk; 'Illinois QSO Party'
Subject: RE: County line operations.

A good question Tim, I am sure you will hear several opinions but the ILQP rules are the way they are to make sure operations are as safe as possible.
Placing a station in a position where it impedes traffic flow or obstructs vision of other drivers is exactly what we want to avoid. 

The intent is to straddle the line where possible, if it is not safely possible, as near as possible with safety in mind but not necessarily with convenience in mind. Parking on a the shoulder of a road may be acceptable on some roads, not safe on others. Personally, I prefer to set up on private property rather than on a road or road right of way.
 
How far is too far? I have an opinion but that is what it is, just an opinion. I'll let N9JF and some others chime in with their thoughts.

Danny NG9R


-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Childers KB9FBI [mailto:kb9fbi at arrl.net]
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 9:17 AM
To: Jim Funk; Danny Pease; Illinois QSO Party
Subject: County line operations.

We have had some discussion of how close you have to be on the actual county line and it seems that isn't defined in the ILQP rules very well.  I looked up MARAC rules but they say on the line and don't allow 3 and 4 county corners.  I have always tried to be on the line while still remaining safe. 
No operations from a bridge if it's a water crossing is't not possible without a boat.  I never did one that the county line ran down the road but have where the line crossed the road and just tried to get off the road as far as possible and as close to the line as I could be and still be safe sitting there. Could we get some direction there?

Tim, KB9FBI