[ILQSO] random ILQP thoughts

[n9jfcountyhunter at gmail.com]

...taking a break from log processing....
Many of you may be getting QSL requests from those who chased you yesterday.
A lot of our "clientele" are county hunters, and some of them still need
paper QSLs for the basic USACA award.  State QSO parties have not gotten a
very good reputation for being QSL-friendly for some reason. I'd encourage
you to make ILQP the exception and respond with *something* to satisfy the
need for a confirmation...either your own card, a made-up card or signing
and returning a Mobile Reply Card (MRC).  

Yesterday was the most activity I think I have ever experienced in ILQP as a
mobile, or maybe my brain is just getting slower.  The pileups were almost
unmanageable at points, but it was FUN!  Melba did her usual stellar job of
driving for 8 hours without us getting lost, ticketed or Bambi'd.  This is
the one day a year (now) when I send left-handed, and my left thumb is sore
this morning.  I suspect my sending was not impeccable.  Had we not taken a
couple of breaks for fuel and fluid level adjustment, I'd have hit 100/hr
for the 8 hours.  I can only imagine what AD4EB will be reporting!

If we failed to get all 102 on the air this year, it's my fault.  I had such
pileups in a couple of places we stopped that I couldn't "turn off the
spigot", and we were two miles from our last scheduled county (HNDR) when
time ran out.   Oooops. 

Thanks to everyone who turned out for the party!
73, Jim N9JF