[ILQSO] Bonus station thoughts and other comments

[pzlists01 at zerkelhome.com]

I thought it was "kind of interesting", but probably would have had just 
as much fun with or without them.

I was able to work W9OAB. I heard W9AWE (okay, well HRD decoded him). I 
tried pounding out my call a couple times, but in hindsight I do not 
think I had my radio set right for CW. And TBH, with my slow speed and 
poor fist, I was almost ashamed to try too long.

Being in Cass county, I was reasonably close to Adams county. That may 
or not have been an advantage for contacting the bonus stations. W9OAB 
did tell me "I was a new one" (as did most of my QSOs.)

I only had a 40m low dipole, which took me way too long to put up. So I 
did not get on the air until about 4:30.

This was my 1st IL QSO Party after a 17 year hiatus from ham radio. I 
want to thank WIARC and their members for all the work they put into it.

The ILQP was and still is one of the very few "contests" I enjoy. Though 
I have become kind of intrigued with some of the VHF contests recently. 
The big HF contests are pretty much the reason I have a 17m dipole up at 
home.

I had a modest score with 24 QSOs and just over 500 points according to 
N3FJP, which I do not believe accounted for  the bonus station(s) in its 
calculation. My motto (borrowed from "Whose Line is it Anyway") is "The 
points don't matter". I had fun and looking forward to next year 
already, when I am hoping to add some 6m and 2m.

Paul, N9PCS