[ILQSO] Comments from a visiting Portable

[James Funk]

The new Unlimited Category competes separately.  Other categories are
single transmitter.

73, Jim N9JF

On Mon, Oct 20, 2025 at 4:52 PM Clint Miller <isuforester at hotmail.com>
wrote:

> I had a great time, glad I made the 4hr trip over from Ames. I was on the
> fence until Sunday morning when the weather looked good so I didn't get on
> the activation map.
>
> Set up Portable in a POTA park on the CARR JODA county line and only ran
> phone. It was pretty windy and my fiberglass mast struggled to stay fully
> extended. Started on 10m since everyone had been saying it was wide open -I
> got some DX but nothing huge. Ran 6.5 hours on 20m with stations responding
> nearly continuously. It became type 2 fun about 6 pm, I was mentally
> exhausted in hour 7. I switched to 40m at UTC midnight to avoid the dupes
> that come with POTA activations. That last hour was a wall of stations, the
> adrenaline kicked in, and I got my second wind. I picked up a bunch of
> County Multipliers - probably should have switched sooner. Did get N9EAT on
> 146.52 FM!
>
> 621 PH contacts, 85 mults, final score 105,570
>
> I've run this type of hybrid POTA station for many years for the Iowa QSO
> Party and had good success. I have also been on our IAQP High Council for
> several years so I know how these same struggles to encourage more
> operators can go. One thing about your rules that I noticed and wasn't sure
> how I felt was that I was competing against other stations that may have
> multiple operators. I had to go off the air for bathroom breaks, food, talk
> to the USFWS Ranger, etc. Not sure what you should do about it, but the
> equity thought crossed my mind when considering my place in my Portable
> category or the raw phone plaque competition.
>
> I appreciate what the committee does to host and score the contest.
>
> Please consider joining us next September 19th for the Iowa QSO Party as a
> mobile/rover or portable entry - great practice run for ILQP ;-)
> http://www.w0yl.com/IAQP
>
>
> Clint Miller, KØGR, COML, COMT
>
> President, Story County Amateur Radio Club
>
>
> Iowa Section Emergency Coordinator
>
> Story County Emergency Coordinator
>
> ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service
>
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