[ILQSO] iLQP and SSB activity

[James Funk]

i think POTA has been a great boost to ILQP!  If one is going to go out
portable, you might as well find a park and get "two-for-one".  I had all I
could handle just doing CW, as usual.  I know I missed a lot of counties
but wasn't out to "win anything", just wanted to give the bonus station to
as many as possible.

Jim N9JF/W9AWE/N9G

On Mon, Oct 19, 2026 at 8:46 PM Louis Elrod via ILQSO <ilqso at mailman.qth.net>
wrote:

> It could have been my impression, but I felt like if I didn't work CW, I
> was missing a good chunk of the counties operating ILQP. I'm really green
> calling CQ and working pile ups. I'm in a county that usually doesn't get a
> lot of hams operating(mostly portable/mobile), but I've worked ILQP the
> last few years and got put on the map this year. I've always had a good
> time.
> This year about 1/3 of my contacts were CW. If I worked, tried to work
> you, or you got frustrated trying to make a contact with me my apologies.
> I'm pretty green doing CW. ILQP is only the second time ever I've called CQ
> in a contest. I did it last year on CQ WW last year... I totally regretted
> it! Hopefully I'll get there with more practice. At any rate it was good to
> work some people I met at SMC fest. I'm somewhat new to SMC and it was the
> first time I went to SMC fest! I was pretty excited and hope to do it again
> next year!
>
> POTA is huge! I try to operate POTA as much as possible, unfortunately I
> don't always have the time. I've found it a great way to practice operating
> skills. I often take a QRP rig out in the field and a very basic wire/ham
> stick antenna and can have fun for hours on end and work contacts all over
> the place! It's a great community of people too! Lots of online help, lots
> of guys experimenting with antennas and gear! POTA was absolutely one of
> the reasons I got into the radio! I've gotten into many aspects of the
> hobby, but POTA was a huge draw!
>
> 73 Louis/N9ATF
> ________________________________
> From: ilqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net <ilqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on
> behalf of Chuck Schneebeli via ILQSO <ilqso at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, October 19, 2026 6:15 PM
> To: Illinois QSO Party <ilqso at mailman.qth.net>; SMC reflector <
> smc at w9smc.com>
> Subject: [ILQSO] iLQP and SSB activity
>
> Hi all,
>
> I normally make a few SSB q's on ILQP, but run back to cw when they dry up.
> This year it seemed there was alot more SSB activity, especially on 20.
> During a small run, one guy recognized my call from activating a few POTA
> parks...we chatted a minute and he said he's never done any contests, just
> POTA and some FT8 stuff. He said he made like 45 contacts with IL and was
> having blast because according to him, its like POTA on steroids... Lol!
>
> I did talk him into playing in CQWW and especially SS phone, which he said
> he was going to research SS on youtube!
>
> I ended having a couple other guys call that recognized me, and, several
> new calls/obviously newer hams.
>
> Makes me wonder if POTA means more than we contesters think for a pool of
> new hams to get on?
>
> 73 Chuck KI9A
> ______________________________________________________________
> ILQSO mailing list
> Home:
> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.qth.net%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Filqso&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cbffaf228fe5f426ad2df08df2e36e6a0%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639280485457982491%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=BOMVgdjVaUikuLLW%2Fv7oVuRsS7ZISXHxz6ZGNQfattQ%3D&reserved=0
> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ilqso>
> Help:
> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.qth.net%2Fmmfaq.htm&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cbffaf228fe5f426ad2df08df2e36e6a0%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639280485458001518%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JAs5URxW5el07BaWVb2rBcXglZGrSsP%2FPXfpx583kpA%3D&reserved=0
> <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
> Post: mailto:ILQSO at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by:
> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.qsl.net%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cbffaf228fe5f426ad2df08df2e36e6a0%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639280485458012026%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=DOofe3Ip1nOwmEYKHjUchUZ%2FJtEoSF3knNgeEeRhdMI%3D&reserved=0
> <http://www.qsl.net/>
> Please help support this email list:
> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.qsl.net%2Fdonate.html&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cbffaf228fe5f426ad2df08df2e36e6a0%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639280485458022187%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Jl7HAupuaOZmbrWMQLyTe67dzvH4qmZb0M7MsdZq%2Ffw%3D&reserved=0
> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>
> ______________________________________________________________
> ILQSO mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ilqso
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ILQSO at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>