[InHam] Indiana QSO Party is 6 days away

[Mel Crichton]

Check out the INQP activity map. The mobiles are still tweaking their routes, so there's gonna be changes.... but right now we have all 92 counties covered at least once, and most are covered by more than one call.... so your chances of achieving the Worked All Indiana Award are about as good as they have ever been. Check the map Saturday morning.

http://www.hdxcc.org/inqp/activity.php... Rules and other info at www.hdxcc.org/inqp

A few bits of advice:

1. Most mobiles will be operating on CW as their preferred mode (KM9X will be mostly SSB), but I think most will also work the opposite mode because that's how they get extra multipliers. You can ask them to go to SSB (or CW) and see what they say.

2. Mobiles will probably be calling CQ on CW, and will be listening for YOUR CQ on SSB.  Since the mobiles may be worth more to your score, listen for them! They won't call you too many times if they think you don't hear them. But if you are a mobile, call CQ on SSB if you can find a hole.... you might round up another mobile (and a new county).

3. Mobiles will be posting their routes and approximate timing later this week. On Saturday, please don't expect them to back track, as most have busy schedules. You can ask, but don't take it personally if they can't.

4. For you newcomers, don't be discouraged by early "quiet" conditions. Mid-day usually is a bit slow until propagation improves. Try 80 and 75 meters early!!! Forty meters has been long lately, and 80/75 may provide better in-state conditions, even at 1 pm.

5. Don't get confused by call signs! Copy them carefully. N9JF/m and N9LF will both be south and west. N9SF is fixed in Hendricks Co. AJ9C/m will be southwest but KJ9C/m will be north and east. K9WX is Benton Co and K9NX is Hancock Co, a hundred miles from K9NW in Allen Co. N9FN is a county line portable, N9FC is fixed in Indy. Confused? Keep a copy of the activity map by your desk so you can check the call against the county.

6. N9I will be operated by K9IG, N9N is W9RE, N9Q is KE9I, and N9P is AK9F/portable.... aside from KE9I/N9Q, most QSL requests may go thru HDXCC (N9NS). (Mike just LOVES to handle all those requests.)

Any other words of wisdom from the INQP veterans?

This is shaking out to be a VERY active INQP. We hope to also have a lot more stations from outside Indiana involved.

Mel KJ9C