[NLRS] Minnesota QSO Party

[w0zq at aol.com]

Hello NLRS land -

Next Saturday, Feb 1, is the Minnesota QSO Party.  This really fun operating event runs from 8:00 AM (1400 UTC) to 6:00 PM (2400 UTC), just 10 hours.  Bands are 160m through 10m, no WARC bands and no VHF.  Stations located in Minnesota work everyone while stations outside on Minnesota work only Minnesota stations.  If you are in Minnesota the contest exchange that you send is your name and your county, for example "Jon in Hennepin".  Stations outside of Minnesota respond with their name and their state or province, for example "Mary in Idaho".  You can work a station once per band and mode meaning that if I work you on 20m CW I can work you again on 20m phone, etc.  Mobiles are "fresh meat" when they enter a new county much like rovers are when moving into a new grid on VHF.  Full rules can be found at http://w0aa.org/index.php/mn-qso-party  .  This website also contains much more information including a county activity page (click on each county), links to MnQP logging software (free !), and paper logging sheets.  Lots and lots of information there, or, ask me.

There is also a club competition.  Last year the NLRS placed 2nd just 53K points out of first !  Not too shabby for a weak signal VHF club.  Is this the year we can propel ourselves into first place ?   Note that there is lots of activity all day long on both CW and Phone and that there is a Phone-Only category too.  Minnesota ARES stations are active as well practicing the art of HF communications in a fun way.   If you operate, which I hope that you do, please send in a log and mark NLRS as your club.

Look for W0ZQ/m on 20m, 40m, and 80m CW from eleven counties this year.  I will also be using a little 20m SSB while driving.  Also watch for N0HJZ/m and W9FZ/m as well.  The W6RK county hunters spotting website at http://ch.w6rk.com/ is one way to watch for mobiles to pop up in new counties, or, if you find one of us please spot us !

So disconnect those HF IF rigs from their VHF+ transverters, connect that RG58 to a real antenna, and have some fun in the MnQP next Saturday.

73, Jon
W0ZQ/m