[PaQSO] TIPS FOR OUT OF STATE OPERATION IN PAQP

[Hal Offutt]

Tim & Others,

Operating on 160 is *essential* if you want to maximize your score.  Unle=
ss
there is bad QRN for some reason, this band is hopping on Saturday night
from 11 PM to 1 AM, and maybe the action starts even earlier.  I usually
spend some time there as a mobile, and some years I've had over 50
contacts, if my memory serves me correctly.  But a mobile antenna on 160 =
is
not very efficient so with a regular antenna, you should be able to do a
lot better.  Remember, these are all gravy contacts that you otherwise
wouldn't have.  It's a lot better than calling CQ with very few answers o=
n
80 and 40.    =


There really should be even more activity on this band.  Maybe that is
something that we should all try to emphasize this year.  If everyone wou=
ld
spend a little more time here, it would be possible to rack up 200 or mor=
e
extra contacts.

I wonder how many contacts the top home stations have on this band?  AA3B=
,
how do you do on 160?     =


But I hope you and the others don't go to 160 and stay there for two hour=
s.
 The key to maximizing contacts is doing a lot of QSYing. Saturday evenin=
g
after say 9 PM you should be able to make contacts on 40 CW, 40 SSB, 75,
80, and 160 both modes.  And it never hurts to check 20 later in the
evening.   We mobiles will be changing counties every 30-40 minutes up
until 1 AM, so make sure you look for us.

Operating from just across the border sounds like a blast, Tim.  I'm sure=

you'll have fun.

73,

Hal W1NN