[PaQSO] Frankford Radio Club dominates and wins PA QSO Party!
William N. Goodman, CPA (K3ANS)
William N. Goodman, CPA (K3ANS)" <[email protected]
Mon, 5 May 2003 15:05:18 -0400
Frankford Radio Club won the club competition for the 2002 PA QSO Party!
W3FRC at K3ANS won the multi operator class and set a new record! Many
members won their counties and divisions. Nittany Amateur Radio Club, the
sponsors, released the final results recently. The comments attached to the
published results contain many compliments to FRC and W3FRC. The results
were sent to the participating calls, so many FRC members did not see them.
Following are the details. In the club competition, Frankford Radio Club is
given credit for 23 entries, with a total score of 2,625,150 points. The
FRC top single operator score was AA3B, which is quite normal! Second place
went to Murgas Amateur Radio Club with 36 entries and a combined total score
of 1,817,107 points. Third place went to Delaware Lehigh Amateur Radio Club
with 25 entries and a combined total score of 1,132,070 points. The W3FRC
score of 704,472 points was excluded from the FRC total score, so the
combined total could have been 3,329,622 points!
W3FRC was the special bonus station in the 2002 PA QSO Party, so it is
considered unfair to include W3FRC in the club competition. The bonus
station issues 200 extra points for each band/mode QSO. Thus, W3FRC was
frequently sought after, similar to a DXpedition. This was the recognition
and publicity we strove for, to enhance FRC's reputation among casual and
new contesters. FRC is seeking to recruit new members from the PA QSO Party
participants.
I tried to verify the 2,625,150 points listed by Nittany for FRC, but I came
up with higher scores. It was difficult because published results list the
affiliated club for only PA stations. FRC members operating in other
sections were listed without their club affiliations. I counted 34 FRC
members listed in the results; but 6 listed other clubs instead of FRC.
Therefore, that left 28 potential scores. I totaled them to be 2,713,541
combined points, which is 88,391 more points than the 2,625,150 points
Nittany reported. Perhaps some FRC members outside PA failed to list FRC as
a club affiliation, or Nittany ignored them.
The scores I found for FRC were as follows:
W3TB/1 6,868
NY3C 25,987
K3ATO/4 20,287
K3VA 5,479
W3BYX 20,695
N3KR 8,336
K3TEJ 279,211
N3BNA 51,358
N3RJ 134,630
K3WW 288,168
W3BGN 175,902
K3PP 207,140
N3RD 17,036
W3BG 14,392
NZ3O 13,648
KQ3F 239,732
AA3B 312,768
N3AD 267,057
WE3C 241,184
W3AP 23,725
W2UDT 21,796
W2LE 13,453
W2RDS 11,620
W2YR 6,450
WF3M 136,812
K3IPK 110,650
W8FJ/3 47,300
N3NS 11,857
Total loyal points 2,713,541
The following FRC members gave their scores to different clubs, not to FRC
(darn it):
W3IZ 46,401
K3MD 244,832
W3FVT 6,000
K3CP 133,096
K3NZ 115,680
N3QQ 108,760
Total defector points 654,769
Total potential FRC score 3,368,310, which would have been a record hard to
beat! And if W3FRC were included, the total would have been 4,072,782,
which is way beyond any total of any other club in the PA QSO Party history!
I also heard K3OO and K3OOO from FRC during the contest, but they did not
submit their scores. Perhaps other FRC members participated, but I did not
remember them. I did not go through our W3FRC log to seek all operating FRC
members.
Regardless, congratulations to all FRC members for celebrating the 75th
anniversary by participating in the 2002 PA QSO Party. I do not expect FRC
to do this again, until our 100th anniversary in 2027. I will remind you
then, when I will be 85 years old.
Following were the fine operators for W3FRC, at K3ANS:
K3ZV, K3ANS, N3MX, KC3WX, WF3H, K2NJ, KB3CBO, W3CF, W3ZL, and N2BA of FRC;
and W0RSJ/3 and WD5BRP/3 from the Pack Rats.
K3ZV was the originator of the idea to make W3FRC the special event station
and for FRC to commemorate its 75th anniversary this way.
We had seven operating positions set up. Five positions were for H.F. 160
through 10 meters) and two were for VHF/UHF (6, 2, and 0,7 meters.). W0RSJ
and WD5BRP spent several days erecting a temporary tower with three yagis
for VHF and UHF. They also set up temporary stations. The H.F. stations
with three towers and many trees were already there in preparation for CQ WW
DX SSB contest two weeks hence. The seven positions were generally staffed
the entire contest of 21 hours, which ran from 12 noon on Saturday Oct. 12
to 1 AM Sunday October 13, and 9 AM Sunday until 6 PM Sunday. Yes, this
gentlemen's contest allows eight hours off over night for rest and repairs.
Equipment was provided by K3ANS, WF3H, KC3WX, K3ZV, W3ZL, N3IYX, K3MD,
W0RSJ/3, and WD5BRP/3. K3ZV worked hard before the contest to load and
prepare the NA contest logging program and fine tune the computer network.
However, his father died just before the contest, so he was unable to
participate until Sunday afternoon. K3ANS spent several weeks preparing the
station for this multi multi event. KC3WX and WF3H climbed the permanent
H.F. towers, repairing and adjusting the yagis.
John, K3ZV designed the commemorative W3FRC QSL and is handling the QSL
duties. K2NJ volunteered to manage, print, and mail a special certificate
for those stations who worked W3FRC on five different bands during the
Party. By the many E-mails and requests I received, I know the QSLs and
certificates were a hit.
W3FRC made 4,177 QSOs worth 4,728 points. 213 QSOs were on 80 and 160 CW
worth 2 points each; an additional 640 CW QSOs were on other bands worth 1.5
points each, and 3,306 QSOs were on SSB or FM, worth 1 point each. W3FRC
worked all ARRL sections, all 67 PA counties, and all but three Canadian
sections, PEI, LB, and NWT. The PA QSO Party rules provide only one
multiplier for all DX stations, regardless of the number of countries or
DXCC entities worked. Total multipliers were 149, which is probably another
record. W3FRC's score was 704,472.
FRC members operating prior years at other multi operator stations,
including NE3F, K3ZUF (now N2TK), K3II, K3ANS, and K3PP held the
prior multi multi records.
FRC has dominated the PA QSO Party for many years, but never before did FRC
members give most of their points to FRC and gain club recognition. They
usually gave their points to their local clubs. I assume they will resume
this local loyal practice in 2003 and future years.
Nittany ARC spotlighted FRC in the results with a full page devoted to FRC.
Following are excerpts:
"The books on the 2002 PA QSO Party are now officially closed...and it was a
pretty good show. There were 662 entries from 458 unique call signs. We
had 157 out-of-staters submit logs, including 11 DX station. Sixty-one of
you reported working all 67 PA counties, with six being from outside PA."
"A huge THANK YOU goes to Bill, K3ANS and all the folks from the Frankford
Radio Club who provided and operated W3FRC, the Bonus Points Station.
Operators were (see above). This group had 4,177 QSOs worth 4,728 points.
With 149 multipliers, their final score was 704,472. It should be no
surprise that this is a new multi-multi record."
Nittany published my cover letter, which included the following:
"FRC lives for H.F. contesting and invites new members who also love to
contest and make scores, especially in the four annual CQ World Wide and
ARRL DX contests. Hams are eligible who live in a 225 mile radius of the
Club's center, which is near Alburtis, PA, between Allentown and Reading.
They must hold General or higher class ham license, and have experience in
contesting with published scores. For additional information, contact Bill
Goodman, K3ANS, FRC Membership Chairman (formerly) or any member. Telephone
610-258-5063 or E-mail [email protected]. Visit the FRC web site at
http://www.frc-contest.org/. Especially read the Constitution and By-Laws.
Download the membership application."
"Meetings are held monthly in the Philadelphia area with frequent remote
meetings throughout the region. The main meetings are held the second
Tuesday night of the month, September through May, at the King of Prussia,
PA Fire Company Social Hall, starting at 8:00 PM. Members and guests gather
around 6:00 PM for dinner, contest planning, and socializing. Summer
meetings are held at various members' homes and parks.
FRC hosts the annual contesters' hospitality suite at the Miami Room, Crowne
Plaza Hotel, Dayton, Ohio; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights of the
Dayton Hamvention in May. FRC has its annual Pizza Blast Party in
Hellertown, PA, usually the Wednesday between Christmas and New Year's Day."
"FRC also conduct s several golf outings and fishing trips each year. Many
members go on DXpeditions, to provide high scores during the CQ and ARRL
World Wide DX contests. Periodically FRC conducts contesting conferences to
present new ideas and discuss contesting proficiency, especially for newer
contesters. FRC owns the W3FRC repeater on 147.27 MHz. near Philadelphia.
No PL is required. Call in to discuss contesting. Members have a private
FRC reflector on the Internet to exchange contesting information and plans.
FRC supports the DX packet cluster backbone and many nodes in New Jersey,
Delaware, and Eastern Pennsylvania."
Many favorable comments from other participants were printed in the
published results. Following are a few excerpts:
"W3FRC did a good job and was workable on all frequencies thru 50 MHz." -
W3SO (Blair County)
"Another fantastic job for another great PAQP! So, even though I came up a
little short with total QSOs, I still had some hope before I summarized my
score that I might squeak over the record, since I had a few more CW QSOs
than I had last year, and I also knew I had a chance with the W3FRC BONUS
POINTS. To my delight and amazement, when I tallied my score, the 6 bonus
contacts I had with W3FRC put me over the old record!!! THANK GOD FOR THE
BONUS POINTS! Hi, hi! And...a big 'THUMBS UP' to the W3FRC gang for
making that call very plentiful for us to work! ..."K5DB (Arkansas)
"I have been operating the PA QSO Party for nigh onto 20 years and I don't
remember another Special Event Station to be as active over the years as the
Frankford Radio Club was this year which was operated from the K3ANS QTH.
They were exceptional & active on all bands and I worked them on 6 bands. I
wish that when I was younger & DX active that I had been fortunate enough to
be a part of their group!!! They are an astounding, active, efficient
group. They can be proud of the wonderful job their members did in this
contest and I say: 'Thank You to them all!'" -- Anne, KO3M (Carbon County)
(I have often invited Anne to visit and join FRC. -- K3ANS).
"Worked W3FRC on all 6 bands!!! This score is my personal best for the 20
plus years I've entered the PA QSO Party ..." - KC3M (Lycoming County).
"Very poor propagation. Never a 3 on 40 mt...." - W6ESJ (San Francisco
Section, California). We operated W3FRC on 40 meters the entire contest
with the 3 element yagi aimed to California. -- K3ANS)
"My first PA QP was a fun experience QRP on 40 m CW only. Big
disappointment not to work W3FRC. I worked almost every other station
heard, and the ones I missed were weak. -- 73, Scott, W1HGQ (Maine) (We
had the three element 40 meter yagi generally aimed West, so Maine was
probably weak off the side, especially during pile ups. - K3ANS for W3FRC).
FRC members operating single op won many counties in 2002, including:
WF3M Montgomery
K3TEJ Schuykill
K3CP Lehigh (but gave points to DLARC)
K3WW Bucks
K3MD Columbia (but gave points to CMT)
KQ3F Dauphin
AA3B Berks
FRC members presently hold single op records in many counties, including
AA3B Berks
K3WW Bucks
K3PP Carbon
NW3B Chester
K3MD Columbia
KQ3F Dauphin
K3MD Jefferson
N3BNA Lancaster
N3RJ Lebanon
KU3K (now N3QQ) Lehigh
K3NM Monroe (KQ7W op.)
N3AD Montgomery
K3ANS Northampton
KU3K (now N3QQ) Northumberland
K3TEJ Schuykill
Many FRC stations hold PA county multi operator records:
NE3F Berks
AA3B Bucks
W3HA (at K3PP) Carbon
K3MD Columbia
K3MD Jefferson
K3II Monroe
W3FRC (at K3ANS) Northampton
WF3T Perry
K3TEJ Schuykill
NM3K Susquehanna
As mentioned above, Frankford Radio Club now holds the Club Record.
K3NM holds the High Power - EPA record. (KQ7W op.)
W3FRC holds the new multi-multi station record
K3TEJ holds the QRP record.
If you would like to read more, please visit the PA QSO Party web site,
www.nittany-arc.org/paqso.html
Great job FRC! Thank you.
73, Bill, K3ANS>>