[PaQSO] KB3CO/M preliminary results

[Joe Stepansky]

I'm putting the logs together now (been watching baseball all week), so 
here's the report.

Preliminary score - 74,444 (includes 7,000 points from 14 counties)
QSOs -          476
160/80 CW -      2
CW -             341
SSB -            133
Counties -        47
Sections -        56
DX -                   1 (though they were a large percentage of QSOs in 
some counties)

This was a rookie effort by Charlie KB3CO and Joe, KQ3F.  In hindsight, we 
made some rookie mistakes, but it was a good effort overall.  I had to 
learn very quickly that it's far different operating mobile than from a 
home station with beams, wires and a KW.

I'd also like to offer thanks to my brother, KC3WX, who stayed in contact 
with us and let us know what counties were still needed by the masses.  Too 
bad we couldn't hit some of them.  Also, did anyone out there follow us on 
APRS?  We thought some people popped up awfully fast in some of our new 
counties.  Maybe it was just coincidence.

The major purpose of our trip was to offer as many "rare" counties as 
possible (and to have a lot of fun, a pursuit in which we succeeded).  In 
fact, we went through the 2002 PQP results, totaled the QSOs for each 
county, sorted them, and there we were.  Two clusters showed up in the top 
25, and that's pretty much where we went.

Some universal truths.  First, on a scale of 1 to 10, the weather was a 
10.  Crisp, cool mornings, warm afternoons, it was simply perfect.  Second, 
the leaves were outstanding.  Lost count of the number of times I commented 
on the leaves.  Here's a trip synopsis:

DAU - first stop was at a spot along the Appalachian trail.  Busy with 
vehicle traffic coming up to our spot.  We probably spent entirely too much 
time here, but it was a good opportunity to get our PQP legs.  You can 
practice all you like, but it's still different to actually be in the 
contest.  2002 QSO rank - 3 (excluding KQ3Fs QSOs from 2002)

PER - realizing K3SV was on, we just drove on through.  Was shocked to be 
called by a JA on 20 CW.  2002 QSO rank - 4

SNY - Kept on driving, since we were now somewhat behind where we wanted to 
be.  Made enough QSOs for bonus points.  2002 QSO rank - 16

UNI - See SNY.  2002 QSO rank - 19

CLI - What's up with this county?  Stopped at a rest area on I-80, and the 
QSOs kept coming.  And coming, and coming.  CLI was an unbelievably 
productive county.  Probably the funniest event was the guy who came up to 
our vehicle, took one look at me sending CW, and said "I'm not interrupting 
that".  2002 QSO rank - 23

CEN - We knew there were lots of stations from CEN, but it was on the 
way.  Enough QSOs for the bonus points.  Not in "rare 25" for 2002.

CLE - Very productive county, 2002 QSO rank - 11.  Also where we stopped 
for dinner.  Probably not smart from a gung-ho contest strategy, but a 
break seemed in order.  This was, after all, supposed to be fun.  2002 QSO 
rank - 11.

JEF - This is where we discovered that the screwdriver had some sort of 
issue with 80.  We'd be loud one second, barely audible the next.  Decided 
to forego 80, which most likely cost us a lot of QSOs.  C'est la vie.  2002 
QSO rank - 6.

FOR - Now I know why they call it Forest.  It was awfully dark, even though 
we had a clear sky and it was one day removed from a full moon.   2002 QSO 
rank - 17

ELK - KB3CO spotted an incredible herd of deer in a field.  We got up close 
and personal with a 5 point buck and two doe on our left, and then one doe 
ran alongside us to the right for about 50 feet (that's when you hope it 
will make a turn AWAY from the vehicle).  Again, dark.  We spent the night 
in St. Mary's.  The next morning we asked the desk clerk why the hotels 
were crowded.  She had two reasons.  First was fall foliage (no brainer), 
the second was....people watching the elk rutt.  You can't make this stuff 
up.  It's was also, for some (though not either of us), a three day 
weekend.  2002 QSO rank - 13.

CRN -  Sunday morning.  First, nature.  We saw two magnificent elk just off 
to the right.  Guess the elk don't recognize county boundaries, since they 
should have been in ELK.  I was somewhat disappointed with our production 
in CRN.  I thought, for sure, that we'd have far more takers than we 
did.  Guess there were more CRN stations this year.  2002 QSO rank - 2.

More CLE, CEN and CLI (again, very productive even on Sunday morning).

At this point, we were somewhat time constrained, but we managed to hit MIF 
(not in the top 25) and  JUN (2002 QSO rank - 5).

We missed only two counties, NUM (2002 QSO rank - 22) and CUM (2002 QSO 
rank - 5).  We received numerous requests for INN and TIO, but it simply 
wasn't possible given our time constraint.

This was about as much fun as I've ever had in this contest.  Given the 
weather, I'm certainly glad I didn't spend the weekend operating from the 
basement.

If we do this again (I'm game), the focus will be the same.....to offer as 
many underrepresented counties as possible, and to try and hit counties 
that were not anticipated to be "rare" (see INN this year).

73, Joe KQ3F