[PaQSO] N3SH 2006 Bonus Station Update 10-4

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Hard to believe that it's only TEN days until the contest!  Time sure does fly, doesn't it?

Only one big change since the last update.  

Last time around, I had to sadly report that the N3SH Erie station wasn't going to happen because KB3FZU was scheduled to work that weekend.  So, I'm now very pleased to update that report by telling you that Frank did manage to get the weekend off, and he and Lori KB3GMU will be heading up one of the N3SH stations after all.

But not from Erie County.

Instead, they'll be operating from McKean.  I understand that they found a nice campground and that everything is lined up.  

Also, on a smaller note, two of our stations (N3SH Clarion and N3SH Venango) are relatively close to Forest County -- N3SBF/KB3GMN's weekend retreat is literally within 50 feet of the county line, for one.  So it's possible that some of the operators from one or both of these stations may make a surprise foray into Forest -- not to worry, we'll be coordinating things so that it's one or the other, not both!  This is NOT a definite thing (so Bud, please don't list this), just a hopefully pleasant surprise if we can pull it off.

Finally, just to re-emphasize a point that I tried to make a few weeks ago that got misconstrued.  I've been looking over several software packages for the contest, and I've noticed that some of them seem to have trouble handling a bonus station in multiple locations.  Some packages will let you log N3SH-ALL or N3SH/ALL, for example, as separate from N3SH-VEN or N3SH/VEN, but some mark the second station as a "dupe" despite the appended indicator.

So:  IF your software package of choice has this difficulty, please log the N3SH fixed stations as a Rover (ie N3SH/R); of course, the N3SH Mobile should be logged as N3SH/M.

All of the N3SH stations WILL ID with their county (ie N3SH WASHINGTON on voice, N3SH/WAS on CW & Digital) so that you'll be able to quickly figure out who's who.

There should be a final N3SH update next week.

See you in the warm-up this weekend (you know, the Ca QSO Party) -- yes, I'm finally QRV from the new QTH! -- and really looking forward to next weekend!

73, ron w3wn
coordinator, N3SH Bonus Stations
2006 Pennsylvania QSO Party