[PaQSO] PAQSO Results on line and news

[Mark Kempisty]

The 2007 Pennsylvania QSO Party is a milestone in my contesting efforts.  It marks the first time that I have been insulted and disrespected by a amateur radio contest sponsor.  To be specific, the Nittany Amateur Radio Club.

I took the time, effort and expense to activate Bedford County for the 2007 contest, handing out 584 contacts and helping - probably - everyone who earned worked all counties.  I submitted my log well before the deadline but never saw it on the logs received page while others from Warminster ARC sent in the same envelope did show up.  

Numerous e-mails and phone calls about the status of my log submission went unanswered though it does finally appear as the last update on the logs received web page.

And now that the results for the 2007 Pennsylvania QSO Party are published my call and my submission is NOT to be found anywhere in there!  Only the two mobile stations who went through Bedford County are listed and I did not hear either and had no chance to work Bedford myself.

When I activated Schuylkill County three years ago, the same thing happened.  But I attributed it to the change in chairmanship of the contest and not all procedures had been properly passed on.  However, two contests later, I see no improvement.

I have taken great effort to not post the issues I have been having with NARC on the Pennsylvania QSO Party email reflector but I can no longer hold my silence.  It appears it is time for NARC to hand over sponsorship of the contest to another organization.  In my opinion, participation is waining not because of lack of interest by amateur radio operators, but due to the actions - or more correctly, in-actions - of NARC.  

I had been considering activating Bedford County again this year even with the high cost of fuel to tow my camper, but I will not.  I highly doubt that I will participate in the contest ever again.

 
73,
Mark N3GNW