[PaQSO] why more dx interest than west coast?

[Mark Schreiner]

Tim,

Interesting observation.  I would be curious to see what others have to say
as well.

I'm happy to work as many mults as possible, as I think we all would be.  I
think I only had one QSO with a station in CA, where there are many more
mults that can be worked.  In the past, yes, I would get an occasional one
or two DX stations or so while trying to pick up more mults out west, just
as you said, Tim.  Maybe if I had a yagi I could have done better into CA,
but if they aren't participating then it seems like a waste of RF.  Several
years ago I did participate a little bit in the CAQP as well, hoping to
stir up some interest in the PAQP for the following weekend.  Maybe after
they run all weekend they are burned out from radio for a bit, or have to
catch up on honey-do lists?  I was surprised to not work many AZ stations,
and one of them whom I did work I asked if he was in the AZ QSO Party so I
could give him a contact for that (he said he was not).

Missed Mults this year from my station, which I was running fairly simple
dipole-like antennas from the portable location, i.e. Carolina Windom,
Mystery Antenna and 40/20m Fan Dipole, we as follows (by call area):

0:  KS, NE, SD
1:  ME, VT
2:  VI
4:  PR
5:  LA
6:  EB, LAX, ORG, PAC, SB, SDG, SF, SJV, SV  (only got SCV)
7:  AK, ID, MT, UT, WY
VE:  ALL BUT ON & QC

I think I may have gotten more mults had I spent more time on 20/15/10m on
Saturday, but it was nice to hear 40m open across PA during the beginning
of the PAQP for a change (maybe it was like that last year also, I
forget).  Maybe I would have missed a clean sweep, but in reality while a
clean sweep is nice, the highest score I could muster is what really should
matter, right?  Okay, not counting possible individual goals, like if I
really tried to just get a clean sweep as a #1 priority I could give up
lots of other things, but then would likely not get as high of a score as I
may have had otherwise.  I really don't mean to lay blame on those sections
I missed as I likely didn't spend as much time operating the higher
frequencies as I should have, and when band conditions are good, QRP really
cranks on those higher frequencies!

While the Mystery Antenna is three half-wavelengths, I didn't put it up in
a specific orientation for max gain in any particular direction, I was
using the best layout of the trees that were available.

Wow, those are a lot (33) of missed mults, though, that even a few of those
could really have boosted the scores nicely!

Mark, NK8Q


On Thu, Oct 17, 2013 at 10:28 PM, <morsenut at aol.com> wrote:

> I just read NK8Q's summary...and if I am reading him right,  there is more
> active participation from DX stations than West Coast and VE stations in
> PAQP.
>
> While I am grateful for the DX stations, they do only
> Count as one multiplier and you typically work them when you are trying to
> find West Coast, mid West, and Western multipliers.  I missed at least half
> of the West Coast multipliers and at least two thirds of the VE mults.
>
> Admittedly, I don't have a directional antenna on the high bands but this
> is still kinda frustrating because DX heard me on my simple dipole at 40
> feet on 20 and 15 meters,  so what gives with W. Coast and other western
> multipliers?
>
> I know the high bands are propagating into the 6, 7, and 0 call areas
> because I DID get replies from there
>
> I can only conclude that, in relation to their numbers,  that there is
> slack interest among the western mults in PAQP.
>
> That is a shame.
>
> The weekend before PAQP, I make it a point to work several stations
> calling the CAQP on 15 and 20 meters...even though I don't even submit a
> log, I just want to be there for them and hope they return the favor the
> following weekend.
>
> But it seems less than what I would expect and the DX stations are a
> welcome substitute,  notwithstanding the single mult they represent.
>
> Anyone else have similar experience?
>
> Do tell.
>
> 73 All,
>
> Tim
> WU3U
>
>
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