> I make a lot of QSOs in the contests. This past year was
over 10,000 QSOs, not including my contestpeditions QSOs,
probably at least 60% stateside. Previous years similar numbers.
The major point I would like to make is this:
Although it seems that A LOT of stations QSL without return
postage, in reality, the number isn't all that many. It's
just that these particular QSLs stand out in your memory because
it gets you angry. I feel that I get a fair number of requests.
Looking at the last 10,000 QSOs in my computer log, I've only
had 107 stateside requests, of which I would bet that only
30-40% have no postage.
I reply to every QSL reqest. As others, I have certain priorities,
based on how it was received. No SASE goes back as a postcard.
Postcard postage is $0.20. 30-40% of 107 cards is between
$6.42 and $8.56 for all that postage. For a whole year. Big
deal.
Do you know how many POUNDS and POUNDS of buro cards I get in
one year??? And that is $6 per pound, plus postage to get it
to the ARRL. Belive me, I don't need another JA QSL on 15M,
or a DL, or an I, but I gladly QSL every one of them. (No
offense to those countries listed, keep giving me QSOs and I'll
keep giving you QSLs.) I send out well over 10 pounds a year
for much more than $60. What's $7 for some stateside cards??
Lastly, after spending thousands or tens of thousands of dollars
on a station, other than simple maintainance, this hobby doesn't
cost much to operate. There are no entry fees, yearly license
fees...just pay your electric bill. The only ongoing cost of
contesting is a few dollars a year for postage and QSLs. If
that's what it costs to keep thousands of stations calling me
in the contests, so be it.
Chad WE9V
P.S. SASE always appreciated!
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>From Ron Wetjen <wd4ahz@arrl.net> Mon Dec 27 13:32:07 1999
From: Ron Wetjen <wd4ahz@arrl.net> (Ron Wetjen)
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Florida QSO Party 2000
Message-ID: <38676A57.CD37729A@gte.net>
2000 Florida QSO Party (FQP)
Sponsored by the Florida Contest Group
1) Object: For amateurs outside of the state of Florida to make contact
with as many Florida stations as possible. Florida stations work
everyone.
2) Contest Period: Last full weekend of April. There are two operating
periods. 1600Z April 29 - 0159Z April 30 and 1200Z - 2159Z April 30.
20 hours total. All stations may operate the full 20 hours.
3) Categories:
(A) Single operator. One person performs all operating and
logging functions. Use of spotting nets (operator arrangements
involving assistance through DX-alerting nets, PacketCluster, etc)
is not permitted. Only one (1) transmitted signal on the air at
any time.
(B) Multioperator. Those obtaining any form of assistance, such
as relief operators, loggers, or use of spotting nets.
NOTE - Multioperator stations do not have to remain on a band
for 10 minutes before changing bands.
(1) Multi-Single. Only one (1) transmitted signal on the air at
any time.
(2) Multi-Multi. More than one (1) transmitted signal on the
air at any time. No simultaneous SSB/CW signals on one band at the
same time.
(C) Mobile. Mobile is a station that is self-contained (radio,
antenna, power source) capable of motion. Motion is optional.
Mobile entrants may be either Single Operator or Multioperator.
(D) Novice/Technician. Novice or Technician licensees perform all
operating and logging functions.
4) Power. Three power output categories for all categories. Logs not
showing power output category will be listed as high power.
(A) QRP - 5W output or less
(B) Low Power - 150W output or less
(C) High Power - more than 150W output
5) Modes:
(A) Single Operator, Mobile, Multioperator and Novice/Technician
categories may operate:
(1) Mixed mode (phone and CW)
(2) Phone only
(3) CW Only
6) Contest Exchange:
(A) Florida stations send signal report and county.
(B) W/VE stations (including KH6/KL7) send signal report and
state or province.
(C) DX stations (including KH2/KP4, etc.) send signal report
and DX.
7) Scoring:
(A) QSO Points: Each complete non-duplicate Phone contact is
worth 1 point. Each complete non-duplicate CW contact is
worth 2 points. No partial contact credit. Duplicate contacts
must be clearly identified and are worth 0 points. A penalty
will be assessed for incorrect logging, including incorrect
callsigns, multipliers, or unmarked duplicate contacts. The
penalty consists of loss of the incorrect QSO and/or multiplier
(if any) plus one additional QSO.
(B) Multipliers:
(1) For Florida stations, 50 states (including Florida);
Canada MAR (VE1, VE9, VY2), NF (VO1, VO2), QC (VE2), ON (VE3),
MB (VE4), SK (VE5), AB (VE6), BC (VE7), NW (VE8, VY0), YT (VY1);
DXCC Countries (except the US, Canada, KH6 and KL7);
Maritime Mobile (ITU Regions, R1, R2, R3). A multiplier can
be counted once per mode. Working NP4Z on CW and then on SSB
is two Puerto Rican multipliers.
(2) All others work Florida counties (a maximum of 67). Florida
mobile stations that change counties are considered to be a new
station and may be contacted again for point and multiplier credit.
Florida stations on a county line may be claimed as a QSO and a
multiplier from each county (2 QSO's and 2 mults). County lines,
either land or water, are defined as per "County Hunter" rules.
Mobiles should sign callsign/cty. Mobiles use only one call per
county. A Florida county multiplier can be counted once per mode.
Working W1YL in Hillsborough County on CW and then on SSB is two
county multipliers.
(C) Final Score: Multiply QSO Points by total multipliers by the
power multiplier (see below). Florida mobile operations must
submit separate logs for each county activated; a mobile entrant's
score will be the cumulative total of multipliers and QSO's. This
will be determined by the log checkers.
(1) Power Multiplier: If all QSO's were made using 5W or less,
multiply your score by 3; if all QSO's were made using less than
150W, multiply your score by 2; if any or all QSO's were made using
more than 150W, multiply your score by 1.
8) Suggested frequencies: CW - plus or minus 35 khz up, and plus or
minus 10 khz up for Novices/Technicians. Phone - plus or minus 7.260,
14.260, 21.335, and 28.485 MHz. Look for SSB activity on the hour and
CW on the half hour. Fixed stations are urged to call CQ above/below
these suggested frequencies to keep them clear for low power mobile
operations. No 160 or 80 meters, WARC bands, or VHF bands.
9) Miscellaneous:
(A) Call signs and exchange information must be received by each
station for a complete QSO.
(B) No cross-mode contacts; CW contacts must be made in the CW
portion of the band.
(C) Stations may be worked once per mode, per band, i.e., WC4E
may be worked on both 20 CW and 20 SSB for credit.
(D) Your call sign must indicate your DXCC country (also,
portables in Hawaii and Alaska must sign /KH6 or /KL7).
(E) Club competition, as per ARRL Club definitions. Please
indicate your club affiliation on your summary sheet.
10) Reporting:
(A) Entries must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the
end of the contest (May 30, 1999). No late entries can be accepted.
Any logs (other than check logs) with over 100 QSO's are encouraged
to submit their logs in computer readable format.
(1) E-Mail. You may submit your contest logs via e-mail to
FLQSOParty@aol.com. Send your summary sheet file and your log file
(.SUM and .LOG files generated by logging software such as NA, etc.)
following the Cabrillo File Format. Those without logging software,
can create an ASCII file of your log information following the
Cabrillo File Format, with a text editor.
(2) On Disk. You may submit your logs on diskettes instead of paper
logs. The floppy diskette must be IBM compatible, MS-DOS formatted,
3.5 inch. The log information must be in an ASCII file following
the Cabrillo File Format. (.SUM and .LOG files generated by logging
software such as NA, etc.) Those without logging software, can
create an ASCII file of your log information following the Cabrillo
File Format, with a text editor.
(3) Via Regular Mail. Contest logs (paper or diskette) may be
submitted via postal mail to: Florida QSO Party, c/o Ron Wetjen,
WD4AHZ, 5362 Castleman Dr., Sarasota, FL 34232.
(B) Logs must indicate band, mode, date, time in UTC, calls and
received exchange, multipliers and QSO points. Multipliers should
be marked clearly in the log the first time they are worked.
(1) Entry forms (summary sheet, log sheet, and county abbreviations)
can also be found at the FQP Web Site, http://www.qsl.net/fqp
(2) You may also receive entry forms (rules, summary sheet,
log sheet, and county abbreviations) by mail. Please send a
business sized SASE, to Florida QSO Party, c/o Ron Wetjen, WD4AHZ,
5362 Castleman Dr., Sarasota, FL 34232.
(C) Logs that have been received will be listed on the Florida
QSO Party Web site no more than 48 hours after receipt.
(D) Final results will be posted on the Florida QSO Party Web
site, as well as the "3830" Internet reflector.
(E) If you wish a hard copy of the results, please send a
business size SASE to Florida QSO Party, c/o Ron Wetjen, WD4AHZ,
5362 Castleman Dr., Sarasota, FL 34232.
11) Awards:
(A) Certificates will be awarded to top scorers in each category
from each Florida county, State, Canadian province, and DXCC
country.
(B) Special awards may be awarded at the discretion of the Florida
QSO Party Contest Committee.
12) Condition of Entry: Each entrant agrees to be bound by the
provisions, as well as the intent, of this announcement, the
regulations of his or her licensing authority and the decisions of the
Florida QSO Party Contest Committee.
Florida QSO Party - http://www.qsl.net/fqp
E-mail fqp@qsl.net
Florida Contest Group - http://www.qsl.net/fcg
E-mail fcq@qsl.net
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