Tennessee QSO Party 2006

Storms during the contest held scores down – K4TCG was off the air for several hours due to lightning near the station, and several mobile operators felt they were having problems being heard due to the QRN. However, we had record participation: 85 entries. Both team categories also set new records (by a considerable margin in both cases). In our second year with separate participation for low-power and QRP operation, two QRP records and two low-power records were set. There was plenty of activity but no particularly tight races. Two out-of-state entrants managed to score precisely 5,996 points but one of them lost a few QSOs and multipliers to busted calls.

A surprising number of entrants had trouble with K4AMC's call. I wonder if this was related to the QRN? I expect a few “busted calls” with a station that's new to contesting, but the K4AMC call has been responsible for a lot of QSOs from Tennessee over the years!, I wasn't expecting as many “busts” as happened. Most errors logged him as “K4AM/m”. This also led to “cascading errors”. This happened where someone got Jim's call wrong on their first QSO and then copied the error later when they typed “K4AM” and their computer suggested the call was complete. One entrant lost five QSOs and four multipliers this way.

Another common problem involved N4ARO. Dick was our first entrant from Washington County. One version of contesting software assumed “WASH” meant Washington State and put “WA” in the Cabrillo file. Many entrants apparently noticed and corrected their Cabrillo files but three entrants lost four N4ARO QSOs (and the Washington Co. mult) this way. We may have to change the official abbreviation for Washington Co. for 2007.

Several out-of-state entrants complained that all the activity was on 40 meters. This was a particular problem for West Coast and DX entrants: 40 wasn't open to Tennessee until the contest was nearly over. To some degree this is difficult to avoid – 20 phone was very crowded and the high bands weren't really open. (or at least, nobody thought they were open! - K4TCG made several West Coast QSOs on 15 with excellent signals)

However, I would encourage operators to spend more time on 20. Remember that QSOs count again on additional bands, so even if all you work on 20 or 15 are other Tennessee stations, that's still extra QSOs in your log that you won't get if you sit on 40 for the entire period. And, if you move a Tennessee station through enough bands to complete six QSOs, you get a bonus multiplier. A lot of points could be earned in a hurry by moving K4TCG through the bands, but K4RO was the only entrant who tried. (Kirk earned more bonus points than any other non-mobile entrant)

We're working on changes to the rules to spur more activity on other bands. We also hope to create more phone activity; several operators noted SSB QSOs were lacking this year.

AA9KH: Many thanks to all those who chose to participate in this event. A LARGE THANK YOU to those ops who chose to spend their Sunday operating mobile and especially for those mobiles operating using CW. Was great to hear all the mobile activity The pileups were awesome on 40M. Hope to C U next yr. GL. 73, Jay AA9KH

AC0DQ: Darn WAE contest really made it tough to find a TN station out here in Nebraska. Thanks! Enjoyed the contacts!

AK4GY: First time TQP for me. Storms shut me down for several hours in the evening but still had a good time.

CU2JT: Tough fight between the ongoing WAE SSB contest and TNQP on 40m. Normally, I do most of the work on 40m but this time, it was a little too lively on the SSB. Thanks for a great contest and a special thanks to the mobile stations giving us multiple counties.

DL3GA: Good party ! Thanks for a number of 'new ones' for my county award.

K2RP: Short time period limits 40 and 80 m QSOs from west coast, as the contest is over before it gets dark here. Did not hear even one SSB station!

K3MQ: COULD ONLY WORK A SHORT TIME BUT WANTED TO GIVE OUT THE DELAWARE MULT TO A FEW

K4AMC: First TQP from mobile. As driver/operator no time for S&P missed other TN mobiles. Mobile worked great 40m cw only 60 watts to a Hamstick and TS570DG. Got lost twice..Forgot to turn on recorder twice with missed Qsos hurt score. Great fun from mobile. Worked DX CU2JT, OK1KT, UT5UIA. Was told by NJ stn after contest with my KW mobile other European stns were calling.

K4HSM: Great contest. Definitely not as good as I did 2 years ago, but the bands seemed to be a lot worse than then. Only band I had any luck on was 40m. Still had fun.

KA9JAC: Didnt have a lot of time to play this year. The band wasn't real coopertive when I did have time..

KD2MX: Only had an hour. Gave my new KX1 a good test run.

KJ5RC: I enjoyed trying to work the QSO Party. Conditions weren't too favorable my way.

N4GG: Skip's too short for 14, but always fun to chase our close-in neighbors on 40 and 80. I do like the one day format. 73, Hal

N4JF: It was nice meeting many old friends. Maybe next year someone like N3FJP will have a logging program for the TQP. I enjoyed the short time I operated... with QRP you have to be patient and dedicated... HI.

NA4C: My time was very limited this year due to Football, church and family reunion. I was able to get limited CW time in. Next year look out. I agree the value added points for lower band.

NI6T: It seems that most of the TQP operation is on 40 CW, making it impossible for West Coast stations to do much until the last half-hour of the contest. Many of us in the NCCC would like to participate, to show appreciation for your participation in the CQP in October, but only a few intrepid stations showed up on 20 or 15, despite good propagation. If you wish a wider scope for TQP, please encourage participants in TN to work the higher bands during the contest.

NW9T: Not a lot of contacts, but it was fun anyway. Especially enjoyed WB4YDL's moving from county to county, which gave me 3 contacts with same operator but a different county each time. 73s and I'll be back again next year hopefully with a better showing based on what I learned this year.

PA3ARM: Cannot remember why I missed 2005 but it was nice to "be back" es to work some (5) new counties fer mi USA-CA CW only. Now still need 22 in TN but aplication fer mi USA-CA 2000 endorsement will be done soon. Bill, Ruby, Jeff, Becky es Richard did a nice job mobiling !. Tnx! 19 contacts wid mobiles out of a total of 31 is not bad wid mi simple 100W es dipole set up. Hpe to cuagn in 2007!!

VA7ST: Thanks for the fun day. Worked through thin activity on 20M a few minutes at a time, left and came back for more later. Thanks to the mobiles -- nice job!

VE3GSI: First time entry for me in this contest. Many thanks to all for making this contest fun.

VE5BCS: That's all Doug, thanks for contact. Couldn't find any more on the band. Hope for better conditions next year.

W0PQ: Skilled operators, marginal conditions. Elecraft K1 & G5RV. Lots of fun. My first Tennessee QSO Party.

W0S: I will have more time to operate from home QTH next year. Operated during 150th Anniversary of the founding of Wellsville, Mo. at the Historic Wellsville Railroad Depot Museum.

W3AG: First time entrant. Didn't hear any RTTY.

W4JO: 1st time participant! Great contest! Especially the work by the mobile stations. Wow! Now I need to find the other half of the state.

W4OQG: Where were all the phone operators? I produced pileups on CW, but she called and called on phone with poor results.

WA1JSD: Not much of a score but, nice to get away from the "Honey-do" routine!! If you have a list of the official TN county abbreviations, please send me a copy.

(WA1JSD's request has been filled. If you'd like a copy of this list, it's on http://www.tnqp.com/images/tnqp_counties.txt .)

A special welcome to our 38 first-time entrants! Thanks for giving the Tennessee QSO Party a try; please join us again next year. 25 of you earned certificates in your first try. Of course, our returning participants are the core of this contest, and your entries are also much appreciated. It's always a blast working our friends again each fall.

See you next year!