[MiQP-Mail] ONTARIO QSO PARTY - April 17&18th

[Bob Chandler, VE3SRE]

Hi neighbours!

Just to let you know that the Ontario QSO Party also will be taking place the same
weekend as the Michigan QSO Party.    No doubt we'll be adding some extra "Q's"
to each others logs for both contests.

We start at 1800 UTC Saturday and run till 1800 UTC Sunday...a full 24 hours.

The contest format is basically quite similar.

The major "operating" difference is that we don't require a serial number in
the exchange.   

We also extend up into the VHF/UHF bands...for practical
purposes though that means 6m, 2m and 70cm...with 6m activity generally
being SSB and 2m/70cm activity being mostly FM Simplex.

Our folks will tend to operate below 7100 on phone on 40m and then move
up above when they run out of "q's".    Some of the more experienced
operators may operate "split".

On 80m the Ontario phone ops will tend to congregate at the bottom of the band
between 3725 and 3790.

We have three letter county abbreviations instead of four characters (48 total).

What also might get a little confusing of course is if you get called by one of
our mobiles/rovers.    They might show up as a dupe in your log for the 
MiQP but because they've changed their Ontario county you're another
legit "q" in the OnQP.

We don't have the "park on the county line" rule where you can give out
multiple counties all at once.

Our scoring is a little bit different as well, but not that much different.
Our rules are at http://www.odxa.on.ca/oqprules.html

And, if any Michigan folks just can't get enough of mobile contesting (hi),
if you're near the border come on across and put a couple of Ontario counties
on the air on Sunday...as we run till 2:00 PM local.

Wishing you all the best for a successful contest!

73


Bob Chandler, VE3SRE
Contest Coordinator
Ontario QSO Party