[MiQP-Mail] Work 80M!

[David Pruett]

Todd Fonstad wrote:
> John Getz, AD8J, posted:
>
> "The other thing that was interesting, in VA, was the amount of daytime
> activity on 75/80.  When I operate from LEEL next month, I will make it a
> point to be on 75/80 some during daylight."
>
> John is absolutely correct!  In the WIQP on March 11, I began working
> close-in stations (including many county multipliers) as early as 1:35 pm
> CDT (contest started at 1 pm). This was from the mobile with a mag-mounted
> 75-meter Hamstick with an alligator clip at the end of the stinger to bring
> resonance down to 3550 KHz. By 6 pm, I was not only continuing to work WI
> counties and the upper Midwest, but was getting calls from stations as far
> away as ME and FL. In the last hour (7 to 8 pm CDT), I made 70 Q's on 80M.
>
> I think it was two years ago in the MIQP that 80M was wonderful the last few
> hours of the 'test. I was sitting in some little 'burg in the UP just having
> a blast on that band.
>
> With some luck (wx, family schedule, etc.), I'll be back doing the solo
> mobile in the UP this year. And ... I'll have three antennas ready to switch
> to instantaneously ... 20, 40, and 80 and will work each of those bands from
> the git-go.
>
> 73
> Todd
> N9NE
>   
I remember in the 1999 MiQP (the first time W8MJ and I went mobile) that 
40M was so bad from a flare that people were successfully running MiQP 
QSOs on 80/75 in the second hour of the contest.  When we're done our 
K8MQP multis, we have a full time station on 80/75 starting around 20Z 
(4:00 PM local).  It's broad daylight, but signals are not bad and more 
importantly, most are of short skip to in-state stations (many of which 
are valuable multipliers).  80/75 is a GREAT MiQP band!

We've seen the same thing (80/75 good early) for the same reasons during 
the OhQP in August.

So don't neglect to  check 80/75 early!

73,

Dave/K8CC