[MiQP-Mail] K0RC QSO Party Tool is OK for MiQP

[Hank Greeb]

Thanks for the clarification Dave:

I agree with you.  Several years I was trying to find K8MR and others on 
jaunts through Michigan to no avail.  Some of it was due to 
propagation.  I'd hear others call but the mobile signal was not to be 
heard.  Sometimes the mobile was swamped when I found him and he 
couldn't hear my "mighty 5 watts" through the din.

A corollary question - If I hear a mobile announcing that he/she will be 
moving to XXXX county in ZZ minutes, is this considered self-spotting 
and therefore against the rules?   I've heard this numerous times, not 
sure if during MiQP.   I know the Contest Hunters Club operations often 
use similar notices.  And, in the off times between Saturday and Sunday 
sessions in the Florida and Pennsylvania QP's I've seen chatter on their 
reflectors as "I need XXXX County, anyone going there in the morning" 
with a response from another station, "I'll be there about ZZZZ time on 
40 CW - listen for me."

I suspect that if we ever get to all counties represented by 2 or more 
mobiles and a significant number of fixed stations, like they seem to do 
in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, etc., a number of folks might switch 
from single op to single op assisted (which would put them in 
"competition" with the multi-single stations) to use spotting networks 
and the reverse beacon network to track the mobiles.  Perhaps we could 
actually have a clean sweep.

Perhaps we should get a cadre of suckers.... errr... missionaries to the 
hinterland to see if we could roust up more participation in the 
outlying counties?  I know you have a very nice power point presentation 
of MiQP for use by folks in clubs, etc.  Can we find more people to use 
it or similar presentations during next year with an eventual goal of 
significant representation from all 83 counties?

72/73 de n8xx Hg
QRP >99.44% of the time
Operating as N8F during MiQP 2015

On 4/10/2015 11:26 PM, David Pruett wrote:
> Hank,
>
> Pre-contest planning aids such as K0RC Excel tool are completely 
> within the spirit and intent of the MiQP rules.  What is not allowed 
> is another person providing information in real time during the 
> contest, either directly or through automated means.
>
> Speaking as someone who has operated MiQP mobile from all 83 Michigan 
> Counties, (a feat in all liklihood duplicated only by my operating 
> partner Ken, W8MJ) trying to follow a mobile from county to county 
> based on a schedule put together pre-contest is like trying to nail 
> jello to a tree.  Weather, equipment failures and road construction 
> can render the most carefully planned schedule obsolete.  IMHO trying 
> to work the mobiles as often as possible is important to a good score, 
> and while Bob's tool is a useful aid, I think a good operating 
> strategy which recognizes when to run (to attract new counties) and 
> when to S&P (to find new counties) is most important.
>
> According to my records, nobody has ever achieved a clean sweep of all 
> 83 counties in a single weekend.  According to the records page on the 
> MiQP web site, K8GU in 2003 came the closest with 80 counties from 
> outside the state, while KR8V in MACO and N8TC from GRTR are tied for 
> the best from inside the state, both working 70 counties in 2013.
>
> 73, Dave/K8CC