<div dir="ltr">Hi Hank and everyone,<div><br></div><div>Hadn't really looked closely at the results and didn't realize the county count was that low. I didn't look at what my total worked counties were, I didn't get much in the western UP and not sure about downstate. I passed two other mobile runners while running the contest and got a chance to talk with them and get some ideas (even though the CW isn't an option, yet, hihi). It would be great if all counties could get activated, I am a county hunter as well and like to work QSO parties to get the counties. The extra points are very nice too.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I wholeheartedly agree with getting the word out on the contest. I was going to write up an article immediately after the contest, but got sidetracked and didn't get it done. When I took over as our local club newsletter editor, "he" was looking for articles and thought I would finish it up. I didn't take an interior shot of the setup, but will be including that in a future article on mobile ops. If you are a member of a club, a short article on your experiences is a great way to help get interest in the contest. I uploaded our newsletter, and my article is on page 4 at: <a href="http://webpages.charter.net/reesjr23/Airscoop%20201403.pdf">http://webpages.charter.net/reesjr23/Airscoop%20201403.pdf</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>One thing that I would like to really encourage too, which I ran into last year, is be very familiar with the rules. I know some people don't like to read manuals, personally I keep my TS-480 and IC-208h manuals in the car and refer to them often. I was told on several occasions that I was a dupe, and had to explain that as a mobile when I jumped a county line that I could be worked again from the new county. Some sounded skeptical even after I explained it, and and late in the contest I worked several stations that kept tabs on my progress to get a new county/band, which being alone in the car for that long and many miles made the trip more enjoyable. I really do highly stress to keep a printout of the rules and the Operating Tips handy so you are ready to contest.</div>
<div><br></div><div>With only 3 weeks until the contest, I hope everyone is getting their final preparations together. I am ordering a programmable controller for my Little Tarheel II (probably upgrading to a larger style next year for better 40/80M ops for next year) and have that installed for the contest. Make switching bands much more painless and hopefully quicker than listening to the noise levels. My new laptop batteries are here, along with a new charger and the updated N3FJP software installed and tested. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Very excited for the contest and hope to work everyone at least once, maybe a few times on different bands/counties. </div><div><br></div><div>73,</div><div><br></div><div>Jeremy, N8YP/m</div><div>Escanaba, MI</div>
<div>Vice President / Newsletter Editor</div><div>Delta County Amateur Radio Society</div><div><a href="http://www.qsl.net/n8yp/">http://www.qsl.net/n8yp/</a><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 10:32 AM, Hank Greeb <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:n8xx@arrl.org" target="_blank">n8xx@arrl.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Richards:<br>
<br>
Thanks for your comments. It's nice to know that people like you actually read my messages!<br>
<br>
It would really help if a cadre of people in the more populated areas would look at previous years' results and picked out counties with NO or marginal fixed stations results. Then, either individually, or as a group or club, organize a dx(?)pedition to that county to set up a portable operation. One eventual goal of the Michigan QSO Party organizers is to solicit participation of at least one operator of a fixed station in each county. This is preferably a permanent resident at his/her home. But a significant portable operation will suffice.<br>
<br>
In 2013, only 52 of the 83 counties were present with fixed or "significant portable" operations. (If my parsing of the spreadsheet report is accurate.) So, there's a gap of 31 additional counties to activate with fixed stations during the 2014 event. The way with most impact would be for each operator in the past MIQPs to be a recruiting agent - i.e. when talking with stations in other counties, give a "plug" for the upcoming Michigan QSO Party. Do you have a ham friend or relative in a sparsely populated county? Urge her or him to get on, at least for a few hours, during noon to midnight April 19?<br>
<br>
Do you operate on one or more of the several organized nets? Put out an "all station" message, inviting them to participate. Beat the drum, pass the torch, shout from the highest mountain! (You get the idea?)<br>
<br>
All of the above should not minimize the impact of the mobile operators. But, with even 20, 30 or sometimes more contacts while traversing a county, they can't do justice to the total number of stations who would like to work a station in that county.<br>
<br>
I'll "probably" be in MUSKegon county this year. It will be hard to break my last year's record from IONIa county, because there was one significant fixed station who reported last year from MUSKegon. I've found that it certainly helps to be the only station active within a county! But, with Easter being the day after the MIQP, I figure staying near home is most prudent.<br>
<br>
Note - last year W8M (N8MRC op) was planning to be on from IONIa county. Unfortunately for MiQP, he was called to help with flood relief in the county. Lettuce prey that the Grand River doesn't flood this year, and that N8MRC can represent IONIa this year.<br>
<br>
72/73 de n8xx Hg<br>
QRP >99.44% of the time<br>
<br>
On 3/25/2014 08:00, "Richards" <a href="mailto:jrichards@k8jhr.com" target="_blank">jrichards@k8jhr.com</a> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
(I also see you "urge" all of US to operate from our "own" stations, while YOU plan to operate remotely...)<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Thank you and 73,<br><br>Jeremy Reese, N8YP<br>Escanaba, MI<br><a href="http://www.qsl.net/n8yp/" target="_blank">http://www.qsl.net/n8yp/</a><br><a href="http://n8yp.rrpicturearchives.net/" target="_blank">http://n8yp.rrpicturearchives.net/</a><br>
</div>