2009 Michigan QSO Party
Soapbox
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2009 Michigan QSO Party Soapbox |
Thanks for the QSOs -
AA9KH Many thanks to the Mobile
stations - AB7RW This was my
first contest ever! - AB8XU Was
enjoyable - AC8DO Had fun for
limited time on - AE1P The
bands were not in a very good mode and most stations were very weak on 20m. I
did not have the same success on 40m as 2 years ago working from a new location
further from the sea and with an inferior antenna compared to 2007. Guess I can
say that I worked every station I heard and called, what more can you ask for? And I was sure glad to get BAY county on 80m just before bedtime -
CU2JT Many thanks to the mobile
stations for activating the rare counties - K3TW
Ran 100W on 40 and 20, but couldn't get through the QRN on 80
without the amplifier, so ran 1 KW on 80. Time limited this year -
K4BAI Lots of noise here in GA. Only
operated for 3 hours - K4NV
First time joining in a contest - had some fun - I think first contact K8MQP
might have wrong serial # - oh well - had fun -
K7DNH Yaesu FT897D, 20 foot high 130 foot delta loop
on 20 M and a Buddipole vertical on 40 M, a battery, and the N8XJK 12 Volt Boost
Regulator. Lots of lightning crashes, heard less MI than normal -
K7RFW Our second best effort in the 8
years I've been mobile (last year was the best). I felt the first few hours were
pretty good, but when the QRN came up on 40 and 80, it became quite a struggle.
Despite that, the 0200 hour was our best with 71 contacts -
K8IR/m Murphy struck. I loaned my
computer-to-rig interface to a friend but didn't get it back, so I built another
one. Unfortunately, I didn't check it out prior to the event. It was DOA. I
looked it over, but didn't see anything wrong. So, I tried my ancient bug - but
it was too corroded on the contacts, and burnishing
didn't do much. Brought out the trusty J-38, and did the pump handle thing. Even
at 1 p.m. 20 meters was all but dead, so quick move to 40. About 4 p.m. I looked
over the computer interface, tried it again, and it worked. But, after about 10
Q's it went into an oscillation and wouldn't stop - made a horrible noise in the
rig, and probably on the air. After unhooking it and reinstalling it, the same
problem, so back to
the trusty J-38. Thanks to all who slowed down to my hand sent speed, even
though I could copy faster.
K8MAD was an interesting call, especially on phone. People would do a double
take, and I'd say I was the "mad man from Michigan" -
K8MAD (op. N8XX) I enjoyed the
contest. I was called into work, so lost
some hours there, also other commitments - K8NB
Great time running QRP. Didn't have a lot of trouble
running a frequency on any band. Tried to beat the kid (K8MM) again this year
but his fine SO2R did me
in. I don't think it has anything to do with the age difference. Hmmmm. I think
next year will call for a
few more wires in the air and my own SO2R setup. Thanks for another great
contest - K8NWD Great job
K8IR/m! - K9OM Thanks for a FB
MiQP again this year - KB9YGD
Limited operating time and low ant only 6ft off the ground but enjoyed it -
KC4MYV Had a fun time for a short
event - KD2MX Thanks for all
the Q's. Had a great time in MIQP - KD5JHE
My first solo contest. It was great even if band conditions weren't good -
KD8AUZ This is a great contest.
My wife and I look forward to it every year - KD8CCX
(+KD8CMT) Next year I will pray for cold weather to keep people inside playing radio -
KD8CQC Fun! Talked with an
airplane, and heard a rover (first time in a contest for either of those for me
- KE7GRL Late start due to the
Milford Swap. Life got in the way of 12 hours. Using SD was great -
KE8UM First try, learned a lot
- KG8P This will be my last MiQP from
the States. Only part time and mostly 25W but it was still fun. Hope to on again
as DL2HBX next year - KK8I Had
a great time and am looking forward to next year - KT8K Operating portable
from Maine - KV1J Had a great
time. Tnx for running a nice QSO party - KW3A My second Michigan QSO Party -
N1NN It has been a long time
for my participation - N3RJ Wonderful contest -
N8MME Wished I had more time, but it
was still fun, can't wait tell next year - N8MRC
I could never quite get the timing on
the mobiles as they changed counties, what with their appearances brief on 40M
and 20M too long from here. On the other hand, lots of activity from
casual ops in Michigan, and it is always nice to say hello to the ops back
"home". See you next year - N8NA (a former
Michigander) We had a great time operating from K8CJQ's QTH in Allegan County, MI and would
like to thank Bill
for opening his home and shack to us for the event. It was also nice to remove
ALLE from the list of MI
Counties that never had a fixed station operation in MiQP. We bettered our score
from last year, and had a
great time which is what it's all about! Look for us in INQP in two weeks,
then OQP and ILQP later this year
- N9FN Working again this year
from the Upper Peninsula's beautiful Shakee Lakes Park in Menominee Country, 10
miles west of Stephenson. Started setting up on Friday and finished Sat.
morning with great weather, sunshine and warmth. Many flocks of geese and ducks
flying over all day. Saturday, late night brought us high winds and a
dramatic drop in temps, low of 34 by Sunday morning with rain greeting the
teardown activities. Band's conditions were up and down, sometime a sig
would be over S9 and the next moment, gone, fast QSB. Overall we had a
lot of fun operating just across the border, bonfire and brews on Fri. night
after a super fish fry at a local pub, great breakfasts from the local diner in
Stephenson. Thanks to all for the participation and QSO's -
N9KI/8 Hopes of making a serious
effort in the MiQP were dashed by the torrential rains in the Houston area most
of Saturday. I was not able to get on the air until around 0000Z. At that point
20 was gone and, due to the thunderstorms that had moved off to the east, 40 and
80 were very noisy. I don't think I heard any mobiles although I'm sure some
were out and about even in the very tough conditions -
NO5W The bands were surprising
sometimes good some poor. SD worked out OK I'm learning it. The
contest very enjoyable - VE5BCS
Had fun, will try to do it again next year
- VE5BF First time participant, I really enjoyed making contacts in the
old home state - WØMR
Elecraft K1 & G5RV -
WØPQ
Thanks for another enjoyable QSO party. Rig used was TS830s (100W),
Butternut HF6V vertical antenna - W1END
Great QSO Party - See You Next Year - W1KDA
Part-time effort here. Just couldn't stay inside with the nice wx -
W2UDT I had a a ball. Conditions
poor, but still fun. Thanks for sponsoring the MI QSO PARTY -
W5ESE We had a blast working
the QSO Party from the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, one of our club stations -
W8CWN We had good reports using
our GAP (TITAN DX) vertical on 40 M - W8DC
Strange conditions. 40 meters could only work UP stations and it took 80 meters
to work Lower Peninsula from Northern Ohio - W8IDM
Not bad for the bottom of the solar cycle. Only heard one mobile. 40m didn't do
the mobiles any favors this year. Our effort much better than last year though -
W8OAK Good contest, helped on
my code speed. Back into contesting after being away from ham radio for a number
of years - WB8LZA Had a great
time for my first state QSO party. Didn't get started till almost 3pm. Had to
wait for a control op to show up. Had three control operators looking over my
shoulder :) Wonder if I qualify for QRP also since I was told that everything
was setup for only ten watts max output? - WC8RC
I thought the condx were brutal - I only had a few hours but I had fun - glad to
hear so many guys active tnx - WI8A Thanks for a great contest -
WU2S