California QSO Party 2013

W6C Radio Expedition to Modoc County

The California QSO Party is an event wherein Radio Amateurs activate all California counties for the purpose of ensuring radio readiness in the event of disasters; natural or otherwise. Essentially, the CQP event is a world-wide contest - one of the reasons it is such a popular event. Of all the state QSO parties, CQP is by far the largest and most organized.

For 2013, CQP ran from 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC) on October 5 to 3:00 pm (22:00 UTC) on October 6.
There was allegedly a 1 hour practice event on Friday evening starting with C.W. at 7pm and SSB at 7:30pm;
each for 30 mins. We were still testing equipment at 7pm (02:00z) and missed the Cw practice.
However, at 02:30z WQ6X scanned the bands and heard no practice stations - did we miss something?

The long-awaited CQP 2013 results were released in February 2014.
W6C took FIRST PLACE for the low power Multi-multi Expedition classification.

Equipment:

ICOM-7000 w/external filters (Stn#2) & Yaesu FT-897 (Stn#1) + Yaesu 817 (for 6-m).

  Antennas:

TH-3 Jr multiplexed yagi, a pair of phased Cobra dipoles as dual interted V's for 40-m,
an HF2-V Vertical for 80-m, a Buddpole for 10-m & 3-el 6-M yagi.

This is the 2013 W6C QSL card.

This is the 2013 W6C 1st-Place Certificate.



Ron (WQ6X) & George (N6GEO) again operated from a dirt road on a private piece of land in Modoc county California - this time as W6C

Grid Square: CN91
CQ-Zone 3 - ITU Zone 6
A.R.R.L. Section:
SV - Sac Valley


W6C operated on this "Street Corner" in Modoc County

Street corner sign.

Modoc County Sign

Out of this tent trailer
& operator tent

CQP-2013 Trailer

Here is an aerial view
of the W6C location

CW QSOs = 685
(60.67%)

2055 Points

Here is a Summary
of our CQP Results

SSB QSOs = 444
(39.33%)

884 Points

CLICK HERE to look at the other CQP scores submitted to the 3830 Scores website.

CLICK HERE to read the W6C entry on the 3830 Scores Website.

CLICK HERE to read the WQ6X Contest Blog comments on CQP 2013.

N6GEO made repairs to last year's
antenna that never quite made it

From THIS

To THIS

Bent Antenna

 


CQP is Organized by
The Northern California Contest Club




Click Here for a description of all the California Counties

Click Here to view the CQP contest rules for 2013.

Click Here for a list of all California Counties

Click Here to view the W6C Band Plan for the 2013 Event.

Click Here for a list of all CQP Multipliers

Click Here to view WQ6X's previous CQP activities.

In CQP, amateurs from around the world endeavor to contact California amateurs on the standard radio bands.
We made contacts on all bands from 160-meters (1.8 mhz) to 10-meters (28 mhz).
We even spent some time on 6-meters (50 mhz) looking for band openings (which didn't happen for us).

For CQP 2010, the Solar Flux hovered near 90 - less than a year into Solar Cycle 24. For CQP 2011, the Solar Flux was around 156. For CQP 2012, the Solar Flux was a depressingly low 99, although 160, 80 & 40 meters were AWEsome from Modoc County.

During CQP 2013 the Solar Flux was a barely passable 114, altho the condx on 15m & 10m made it seem like a flux of over 140; while 80/75 meters were blessed with long skip.

 

More operator pictures from the W6C 2013 CQP event

Ron - WQ6X
"QRZ the QSO Party..."

George - N6GEO
"Yikes! That guy is LOUD!"

YouTube Videos from the W6C 2013 CQP event

WQ6X running a frequency on 15-CW

WQ6X running a frequency on 15-SSB #1

WQ6X running a frequency on 15-SSB #2

[Click Here] to view our 2010/2011/2012/2014/2015 Expeditions.

 

free counters

WQ6X is currently in Alameda California

For more information contact Ron Fitch.

Telephone Ron at: (818) 216-5376

E-mail Ron at: Ron@WQ6X.Info