California QSO Party 2018

W6C CQP Portable operation from
Contra Costa County (CCOS)


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.
Of all the state QSO parties, CQP is by far the largest, best organized and most fun.
Essentially, the CQP event is a world-wide contest - a reason it is such a popular event.

For 2017, running as K6T from W7AYT's QTH
in Concord took not only a 1st place for Contra Costa county,
but set a county record.

Having studied the results of last years operation, despite this year's depressingly-LOW Solar Flux Index (SFI), W6C was poised to surpass the 2017 score. While no county record was broken,
it would seem that W6C at least achieved a mixed-mode
1st-place for Contra Costa county.

Since CQP-2017, the antenna system @ W7AYT has been
significantly improved. Additionally, the STEREO audio cabling
to the FT-1000mp has been enhanced with a PAIR of Autek
QF-1A filters and a JPS NIR-12 for sub receiver DNF
DSP action and an original QF-1 filter as backup.

What more can I ask for? An SFI of 100 maybe?

For 2018, W6C ran SO2V working CW using the Main-RX
(Left Ear) and SSB using the Sub-RX (Right Ear).
Running each receiver thru a dedicated Autek QF-1a unit augmented the FT-1000mp's e-DSP (for the Main-RX) and the external JPS NIR-12 DSP unit (for the Sub-RX).

Altho upper band condx. were poor, WQ6X managed to run SO2-V on 80 thru 10 meters, CW & SSB.
W6C listened on 160 and called CQ during several evening
hour periods. Sadly, 160 was as bad as 10-meters at night.

WQ6X OPWQ6X's operation running
as Special Event station W6C



a PAIR of QF-1a Filters

for A+ Signal PEAKing & de-QRM'ing

 
In CQP, single-OP stations are allowed to operate up to 24 of the 30 available contest hours.
It is not surprising to hear NO California stations during the 12 - 6am period.
Then around 7:00 (PDT) 40 & 20 come alive with W6 stations, with 8 more hours to go.

California stations count each of the 50 states and 8 Canadian provinces as multiplers.
Non-CA stations count each of the 58 California counties as multipliers.


There were practice events on Friday evening starting with 20 meters at 7:15pm,
40-meters at 7:30 and 80/75 meters at 7:45pm; each for 15 mins.
While I heard no SSB stations, I DiD manage 2 Cw QSOs on each band.
Additionally, there was an informal check-in group on 3.630 before the practice event.

Throughout Saturday, WQ6X put 400+ Cw QSO's in NX6T's log, running their Station
#2 remotely by way of a newly acquired Elecraft K3/0 + RRC 1258 interface unit.
Once properly configured, the K3/0 ran virtually flawlessly.

Yaesu FT-1000mp with several
external audio filters for dual-RX

a Classic Electro Voice 664
for 75-meter SSB fun



 
CHA-250 Vertical

Grid Square: CM78xx
CQ-Zone 3
ITU Zone 6

A.R.R.L. Section:
EB - East Bay

 

W7AYT antenna Farm

3-ele. on 10-M + Tuned/Untuned WQ6X Slopers


EQUIPMENT USED in
W6C's 2018 STATION SETUP

Equipment:

Yaesu FT-1000mp running in a spare bedroom
portable configuration. Included equipment:


Autek QF-1A (x2) Filters + JPS NIR-12 DSP Filter.
Also the new WQ6X RTTY Rigger to route the audio.

CW keying using a West Mountain Plug-N-Play keying interface unit
along with a classic Bencher keying paddle (black/silver/acryllic).

 Antennas:

CHA-250
Vertical

WQ6X Tuned/Untuned Cobra Slopers

3-element
10-M Yagi


 

Concord California

Contra Costa County Line

WQ6X new Lazy
Cobra Slopers
(tuned & untuned)

WQ6X Cobra Sloper

Here is an aerial view
of the W6C location


CW QSOs
153
(82.25%)

459 Points

These are the
2018 Final results

Summary Statistics

 

SSB QSOs
33
(17.74%)

66 Points


CLICK HERE to view 2018 CQP scores submitted
to the 3830 Scores website.

CLICK HERE to view the list of stations submitting
a log for CQP 2018.

CLICK HERE to read the 2018 W6C entry on the 3830
Scores Website.

CLICK HERE, HERE & HERE to read the WQ6X Contest
Blog comments on CQP 2018.


W6K's 2016 QSL card was showcased on the
2017 CQP announcement page next to K6M.

What will the 2019 event eventually showcase?

Waving Flags represent where we are

United States

California

Bent Antenna

 


CQP is Organized by
The Northern California Contest Club



 

Click Here for a description of California Counties

Click Here to view the CQP contest rules for 2018.

Click Here for a list of all California Counties

Click Here to view the W6C Band Plan for the 2018 Event.

Click Here for a list of all CQP Multipliers

Click Here to view WQ6X's previous CQP activities.

In CQP, radio amateurs from around the world endeavor to contact amateurs in all 58 California counties on the standard shortwave radio bands of 160, 80/75, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6 & 2 meters - CW & SSB.

[Click Here] to view the 2010/2011/2012/2013/2014/2015/2016/2017 Operations.

 

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

09-11-2017