WQ6X.Info - California QSO Party (CQP) : W6C - 2018 Contra Costa county operation

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 OP WQ6X'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.

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 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.