California QSO Party 2020

K6C CQP Portable operation from
Contra Costa County (CCOS)

WQ6X - 2020 Dual-CQP 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.

In 2019, running as K6C from W7AYT's QTH in Concord WQ6X took another 1st place for Contra Costa county, even tho
most of the OP time was spent joining the NX6T team remotely. For 2020, the operating hours were just the reverse.
WQ6X managed to put in just enough operating hours to qualify for a free CQP 2020 t-Shirt.

Having studied the results of last years operation, despite this year's continually depressingly-LOW Solar Flux Index (SFI), it seems to me that K6C easily surpassed K6C's
2019 operation (at 164 QSOs last year, it can't miss).

Throughout 2020, the antenna system @ W7AYT has been on a continual improvement. The 8JK Sloper has been reconfigured into an 8JK Trapezoid (whatever that is).

For 2019, K6C 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).

For 2020, STEREO audio cabling to the FT-1000mp has been enhanced by augmenting the QF-1A filters and JPS NIR-12 with an MFJ-784 for additional main-RX Dsp processing.

What more can be asked for? An SFI of 100 maybe?
I have been asking for that for nearly 5 years now.

 

WQ6X OP

WQ6X's setup prior to the
2020 California QSO Party

 
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 single-OP California stations during the 12 - 6am period.
Then around 7:00 am (PDT) 40 & 20 come alive with W6 stations, with 8 more hours to go.
Because K6A was a multi-OP operation, all 30 hours were allowed for CQP operation.
During the 3am to 5am shift, pointing the antenna East put dozens of stations just waking-up into the log.

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 was a practice event on Friday evening starting with 40-meters at 7:30 and 80/75 meters at 7:45pm;
each for 15 mins. Around 8:10pm K6C worked K6M in Modoc (but unfortunately not in the CQP itself).



WQ6X is able to run NX6T's STN-1 & STN-2 remotely

For 2020 WQ6X put a not-insignificant 220 Cw+Ssb QSO's in K6A's log, running their Station #2 remotely (by way of a classic Elecraft K3/0 + RRC 1258 interface unit) during off-periods as K6C. Properly configured, the K3/0 runs virtually flawlessly.

The Yaesu FT-1000mp along with
additional listening enhancement
makes for an unforgettable experience

a Classic Electro Voice EV-664
makes 40/75 Ssb sound GREAT
and is truly an awful LoT more FUN



 

 

 

Concord California

Grid Square: CM78xx
CQ-Zone 3
ITU Zone 6

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

Contra Costa County Line

EQUIPMENT Used in
K6C's 2020 STATION SETUP

Equipment:

Included equipment:

Yaesu FT-1000mp running in a spare bedroom portable configuration.
Backup transceiver: ICOM-7000 & Elecraft K3/0 for remote operation.

Autek QF-1A (x2) Filters + JPS NIR-12 DSP Filter + MFJ-784 Super DSP Filter.

The RigExpert PLUS for keying Cw, running RTTY and routing the audio.
Electro-Voice 664 Mic & a classic Bencher keying paddle (black/silver/acryllic).

 Antennas:

CH-250 Vertical
w/Counterpoise wires

WQ6X Lazy 8JK
Cobra Trapezoid &
Cobra Sloping Inverted VEE

Hygain Long John
3-element 10-M Yagi

WQ6X 8JK Horizontal Trapezoid
CH-250 Vertical + 10-m Long John

WQ6X 8JK Cobra Trapezoid

Here is an aerial view
of the K6C location

CW QSOs
264
(92.3%)

792 Points

Here are the
2020 Final results

Summary Statistics

 

SSB QSOs
22
(7.7%)

44 Points


  CLICK HERE to view 2020 CQP scores submitted to 3830 Scores website.

CLICK HERE to read the 2020 K6C entry on the 3830 Scores Website.

  CLICK HERE to view the list of stations submitting a log for CQP 2020.

CLICK HERE to read the WQ6X Contest Blog comments on CQP 2020.


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

What will the 2020 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 2020.

Click Here for a list of all California Counties

Click Here to view the K6C Band Plan for the 2020 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 2010/2011/2012/2013/2014/2015/2016/2017/2018/2019 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

09-22-2020