Contest ...... or Operating Event?

That's the question that rears its head many times and seems to divide the ranks of POTAteers (at least on Faceboook, anyway.)

Some, who have competitive genes running through their bodies, are into it because they love the short exchanges, the ability to accumulate high numbers of QSOs in a very short amount of time, and love the awards and the leaderboards and rankings and statistics like to think of POTA as one huge contest.

Others, who like POTA for getting the chance to operate outdoors, enjoy the scenery, sunshine and fresh air feel that POTA is an operating event. Indeed, for some of our fellow Hams living under strict HOA regulations, POTA is a lifesaver, and provides them the opportunity to enjoy the hobby on a continual basis away from their homes.

There's even another group who seem to love POTA for the opportunity to fine tune and enhance their skills and gear for operating "off the grid" should that ever become necessary. Maybe we should call this group the "preppers" or "survivalists" or "minimalists".

In my most humble opinion, I regard POTA as an operating event. I'm more of the mindset of the second group that I've described - perhaps with a little bit of the third group mixed in. I love operating outdoors, getting in some fresh air and sunshine. If I make 10 contacts at a park or 500, I'm just as happy with either outcome. The fact that I've successfully set up a portable station, got it working and that I have communicated is far more rewarding and gives me more satisfaction than any plaque, certificate, or statistical outcome could provide.

So why does any of this matter at all?  Why am I even writing about this?  I know to some it seems a waste of time and maybe even ridiculous and unnecessary.

Two reasons that I can think of, the first being that newcomers to Amateur Radio are often confused as to what the purpose behind POTA is - is it indeed just an operating activity or some huge contest? How do we adequately explain it to them? How do we explain it to people that we are trying to attract to the hobby?  POTA and all its activity is a huge selling point to potential licensees. Seeing someone operate in an outdoor location and not cooped up in the concept of a "traditional shack" is very appealing and intriguing to a lot of people. This is especially so for those who regard Amateur Radio as something antiquated and stodgy.

Secondly, it matters because there are rules and "gentlemen's agreements".  If POTA is indeed a contest - then it needs to be defined as such and POTA activity should never show up on the WARC bands. Like it or not, regard it as silly or not, that's the current rule / conventional agreement we live under. If it's an operating event, much like DXCC is, then POTA activity can operate freely and unfettered on any band that is available to us. If it is a contest, then we'd better confine the activity to 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 Meters.

When one thinks about it, there are many similarities between POTA and DXCC and even the DXCC Challenge - awards, certificates, plaques, leaderboards and "Honor Rolls". POTA activations in and of themselves are quite like mini-domestic DXpeditions with pileups and more often than not, a huge sum of QSOs worked in a very short amount of time. The similarities between these activities are what form my opinion. I do not believe the DXCC Program has ever been regarded as a contest, and so therefore I do not regard POTA as one, either.

In the end, I guess it comes down to whatever floats your boat. However, as one who has a high regard for rules and organization, I'll continue to think of POTA as an operating event. Should 30 or 17 or 12 Meters be open, I can work those bands as well with a clear conscience, knowing I have not violated any rules or agreements.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very lest!

North American QSO Party - NAQP CW

Thanks to John Laney K4BAI for posting a reminder on the CWOPS e-mail reflector.

This weekend is the NAQP CW contest. As you all know, I don't consider myself an avid or even semi-avid contester, but this one is generally fun.  The exchange is simple - your name and state. It doesn't get much easier than that! Even if your CW speed isn't the greatest, this should be relatively easy copy.

If you're working on your Worked All States Award - whether it be just starting, almost finishing, or somewhere smackdab in the middle, then this is a good one for you. There's generally a lot of participation and you just may be able to find the "elusive" states on the airwaves this weekend.

The rules are here - http://ncjweb.com/NAQP-Rules.pdf

To help fulfill my goal of getting on the air more this year, W2LJ plans to put in an hour or two, handing out that very NOT elusive "NJ" to anyone who so desires it.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

A good feeling

I was in the shack last night, doing a bit of work on my Lenevo T430 that I use down there. While I was there, I had the radio on, and I took a break from what I was doing to check my e-mail and take a quick look at Facebook.

The SKCC Facebook page had a posting from a member asking if anyone from NJ was around. He wanted a quick QSO so he could add NJ to his CW WAS tally.

The post was only about 10 minutes old, so I took the chance that he hadn't shut down and I posted back - "What band?"

The op in question responded that he was good on just about any band; so I suggested he pick a frequency on 40 Meters. He picked 7.110 MHz and said he would be calling me there.

And he was! Nice and loud, too!

We had the quick exchange of signal reports and SKCC numbers and then he was off to try to find the other two states he needed to finish up the award.

Having completed WAS a couple of times, it was nice to give someone else a needed state. He kind of floored me when he told me that he has trouble working New Jersey. I mean we're relatively "a dime a dozen" here. It's a surprise for me to find out that New Jersey is rare for anyone!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

An interesting challenge

I saw this posted on the 4 States QRP Group e-mail reflector.  I added NY4G's blog to the blog roll and am posting a link to his "challenge".

http://ny4g.blogspot.com/2015/12/qrp-dxcc-challenge.html

He calls it "QRP Wars - The Morse Awakens".

Cute.

Now the question is - can it be done?

My answer is, "Yes, I think it can." Even with the worsening solar conditions. But (and there's alway's a "but") I think this competition favors those who are retired and can send mondo amounts of time on the radio.  It also favors those of us on the East coast, who are closer to Europe and the Caribbean. And with the ARRL DX Contest which is held in February, if you really put your mind to it, it should be possible to work QRP DXCC within 100 days.

Am I going to put my money where my mouth is?

Not sure at this point.  I just might try it for fun and just may keep a "diary" of the effort here on the blog - just for the halibut. Let me cogitate on it for a while. I have a couple of days left until 2016 rolls around.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

More wallpaper

These came in the mail while we were away. When I finally have all 14 QSL cards (each Colony plus WM3PEN) I have in mind an idea for a nice framed display.

Thanks to Ken KU2US and ALL the 13 Colony ops, plus WM3PEN for putting on a super fun event. Kudos to GB13COL too, even though I didn't work them. Heck, I never even heard them!

I did the clean sweep in 2013 but never sent away for the certificate. I wasn't about to let that happen again!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

We're back from Lake George

and now it's time to settle into the mundane routine of worklife, I guess.

This came just before we left, but we were so busy, I didn't have time to scan and post:

Some 7 months after my application, but at least it came in one piece, undamaged and without a crease or fold mark. I have the 400 prefix endorsement somewhere down in the shack.  I'll attach it before I frame it.

And now that we're back, that's going to be my next project, or order of business - clean out the shack. Currently, it looks like a bomb hit it. It's hodgepodge of mess piled upon mess. I want to get everything back into order again so that it no longer looks like one of those places you see on those "I'm a hoarder." TV shows.

My Amateur Radio success at Lake George was pretty "so-so". I made few contacts, but they were generally pretty good rag chews. Only one piece of DX during the week and that was with OH2XX from Finland on 20 Meters towards the end of the week.  The PAR END FEDZ worked well in the tree. Next year, I think I'll switch to the EARCHI instead. It tunes up easily on more bands.

You can tell we're definitely on the downside of the solar cycle.  Good days with lots of activity and lots of DX heard are becoming fewer and more far in between. I think the days are coming when a good QRP DX contact will be to the opposite coast!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Mail call!

Thank you, Ed WA3WSJ and QRP ARCI !!

One more DXCC entity and I will qualify for the 150 endorsement.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Re-did my tallies

Before the 80 Meter Fox hunt began (I only nailed one Fox, AA4GA, Lee in Georgia) I decided to update my list of DXCC entities worked using QRP. After working RI1ANT the other night, I realized my list was last updated on 12/30/2012!

So I went through my log book and much to my surprise, I discovered that between then and now, I have added 27 new DXCC entities, worked via QRP, to the list! I now stand at 151 worked. And a majority of the new ones were lunch time QSOs, worked using the KX3 and Buddistick from my Jeep. So much for low power and compromise antennas, eh?

I will have to fire off my spreadsheet off to Ed WA3WSJ, who is the new Awards Manager for the QRP ARCI. I qualified for their QRP DX Award a long time ago when I qualified for the ARRL's QRP DXCC, but I never applied. Now I guess I'll get the basic award along with a 50 country endorsement. And the great part is that since I am a paid up QRP ARCI member, the award is free, unlike the ARRL award. Cool beans!

Now all I have to do is update the tally on my "Operating" page on the blog. I'm definitely not too good with tables in HTML. Ugh.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

13 Colonies time!

Yessiree!  If it's close to the 4th of July, then it's time for the 13 Colonies Special Event!

The 13 states, which were the original 13 colonies (Can you name them?  How's your history?) will be on the air until 12 Midnight on Saturday evening/Sunday morning of this coming weekend. They will have special call signs from K2A to K2M.

If you participate, a very special certificate (suitable for framing) can be yours.  Work all 13 colonies and your certificate specially will be marked to denote the Clean Sweep.

Log summaries can be submitted via snail mail with the suggested donation to obtain the certificate.

Just this evening, I was able to work the following eight states/colonies on 40 Meters - NY, SC, DE, RI, NJ, MA, VA, NC.  I also heard the NH station, but his pileup was something akin to the crowd trying to work Spratly.  I also heard the GA station, but he was very weak.  GA is usually super loud here in NJ, maybe he had his beam turned away from the NorthEast and I was hearing him off the side.

NY and NC were worked via CW - the rest were worked using that SSB mode.  I got a kick out of working K2I, the NJ station.  The operator was Mike KA2FIR, who I've worked before.  When I finally broke the pileup, he came back to me with "W2LJ, we've run into each other before. Aren't you that QRP guy?"

My reputation precedes me!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

The weekend

The weekend was busy, with lots of stuff to do in order to get ready for Mother's Day, as well as actually celebrate it.  Even though I did not have much radio time, I did manage to get some time in behind the K3 and some good things happened.

The first good thing to happen this weekend was a package that arrived through the mail on Saturday:

Yes - my JARC Antenna Launcher Kit arrived through the mail. Thanks you Joplin Amateur Radio Club! This is going to be a tremendous help with portable operations this summer.

Late Saturday afternoon / early evening, shortly after my weekly Echolink ragchew with W3BBO,  Bob sent me an e-mail, letting me know that 15 Meters was wide open and that he had worked Z81X in the Republic of South Sudan.  I had just finished washing the floors, so I put down mop and bucket and ran down (literally) to the shack.  Sure enough, there was Z81X on 21.030 MHz, working split and sounding louder than all get out.  The pile up was tremendous!  So following my tenet of when the pile up is fierce and it's a new one,  to  "Work 'em first, get 'em QRP later", I turned the K3 up to 85 Watts.  After a half hour of chasing, I landed them in my logbook.  Z81X was like one of our wiley Foxes in the QRP Fox hunts in that he kept moving his listening frequency.  Once I established the pattern, and inserted myself in his path, it just became a matter of time.  Bob worked Z81X at 23:08 UTC and I got him a mere half hour later at 23:38 UTC.  Bob checked the on-line log this morning; and yep, we're both in there. Sweet - a new DXCC entity for both of us!

Then today, I got some time this afternoon behind the dial and got two more new DXCC entities, and these I worked at QRP power.  15 Meters was hopping and netted me UN3M in Kazakhstan, as well as RI1FJ in Franz Josef Land.  The pile ups in these two instances were very small, so I tried QRP from the get-go here and was richly rewarded in both instances.  When the competition is not so fierce, you can afford to "be a purist".

There was another station that I worked on 15 Meters that caught my ear, as it was a long and strange call sign - LZ1876SMB.  I have worked Bulgaria many times with QRP, but this was a Special Event Station to commemorate the Bulgarian Saint Martyrs of Batak.  A little Googling revealed that these were 700 members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church who were martyred for their faith in an uprising against Ottomans in 1876.

If you go on QRZ, you'll find out that LZ1876SMB is just one of many stations that will be on the air commemorating the Bulgarian Saints. For us Stateside ops, if we work five of these different LZ Saints Stations, a very beautiful diploma can be earned.

One down - four to go. I am going to keep my ears open for these stations. Bulgaria is usually (although not always) a fairly easy trip from NJ via QRP.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Worthless ?????

An interesting discussion is evolving on QRP-L.  Hopefully it won't devolve and become a  QRP-L embarrassment.  Anyway, it all began a few days ago when a fellow QRPer happily announced that he had worked PJ6/K4UEE,  his 100th DXCC entity at QRP power levels.  QRPers, being who and what they are, immediately started offering their congratulations, but also encouraged this fellow Ham to apply for "the wallpaper".

In this case, "the wallpaper" would be the QRP DXCC certificate, which is pictured above.  Things got a bit sticky when one Ham opined that it is a "useless award".  And even though I have the award and am VERY proud to have it, I can understand his point (which he is entitled to).  QRP DXCC does not require the applicant to mail in his QSL cards; or LOTW credits as the regular award does.  All you are required to do is send in a list of the 100 DXCC entities that you worked, providing call sign, date and band information. Therefore, in the opinion of this Ham, the QRP DXCC is useless because it lacks credibility. In his opinion, this is a simple case of, "I earned it 'cuz I said I did what I said I did,"

If this were a court case or a matter of law, I would agree wholeheartedly.  But this is not that, this is something totally different.  This boils down to being a matter of honor and faith, as it were.  The same Ham who proclaimed the QRP DXCC certificate "useless", also claimed in his post that he has worked over 120 DXCC entities via QRP and that he has the cards to prove it.  I never met the man face to face; and probably never will, yet I believe him.  I don't need to see his cards.  If I cannot take him at his word, then what's the point?  Furthermore, what's the point of just dreaming up 100 DX QRP contacts, taking the time to fabricate the details, put them down on paper and then send in $10 for the certificate?  It just doesn't make sense that anyone would do something like that; but I guess someone could.  And that would be very sad, indeed, if they needed to live a lie like that.

He went on to make the point that perhaps instead of offering a separate QRP DXCC award that the League (oops, sorry ..... the ARRL - they don't want to be called "The League" anymore) should just offer a CW endorsement on the regular DXCC award.  I see the point in this and would normally agree.  However, when I re-did WAS for the second time - all 50 via QRP and CW, all I got for my efforts and $10 were the words "QRP" and "CW" in rather small 12 point type, in an innocuous position towards the bottom right hand corner of the award.  Hardly what I would call a significant recognition of the added difficulty.

So here we have several issues coming into play in one topic:

1) What is credibility?  Does "honor" and "my word" count anymore; or have we become so jaded that we must always have the "cold hard proof".

2) In the end, do we really even need the certificates?  When it comes right down to it, isn't "I earned it 'cuz I said I did what I said I did" enough?

Maybe it's just human nature to want tangible recognition for a rather difficult achievement.  Maybe that's what drives us to strive to reach beyond the mundane, everyday things.

You have to be a Ham to dissect things like this!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

K6JSS Award in the Golden Jubilee Year

So far, K6JSS has been active in the states of Connecticut, Hawaii, Georgia and Texas.  Next up, beginning at 00:00 UTC Monday will be Kansas.  Of course the goal is to activate all 50 States this year.  And to that point, Ken Evans W4DU, the president of QRP-ARCI posted these points this past week on QRP-L.

**********************************************************************

1. A valid contact is considered an exchange of signal reports - QRP ARCI numbers are not required nor are QTH/Name/etc. But we suggest RST + QRP ARCI number or power out if not a member.

2. You can "claim" the K6JSS QRP ARCI number even if it is not exchanged. We all will know pretty quickly, if not previously, that it is QRP ARCI #1. If you don't know your QRP ARCI number, go to http://qrparci.org/ and click on "Member Lookup". Enter you call and your number will be displayed. If you are not a member, you can exchange power out in lieu of a number. Of course you can also join at http://www.qrparci.org and receive a number!

3. Requests for QSLs go to the address listed at qrz.com for K6JSS. Please send an SASE. All requests for QSLs with an SASE will be honored. However, to control the costs and the work of our volunteers, we ask that you not request a K6JSS QSL for each and every state you work during the year. Of course if you require a QSL for an award, then we'll be happy to QSL with an SASE of course. Again, all requests for QSLs will be honored. Just use your discretion as to help us control the load. The QSL card design is complete; we are just tweaking it. We will not have cards to mail to you until approximately February 1. We will NOT be doing LoTW which we have considered because it is very complicated for this event


4. At the end of the year, special certificates (different from the QRP All States award) will be issued to any amateur confirming QSOs with K6JSS in 20 or more of the 50 states of the USA while running QRP. Endorsement certificates are issued at 30, 40 and 50 states confirmed. QRP ARCI awards do not require QSLs with the application for an award. Just a list that you prepare certifying that you worked the stations listed for the award and GCR - General Class Review of 2 General Class or higher amateur friends of yours. You can down load the GCR form on the qrparci.org site. This approach will be used for the Golden Jubilee Award.

5. If you miss a few states and are desirous of getting all fifty, we will present some opportunities at the year's end to pick up a few states that you may have missed. So if you find yourself getting a late start, jump in
and work what is on now.

We are encouraging K6JSS operators to work as many modes and bands as possible. Check QRP Spots (http://qrpspots.com/ ) often to determine who is on.

**********************************************************************

With propagation such as it is, working all 50 States worth of K6JSS stations will be a challenge.  It's nice to see that QRP-ARCI will offer a certificate for a minimum of twenty states worked.  As a confirmed paper chaser, I will do my best to work as many as I can in order to get one of these certificates to hang on my shack wall.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!