2018 7th Call Area QSO Party

Results

On May 5, 2018 I put eight Idaho and eight Washington counties on the air in the 7th Area QSO Party. With my wife Meg driving, we stated in Idaho County, ID near Grangeville and ended 12 hours later in Whitman County, WA near Tekoa. Our route included the Camas Prairie in ID where winter wheat fields were turning green, the Palouse Prairie in ID and WA which is also home to many wheat fields, and the mountains in the panhandle of ID. The weather was great with overcast skies with an occasional sun break. In the eastern part of IDLAT and all of IDCLE there was smoke from either a forest fire or controlled forest burns. As we sat at the operating spot in IDCLE, white ash occasionally drifted in through the truck windows.

After the twelve hours, there were 377 Qs for a score of 49,764. The first hour on 40m CW in IDIDA, IDLEW, and a few minutes in IDNEZ gathered 52 Qs then the res of the time was on 20 m CW. The state count was 41 plus four Canadian provinces. No DX managed to make the log.

N6MU, John in CA, was a constant companion making the log in 15 of the 16 counties followed by K9OM, Dick in WI, with nine counties. N8II, Jeff in WV, had eight followed by K4AMC, NW0M, W6OAT, W6SX, and WA2VYA each with seven counties. Having constant companions, like these, sure makes for an enjoyable time. Thanks to all who made the log, all who tried to make the log, and a specially big Thank You to all the "regulars."

The best county was WAWHI with 54 Qs and the worst was IDSHO with only 10. I operated nearly two hours in WAWHI plus it is rolling hills. In IDSHO I operated for only 30 minutes and it is in the mountains with few open valleys.

The rig was a K2/100 at 75 watts to either a 40 m or a 20 m Hamstick mag mounted on the roof of a Ranger pickup. I use N1MM+ on a Gateway LT4004u netbook for logging and sending.

Pictures and comments from along the route