2022 Idaho QSO Party

Results

WA0WWW, Jay, and I were able to put all eight of our planned counties on the air in the eight hours we operated. We gathered 470 QSOs from 255 unique calls and 47 mults for a claimed score of 44,180. Our constant customers were K2DFC in NJ with 10 Qs in seven of our counties; K9RS in DE with 9 Qs in all eight counties; WB9HFK in IL also with 9 Qs, but in seven counties; K7GS in WA with 9 Qs in seven counties; and N8II in WV with 9 Qs in seven counties.

Most of the day we were on 20 m with good results. An HB9 managed to get in the log on 20 and three JAs on 15 m were the only non-W or VE contacts. Around 0100Z we went to 40 m and had good results there until we ended our effort about 0300Z.

My most memorable moment was just before the Shoshone - Benewah county line. As I was finishing a QSO with K5ME, I saw the Benewah county line sign approaching. I sent K5ME AS (dit dah dit dit dit), changed N1MM's county to BEN as we passed the sign, and sent K5ME 5NN BEN. He replied and we finished two quick QSOs. I've wanted to do that for many years, but this was the first time I've accomplished it.

We missed only six states, ID, UT, WY, NV, SD, and LA. The rig was an Elecraft KX2 and Elecraft KXPA100 to a Scorpion 680 antenna mounted in the center of the bed of my 2002 Ford Ranger. We used N1MM+ on an HP laptop with full rig control and a MORTTY for CW keying.

We had a great time and thank everyone who worked us or tried.

The Plan

Jay, WA0WWW, and I will activate eight counties in the Idaho QSO Party on March 12 and 13 (UTC) using my callsign of K7TQ. All of our operation will be CW. We will try to split operating time between 20 and 40 m until 20 m dies out. Our sunset will be 0150 UTC so we will concentrate more on 40 m and some 80 m. You can work us each time we change bands or counties. Watch the RBN for K7TQ. We will try to be on frequencies ending in 0365, such as 14036.5 or 7036.5 MHz.

Here is a schedule of when we hope to enter a county and a route map.