[WIQPmail] QSO Party & Hours

[Doug Garman]

>From the other side of the country ... The contest started at the time my animals want to be fed. Then I like to eat. Next I turn on my radio and listen for a short time, high QRN (and 60 MPH winds) from 3 to 5 PT as noise finally dies    ---    find out the Party is over and everyone went home. I understand that you want your time for your other activities, and local contacts are probably your goal - however - you might get even more local participation (numbers) if the party lasted longer (even 36 hours or more). 

I am not suggesting everyone works the whole contest, but just give more time for more ops. 11AM to 6PM Pacific Time catches both lunch and dinner (family times), especially when you are the able bodied one at home. If we have to work and get off at 5PM, getting home at 5:30PM (I wish) would give 1/2 hour to set up and operate. I had planned to make some contacts, but the local wind caused the emergency nets to fire up (VHF & UHF not HF) and power interruptions here for those not having auxiliary power. 

I do not believe the extra time would mean too much extra work for the organizers, and I do not know where your hams live (in which counties). When I first worked the WA. QSO party (aka Salmon Run) I was the only station on the air in Klickitat county. This last year there were at least 6 on SSB and 4 on CW and data was represented.
This is your contest and business, and this might be Lutefisk rather than Salmon so might not taste too good..... (sorry, bad humor).
Doug K7EVI  and  club WA7KLI
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