The California QSO Party The California QSO Party 20142014

Where YOU are the rare DX !!!

AgendaAgendaThe Competitive Side of RadioWhy ContestThe California QSO Party

AgendaAgendaThe Competitive Side of The Competitive Side of

RadioRadioWhy ContestThe California QSO Party

The Competitive Side Of The Competitive Side Of RadioRadioEmergency OperationsDXContests

Contest

Emergency DX

Emergency OperationsEmergency Operations• Purpose: ease suffering and loss

by facilitating communications• Compete against time &

conditions • Speed and accuracy critical• No advance warning• Callsigns not vital information• “Whatever it takes”—no rules• Optimal station hardware

unnecessary (HTs, portable, mobile)

• Post-event summary for major events

• Mostly VHF/UHF

Contest

DXEmergency

DXDX

• Purpose: make contacts and collect QSLs for awards

• Compete against other operators & conditions• Accuracy (callsign copying) & timing critical—

but not speed• No predetermined schedule

– “Lie in wait” for months

• Prefers moderate to good station• No “post-event”• Mostly HF

Contest

Emergency DX

ContestsContests

• Purpose: maximize number of contacts in many different places during time limit

• Compete against other operators, time, and conditions

• Speed & accuracy critical; results are judged

• Callsigns very important• Strictly enforced rules• Scheduled far in advance; published rules• Good-to-better station needed• Post-event summary• HF/VHF/UHF

Contest

Emergency DX

AgendaAgendaThe Competitive Side of RadioWhy ContestWhy ContestThe California QSO Party

The Overlap – Contesting and The Overlap – Contesting and Emergency OperationsEmergency Operations

Accuracy and Speed CriticalBand ConditionsOperators Compete

The Better OperatorThe Better OperatorPreparedAccurateFastIn controlPractices to improve

◦Measured Practice

Contests as PracticeContests as PracticeMeasured eventPreparation neededRewards speed and accuracyAvailable every weekendFun if you want it to be

Contest Operating StylesContest Operating StylesRunning

◦Operator must be in control◦Mimics Net Control for EO◦Generally highest contest scores

Search and Pounce (S&P)◦You compete to be heard◦Mimics individual responder◦Generally lowest scores

Contesting is FunContesting is Fun

• Improve your operating skills• Great to make DXCC or WAS in a

weekend• Decorate your shack with awards • Put a whole season’s worth of

contacts into the log in a day• Set your own goals—needn’t win to

enjoy• Beat your neighbor

AgendaAgendaThe Competitive Side of RadioWhy ContestThe California QSO Party

California QSO PartyCalifornia QSO PartyConsidered to be one of the largest

(and best!) State QSO Party contests>900 logs >300,000 QSOsLots of awards including

◦ 38 Wooden Plaques◦ 20 Bottles of Wine◦ YL Awards◦ Youth Award◦ New Contester Award (California)◦ Participation Certificates

Cool T-Shirt Most legal fun on the air !!!

Work those DX – Past CQP Work those DX – Past CQP LogsLogs

Barbados 8P9SH Croatia 9A5I 9A7W Cuba CO8DM Portugal CT1BWW CT1FOH Germany F1IC DJ1ZU DK3KD DL1YGW DL5PW DL9LR DF2NZ DJ3FK DK5ZX DL4NGW DL5RMH DL9US DF2WF DJ6ZC Spain EA3AGB EA3GHZ EA4LH Belarus EU1SA EU1SA France F/NH7A F5AIB F5IDJ F5OFK F5TYY F6BNH F2YT F5HGT F5LTT F5RU F5VEX F6IQX England G0LTX G3LVP G3UDA G4EZT G4WXO M5ARC G0SSK G3PJK G3VOF G4IIY G4XFX G0TSM G3PJT G3WPH G4IUF M0AGA G0VKL G3PVX G4ACS G4LYM Northern Ireland GI3OQR GI3VAW Scotland MM0AMW Wales GW0PNI Hungary HA7UG HA8TP HA8VK HA8VK HG8W Switzerland HB9BIO HB9CVN HB9CYV HB9DCM Italy I0YKN I2TAO IK2MLY Sicily IT9AJP Japan JA3JOT JH1AZO JH7RTQ JL1KXL JR9NVB Hawaii KH6EV KH6EV NH7C American Samoa AH8I AH8I Alaska AL1G KL7DY KL7FAP KL7GLL/4 WL7M US Virgin Is. NP2DJ Puerto Rico KP3A KP4TW NP4A WP4DFK Norway LA5JX LA5UF Luxembourg LX1NO Bulgaria LZ2RS Peru OA4DKC Austria OE6GRG Finland OG3JF OG6NIO OH1XX OH3MMH OG3JFT Czech Republic OK1ACF OK1CF OK1DVM OK1JKR OK1NR OK1AVG OK1DCF OK1EW OK1KT OK2FD OK1CF OK1DTM OK1FHI OK1MGW Slovakia OM3XX Belgium ON4CAS ON4NA ON4UN ON7AC ON7NQ Netherlands PA3ARM PA3ARM PA3FGJ PA3GUY PA7BT Brazil PY2DCQ PY2NY PY2NY Slovenia S50K S54G S57BFO S59Z S53EO S57AT S58AL Sweden 8S5W SM2CEW SM3TLG SM5CZQ SM7NGH SK5EW SM3EVR Poland SP6KEP SP6NIC SP9CVY SQ8VS Greece SV1CIB European Russia RA3AJ RA3QK RA6AR UA4CJJ Ukraine US6UN UZ7U Namibia V51L Australia VK2CZ Hong Kong VR2BG Romania YO3APJ O3ZA YO6EX Yugoslavia YU7SF YU7SF Macedonia Z32XX

The world at your fingertips!

Multiple Ways to PlayMultiple Ways to Play• Single op • Multi-Single• Multi-Multi• Mobile• Expedition• School• QRP• Club competition

MobileMobile

Expedition – Field Day Expedition – Field Day StyleStyle

N7CW - IMP

2014 Rules - Simplified2014 Rules - SimplifiedStarts at 1600z on 4 Oct (Sat morning)Ends at 2200z on 5 Oct (Sun afternoon)

3 points for each CW QSO2 points for each phone QSOScore = total points x multipliers (58

max)Multipliers = States/Canadian Provinces

Work anyone, once per band-mode

How to QSOHow to QSO

What Band / When ?What Band / When ?

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9000California QSO Party 2009 All Bands / All Modes

10mCW 10mPH 15m CW 15m PH 20m CW 20m PH 40m CW 40m PH

80m CW 80m PH 160m CW 160m PH 6m CW 6m PH 2m CW 2m PH

UTC

20 m20 m

40 40 mm 20 m

15 m

80 80 mm

9am 4pm 8pm

7am

1am

What SoftwareWhat SoftwareAny contest logger will workCQPWIN (free)N3FJP ($6)N1MM (Free, but complex for

beginner)

For more information see http://www.cqp.org/software.html

After Contest After Contest

Send In Your Log !!!Send In Your Log !!!

http://www.cqp.org

CQP is sponsored by:CQP is sponsored by:The Northern California Contest The Northern California Contest ClubClub

Premiere contesting clubWorld class operatorsSponsors The California QSO

PartyMonthly meetings (2nd Monday)Website: http://www.nccc.cc

The California QSO Party The California QSO Party 20142014Starts: October 4, 2014 1600 UTCEnds: October 5, 2014 2200 UTC

Logs due October 31, 2014

Hope to see you in the Hope to see you in the CQP!!!CQP!!!

http://www.cqp.org