California QSO Party 2011
K6S Operations on the Sacramento River

The California QSO Party is an event wherein Radio Amateurs activate all California counties
for the purpose of ensuring radio readiness in the event of disasters; natural or otherwise.
Of all the QSO parties, CQP is the largest and most popular.
This event is a world-wide contest; one of the reasons it is so popular.

For 2011, CQP was active from 9:00 a.m. PDT on October 1 to 3:00 p.m. PDT on October 2, 2011.
There was a 1 hour practice event on Friday evening starting with C.W. at 7pm and SSB at 7:30pm - each for 30 mins.
Unfortunately, we were doing boat maintenence and station setup at that time and had no opportunity to partricipate.
Ron (WQ6X) & George (N6GEO) operated as K6S from a 29-ft. boat on the Sacramento River - near Decker Island.

CQP is Sponsored by
The Northern California Contest Club


CQP Begins in:

K6S operated from this boat


near Decker Island on the Sacramento River.
Here is a map of Decker Island and surrounding areas.

Click Here for a description of all the California Counties

Click Here to view the CQP contest rules for 2011.

Click Here for a list of all California Counties

Click Here to view the K6S proposed Band Plan for the 2011 Event.

Click Here for a list of all CQP Multipliers

Click Here to view WQ6X's previous CQP activities.

In CQP, amateurs from around the world endeavor to contact California amateurs on the standard radio bands from 160-meters (1.8 mhz) to 10-meters (28 mhz) as well as 6m (50 mhz) & 2m (144 mhz). Thanks to sunspot cycle #24 on a steep incline (current Solar-Flux has been over 150 in September 2011 .vs. 90 in October 2010) this should be an active contest period this year. Unfortunately, for CQP 2011, the Solar Flux hovered near 132.

Here are two OP pictures along with the Score Totals from the 2011 CQP event.
[Click Here] to view our 2010/2012/2013/2014/2015 Expeditions.

George - N6GEO

George kept us alive on single sideband (SSB) and also on 40-m C.W. Here, George is making his presence known on 40-m sideband saturday evening before moving on down to 75-meter phone to terrorize the California & West Coast locals. The Yaesu FT-897 nicely held it's own against the multi-op kilowatt stations; altho that NYE Viking antenna tuner (top-right) can EASILY handle a full kilowatt +.

Ron - WQ6X

This picture was taken around 10am on Sunday morning with 5 hours to go. Despite the double Zoom Brew, with only 4 hours sleep, 15 meters seemed quite slow to activate for the final time. Luckily, operating C.W. exclusively on Sunday saved my voice after Ge'ldine did her brief stint on 75-m SSB and 160 late Saturday nite.
BTW, wearing the Neurosky Mindset (under the WIA hat) for audio also allows me to capture brainwave activity in the heat of CQP competition.

 

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WQ6X is currently in Alameda California

For more information contact Ron Fitch.

Telephone Ron at: (818) 216-5376

E-mail Ron at: Ron@WQ6X.Info