Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2012 Vermont QSO Party a rousing success!
Participation was significantly higher than in previous years. In Vermont, 18 stations submitted logs with a total of 4360 QSO’s, a big increase over 11 logs with 3507 QSO’s last year. In addition, some 20 other Vermont stations who did not submit logs were seen in the logs we received. A total of 12 out of 14 Vermont counties were logged, with only Windham and Franklin missing. This year, we made a large effort to get more Vermont stations on the air, and to stay on the air longer. For most of the afternoon on both days, at least 2-3 Vermont stations were engaged in significant runs on both 15 and 20 meters. We’re still a rare state, but Vermont was there, if you went looking!
Outside Vermont, a total of 38 logs from 24 states, with a total of 175 QSO’s were submitted, an increase over the 34 logs with 159 QSO’s last year. It is our hope that with more Vermont activity, the activity of stations outside Vermont will also pick up.
Vermont stations fell into 3 categories: Host Club, Single Op and Multi-Op. The Host Club, W1NVT was not in competition and was there to make Vermont easily available for most of the QSO Party. The station was active 1300-0400 UTC, primarily on 20, 40 and 15 meters, with a little bit 10 and 80 meters tossed in as well. We were very pleased to see tremendous results on 40 meters in the evenings, a time when contacts are hard to come by. After the first night, there were almost 1300 QSO’s in the log and we were looking to break 2000. However, it was not to be. Conditions on Sunday, particularly for DX, was poor, and coupled with antenna problems, this led to a lackluster second day. But with W1NVT in virtually every submitted log, we knew that the mission of putting Vermont out there was accomplished.
The single operator competition was intense and exciting – probably the most exciting finish ever in the Vermont QSO Party! When it was all over, Bob KB1FRW emerged as the clear winner by running up a big QSO total entirely on 20 meters. Positions 2 and 3 both were claimed by stations in Essex County in the extreme reaches of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. How rare is that? Essex County has only 16 licensed hams, 6 of whom have HF licenses. And one other Essex County station was worked, meaning that 50% of the HF hams were on the air. Way to go! Second place goes to David K4TT who used a mix of Phone and CW and high multiplier totals and essentially only operated one day. George N1GB grabbed third place by concentrating primarily on PSK-31 and getting double points for the contacts as well as the multiplier for running low power. Fourth and fifth place was a real horse race. Joe K1VMT was limited to 10 and 15 meters only and he had a nice run going most of the day. He ended up besting Bob AB1NJ by a mere 800 points. And I had to insist that Joe send in his log when he was reluctant at first! Sixth, seventh and eighth place were even more hotly contested - with only 400 points separating out the participants. The log checkers counted these up many times just to be sure! Arnie W2HDI used high power and some PSK-31 operation to run up his score. Zack K1ZK put his club call sign WB1MG on the air to provide a bonus for everyone. He was the CW king of the QSO Party with 59 CW QSO’s, but found time to work a few on 2 meter simplex. Sadly, that’s a lost art. Years ago, I used to send the YL up to the Grand Isle County Line to get a rare one in the log on 2 meters. Perhaps more of that will come back in the future. Art KB1NHV was literally 1 multiplier behind Zack and he too, took advantage of the double points on CW. In the Multi-op division, K1SV bested W1GMW by a few contacts and few more multipliers. |
VERMONT SCORES
|
OUTSIDE VERMONT COMPETITIONWhile most of the Vermont stations were running contacts, the participants outside Vermont were carefully tuning the bands looking for that elusive Vermont station. Many were likely tuning around for MN, DE and BC stations too, as these sections also hosted QSO Parties on the same weekend. Glenn K5WP from Alabama was the overall winner with 15 QSO’s and an amazing 6 counties and 2 clubs for multipliers. Most Vermont stations didn’t work that many multipliers! Ken KS4X from Tennessee ran QRP, and managed 10 QSO’s and 6 multipliers for a solid second place finish. In third place, we had a flatfooted tie between Dick W7KAM running low power from Missouri and Robert KC5WA running QRP from Louisiana. Beyond this, the scores for positions 5-9th were very close - all within 20 points. Great job guys! |
|
CALL | Loc | Pwr | Phone | CW | Dig | Total | Points | Ctys | Club | Total | Pwr | SCORE | |
K5WP | AL | LP | 15 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 240 | 1st Place | ||
KS4X | TN | QRP | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 180 | 2nd Place | ||
W7KAM | MO | LP | 9 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 108 | 3rd Place (tie) | ||
KC5WA | LA | QRP | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 108 | 3rd Place (tie) | ||
KI0I | MO | LP | 10 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 100 | 5th Place | ||
KD7ZLF | OR | LP | 5 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 90 | ||
KB5YEG | LA | LP | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 84 | |||
NR8R | OH | LP | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 84 | |||
K4AMA | SC | LP | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 80 | |||
KD8GRG | MI | LP | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 56 | |||
KD4QMY | GA | HP | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 48 | |||
W0NFS | MO | LP | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 48 | |||
AK4PE | VA | LP | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 40 | |||
KB0OWY | NE | LP | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 40 | |||
W4QO | GA | QRP | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 36 | ||
W0PAN | AZ | LP | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 32 | |||
AD0DX | MO | LP | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 30 | |||
WA6KHK | CA | HP | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 24 | |||
KF7DVN | OR | LP | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 18 | |||
K2DSL | NJ | LP | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 18 | |||
N9WL | NM | LP | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 18 | |||
KR9E | IN | HP | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 12 | |||
NQ2W | NY | QRP | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | ||
NW5Q | TX | LP | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 12 | |||
WD8RYC | TN | LP | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 12 | |||
W7JSD | AZ | LP | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 12 | |||
W1HFG | MA | LP | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 12 | |||
WA5SWM | KS | LP | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | |||
AE6YB | CA | LP | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||
K7JKM | OR | LP | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | |||
K2AVI | WA | LP | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||
W4BK | TN | LP | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||
K0VG | MN | HP | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||
WO7V | OR | LP | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||
N8PVL | MI | LP | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||
K1JHS | MS | LP | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||
K4BAI | GA | HP | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
K4GDB | KY | HP | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
AWARDSIn the Vermont competition, it was decided that certificates will go out to the top 5 single op finishers due to intensity of the competition. In addition, all Vermont stations making over 100 QSO’s will also get a certificate. In the Outside Vermont competition, the “grand prize” for the 2012 Vermont QSO Party is a souvenir 3.4 oz jug of genuine Vermont Maple Syrup which goes to the top 3 Outside Vermont finishers. With a tie for third place, 4 jugs will be sent out. You guys worked hard for those contacts and we recognize you with a product which is uniquely Vermont. If you’ve never had Maple Syrup before, it is very sweet and very concentrated, so a little goes a long way! Here in Vermont it is the breakfast topping of choice on pancakes, waffles or jacked deer steak (!?). Enjoy! Certificates will also go out to the top 5 stations and stations working 10 or more QSO’s. |
Vermont Maple Syrup - The Sweet Taste of Victory |
I would like to thank the Central Vermont Amateur Radio Club for the opportunity to run the Vermont QSO Party this year. Administration of the Party is passed around the various Vermont clubs every two years. Thank you to the Radio Amateurs of Northern Vermont for their support as this year’s (and next year’s) sponsor. Thank you to Bob W4YFJ who helped count all those QSO’s and various multipliers on each mode. And finally, thank you to all of you who participated. We will see you all next year as the Vermont QSO Party will be better than ever!
73, Mitch W1SJ
16 March 2012