[FQP] Survey

[AD8J]

Before the FQP -
- Did we "advertise" the FQP enough?  Too much?  Ideas on where/how to do 
better?
        Yes, good publicity.  It would be nice to do more promotion of the 
e-mail reflector.
- Did you have all the info you needed to participate?  Rules, County 
Map/List, etc?
        Yes, it's all on the website.

During the FQP -
Frequencies:
- Were the activity frequencies OK?
        I've never get any benefit from activity times and frequencies.

Mobile windows:
- Are you aware of where they are?
        Yes
- Do you find them useful?
        Yes
- Should there be a penalty for a fixed station transmitting there?
        Yes
- What solution/s would you suggest for keeping the window clear?
        Logging programs list the frequency.  If a fixed station has more 
than
        three QSO's in a row on the same frequency in the mobile window, the
        remaining contacts shouldn't count.  Put it in the rules.
- Should we allow QRP fixed stations in Florida into the window, too?
        No, that would give them an unfair advantage.  They are compensated
        enough with a X3 multiplier.

40 CW
The mobile window was moved up the band this year.  There is significant 
interaction with the SP RTTY contest on the 40 CW sub-band.
- Did it affect you?
        Yes,  If I operated below 7025 I could only work extras.  If I went 
above 7035 then I was into the RTTY signals.
- What should we do?
        Make the window 7020 to 7030 to move more activity into the extra 
area.

20 SSB
- Did you run into any QRM?  Is there a better part of the band for us?
        Didn't operate SSB this year.

40 SSB
- Did you find it more productive with the broadcasters gone?
         Didn't operate SSB this year.
- Did you get the word that the FQP activity was to be lower in the band 
than before?
        Yes

80 Meters
- Should 80 Meters be included in the FQP?
        Yes, with a two day contest you run out of stations to work.  I 
would have enjoyed being able to make contacts on 80.
        It also give you a place to go to get away from the RTTY QRM.

Hours:
- Do you like the 10 on/10 off/10 on format?  If not, what works better and 
why?
        Good format for a 2 day contest.
- Is the overall 20-hour length OK?  Is there enough activity for the fixed 
stations in FL to stay interested that long?
        I would prefer a 12 hour contest running noon to midnight on 
Saturday.

Misc:
- Have you ever used CW Skimmer during the FQP?  If so, did you find it 
useful?
        The only skimmer I use is a pool skimmer!
- Have you ever used APRS during the FQP?  If so, did you find it useful?
        Never really saw the need.  If you can hear the mobile then you know 
where they are.  If you can't
        hear them, it doesn't do much good to know where they are.

After the FQP -
Categories
- Should we have another category to distinguish Single-Op-Assisted from 
Multi-Single?
        No preference
- Should we consider a single-band category?
        No, we need to increase QSOs not decrease them.

Scoring
- Do you like the score multiplier for Power (2x for Low and 3x for QRP)?
        Yes
- Should the Canadian multipliers be clarified?  (MAR = VE1/9,  VO = VO1/2, 
rest are Provinces)
        No preference

Robot
- If you have submitted a log, are you satisfied with the robot (new this 
year)?
        Yes

Results
- Are you satisfied with the FQP results?
        Yes, I like the personal touch about the different operators.
- What would you do to make them better?
        Get them out in 4-6 months instead of 11 months.  Include a 
searchable database like the ARRL has so
        you can look at them anyway you want.

Awards
- Are the certificates acceptable?
        Yes, very nice certificates.
- Do you like the idea of an endorsable certificate?  If so, what would the 
stickers indicate?
        Don't really see the need for this as the entry category is already 
there.  A sticker for
        getting a clean county sweep would be a nice addition.
- Should we consider a special Florida-related award like California wine 
and Washington salmon?
        Anything to encourage more contacts is good.  Get the results out by 
orange season and send a box
        of oranges.  100 Q's require $5 for postage
                           200 Q's require $3 for postage
                           300 Q's postage is free

Other
- Anything else we haven't mentioned that you think we should know?
        Plaques should be limited to one per person.


John Getz, AD8J