[FQP] W4MY/m FLQP 2010

[Marty Young]

We just got back to NC this afternoon from a very exciting FLQP.  It was Paul, AA4XX, and mine, W4MY, first mobile in-state effort for FL.   I haven't taken the laptop out of the carry bag yet.  I will have the score tallied in a day or so.

Till then, our first impression is:
1.  Florida is a very BIG state.  Its deceiving.  We traveled almost 1100 miles in the 20 hours.
2.  Activity level was HIGH.  Pileups were big and very polite.  We had almost no problems of callers not listening and responding appropriately (i.e., staying quiet when not the one called)  Thank You!
3.  Oranges are kinda yellow and not bright orange on the trees.  (Glades and Highland Co.)
4.  40 was noisy for us, and without the 80M option, we stayed with 20 late.  We learned from that and it will change some of our thinking in future state QSO parties.
5.  Some very interesting DX followed us around.  Glad they could get through the wall.  I have a feeling I'm going to be getting alot of dollar bills in the mail soon.
6.  SSB was not very productive for us. 
7.  Gas is 20c higher in FL vs NC.

Expanded comments on the SSB side of the mixed mode we entered:
 A few times we left otherwise productive CW runs to switch to SSB to give those guys a chance and got almost nothing in the SSB area.  I know some who requested us to go to SSB in the middle of huge CW runs were disappointed that we didn't QSY, but please forgive us.  We didn't have that agility with the screwdriver antenna.  We called CQ on SSB ALLOT with NO RESPONSE.  And I know we were getting out, because we did S&P on SSB a few times and got good honest reports from the distant station.  Plus we were working everybody and his brother on CW.  Being newcomers, maybe we just didn't know our way around that situation.
  
We saw a gatered community in Glades.  (A mobile home park surrounded with a chain link fence)

Score coming soon!  73  Marty / W4MY