[FQP] NX4N Results - 2011 FQP SOLP cw Rover

[Christopher Blake]

Hi Friends,
Well...that was a blast!

First -the numbers:

The Florida QSO Party
            Callsign: NX4N
      Category-Power: LOW
    Category-Station: MOBILE
       Category-Mode: CW
 Category-Transmitter: ONE
   Category-Operator: SINGLE-OP
   Category-Assisted: ASSISTED (Chris  comment - DRIVER ONLY)
                Name: Chris Blake
      Postal Address: 19311 Seacove Dr
                      Lutz, FL 33558
                      USA
        Log Deadline: 2011-05-31 22:00:00 UTC
         Received at: 2011-05-02 20:11:15 UTC
       Reported QSOs: 1842
        Ignored QSOs: 1
      Confirmation #: 1249774.fcg-fqp

Minus dupes, Totals-
1826 QSO's
67 Mults
TOTAL = 489.368

Max Rates:
2011-05-01 0031Z - 6.0 per minute  (1 minute(s)), 360 per hour by NX4N
2011-05-01 1854Z - 3.7 per minute  (10 minute(s)), 222 per hour by NX4N
2011-05-01 1929Z - 2.9 per minute  (60 minute(s)), 173 per hour by NX4N

Comments:
This was Lili's and my first attempt to go semi-serious after our casual
trial last year.  We hit 1005miles in all, covering 41 counties (42 if you
count DUV Sat pm and Sun am).  Cdx were pretty poor on Saturday;
disappointed not to have worked more folks from all of the South FL counties
we covered at the start of the test.  Sunday was much better and my runs
were about twice as fast accordingly.  15m was a bust both days but it
wasn't for lack of trying; gave it a shot at the end of some big counties
when rates were slower but managed just two QSO's...oh well.  Jon's
comparative signal reports began with my request to him Sat night during the
break; I worked very hard on my antenna system all year but alas I have much
more work to do (I was 1-2 S units down from N4TO).  40m in particular just
wasn't playing well and my SGC auto tuner on the roof of the car wasn't
matching very well.
The thing I've learned from this is to lose the auto tuner, keep it simple
with monoband antennas and good grounds.  Still trying to figure out how to
put up a 20m quad to get that special edge against you A1 ops :-)

My future NASCAR driver Lili actually enjoyed this madness and was quite the
trooper, driving until it literally hurt.  No accidents, no tickets, only
got lost twice(gulp!) and a nice meal at the Cheesecake Factory in Jax
Saturday night with our son as our reward.  Gosh that wife of mine must love
me!  The only downside Lili has to report is that the lovebugs were so bad
that we ran out of windshield fluid on Sunday in spite of repeated washings
at gas stations.  The windshield looked like that famous scene out of the
Blues Brothers when their cop car blew a rod :-)  At one point, Lili and I
were using Gatoraide to clean the bug-encrusted mess...one lady told us to
use Coke next time (perhaps an improvement for next years effort?).

So nice to hear the wonderful, loyal followings of our many midwest, east
coast, W5/W6/W7/W0, EU and especially VE3 friends- thank you for making it
so much fun at our end!  Lili and I were so happy when W6OAT asked me Sunday
am regarding when I was getting to BRA county; Rusty waited patiently for
30minutes until I got there.  That QSO summed it all up about why we
contesters do it- after the exchange it was very rewarding to hear him say
FB! FB!- sure that was his sweep and you could hear him as giddy as a newbie
SS op rather that the seasoned pro he he, even through the morse it was a
really FB moment for us both.  So glad I could help you get there, Rusty!

Lili and I are already planning how to improve antennas, driving routes,
station setups and of course how to squeeze more qso's of our this old head
of mine.  With better cdx I feel like our team has much upside to look
forward to.

Yes, our butts are square and we are still waiting for blood flow to return
:-)  I have a couple of nifty pics I'll send Dan so I don't clutter up the
email.  All I'll say - we advertised this event all across the state!

Hope you each enjoyed the moment- CU next year.
GO FQP and  GO FCG!

vy 73 es OJ,
Chris, NX4N op, and NASCAR Driver Lili