A Short
Backgrounder on "QRP to the Field"
by Joe, N2CX
Last year was the first time that
NJ-QRP participated in QRP to the Field ... and this is the third
year for QTTF!
(Note: This event is sometime abbreviated as
QTTF as hosted by NorCal in April -- not to be confused with QRP
Afield as hosted by NE-QRP in September ... confusing, huh?! :-)
QTTF is a single-operator type event, so what us NJers did in our usual anarchistic way was find a good location and each of us brought our own equipment, antennas, etc. and set up individual stations. We had four or five going at one time within a couple hundred yards radius. Lots of interference. Obviously we each had to work on different bands and generally on 40 and 20 were open. Better coordination would make it more satisfying. Most of the guys were unfamiliar with field setups, so it was a big learning experience, but fun nonetheless.
The location we used was superb. A friend of a South Jersey QRPer has a large back yard on a lake near Clayton, NJ which is south of me! He has offered the site again if we want to use it. Lots of driving for most folks, though.
The theme for this year's event is Weird and Strange Locations. Some groups are going to locations of flying saucer sightings; others are going to "Area 51" near Rachel, Nevada, which has a similar history. Last year some folks went to ghost towns out west and suffered from heat, wind lack of water, etc.!
Jersey's claim to fame (flying saucer-wise) is Grover's Mills, which was named in the famous "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast. There are a couple of public parks nearby, but they are rather small. We have previously discussed using Mercer County park, which is only an alien's throw away from Grover's Mills and much larger. It may be pretty simple to get permission to use the Mercer County location.
Semi-Official Announcement
QRP To The Field 1997
Saturday, April 26, 1997
(Original content from WU7F, as posted 2/25/97 on QRP-L by WA5WHN. Local formatting done by this site's webmaster.)
Get a jump on June Field Day, by
testing your equipment in the "QTTF"!
RULES:
This years theme: "Weird and
Strange Locations".
Open to all Radio Amateurs using any mode.
Sponsored by the Northern California QRP Club.
Single transmitter on the air at one time.
Multiple Operators (i.e. Clubs) are welcome, as long as only one
transmitter is on the air at one time.
Once started, you must use the same power output and location
categories.
Contest scoring time limit -" 8 continuous hours."
Use all bands except WARC.
Contest Period:
Saturday, 1300 UTC to
Sunday, 0100 UTC
Contestant to declare the best 8 continuous hours on the log when
submitting the entry.
Exchange:
PHONE - RS and State,
Province, or Country.
or DIGITAL (CW & etc.) - RST and State, Province or Country
QSO Points:
1 watt or less output = 10
points
5 watts output = 5 points
Over 5 watts output = 2 points
Multipliers:
Field Location = 4x
multiplier (Field-battery power and temporary Antennas)
Home Location = 2x multiplier (Home-Commercial power &
permanent antennas)
Homebrew equip. = 3x
Commercial equip. = 2x
Final Score: add up the band/mode totals
Example:
(20) 20 m/SSB QSO's X 5(5
w.) X 4(Field) X 2(Comm.) = 800 points
(35) 40 m/cw QSO's X 5(5w) X 4(Field) X 3(H.B.) = 2,100 points
Final total = 2,900 points
Awards:
"Top Ten" Scores
certificate (the Ten Stations with the highest point totals)
"Participant" Certificate for the 20 or more contacts
(include a 9 X 12 envelope with 3 units of postage)
Log Submittal:
Send a copy of your Log
along with the Station and Location description to:
QRP To The Field
6822 131 Ave SE
Bellevue, Wa. 98006-4038
Submit logs by May 15th, 1997.
All contest Committee decisions are final.
Include a #10 SASE for a copy of the results.
The results will be printed in the NORCAL journal
"QRPp".
