NAQP Activity High, But Bands Still Sluggish; KL9A Bids For Repeat CW Win; NR5M Top M/2

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted January 10, 2010

Despite a flurry of sunspots so far in 2010, it was the same ole story for the North American QSO Party's first contest of this year, as band openings were again limited on 10 and 15 meters, while the action was heated on 80 and 160.

"It looks like, as described in this weeks ARRL Propagation Bulletin, that even though there are some sunspots and a little higher solar flux that it is going take a little bigger kick to actually improve the bands," said Bert Cook K6CSL in his 3830 report.

"My main reason for operating was to see if 15 meters was improving," wrote Art Hambleton K1BX.

"Nope."

The tough sledding on some bands did not stop Chris Hurlbut KL9A, who made the trek from his home in Montana to the QTH of Joe Rudi NK7U in Oregon, Hurlbut's first contest since the IARU last year.

"Spent the night before re-learning the code," Hurlbut wrote on 3830. "20 and 40 were in excellent shape."

When the bell sounded to end the contest, Hurlbut seemed on his way to a repeat of his January 2009 NAQP CW win, with 1348 contacts and a claimed score of 322,172.

Closest to KL9A was Trey Garlough N5KO, who operated the station at W6NL to 302,162, edging out past winner Dan Craig N6MJ at 291,460 points from the W6YI QTH.

"Congrats to KL9A and N5KO for keeping the bar raised so high," Craig wrote in his post game report.

A review of the band summaries for NAQP CW shows many stations were simply shut out on 10 meters again this year.

"Never heard a peep on 10M," said Alan Brubaker KO7X, who provided the Wyoming multiplier to many contesters again this year.

Brubaker also didn't have much luck hearing anything on 15 meters, as he made only two contacts on that band.

Of course, the troubles on the high bands were offset for many once the sun went down.

"As poor as 10 and 15 are 80 and 160 are just superb," said Brian Wilcox NA4BW.

NAQP SSB Up Next

Conditions don't seem likely to change too much in a week, as the SSB leg grabs center stage in North America for 12 hours.

The defending champ from January 2009 is Dan Craig N6MJ, with ND0C the QRP champ and W5WMU the M/2 victor last year.

One strategy point that some might want to consider is going early to 40 meters, which went long quickly in the NAQP CW weekend.

The SSB leg also probably makes it easier for stations to QSY as well - and shift frequencies more quickly. That could mean more six-band QSO reports, something that was certainly lacking this past weekend.