254 Lone Star State Counties On The Mult Table As Texas QSO Party Returns For 2009 Edition

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted September 21, 2009

After focusing last weekend on the Pacific Northwest in the Washington State Salmon Run, county hunters will turn their attention to the Lone Star State, as the 2009 Texas QSO Party highlights the contest weekend.

Texas has the most counties to offer of any of the 50 states, with 254 in all, making it all the more important for operators to keep track of what multipliers might be available for out of state operators.

Helping activate many counties is almost an army of mobile operators, as 28 different mobiles sent in logs from last year's contest.

"Well we've recruited several new mobiles this year," says TXQP organizer Chuck Sanders. "So we're hoping for a good turnout both inside and outside of Texas."

The defending mobile champs include K5NA in the Mobile-Multi category, W0BH in Mobile Single Op, and K5UN in the Mobile CW section. (See all the major category winners on the right sidebar.)

No one came close to a Texas county sweep in 2008, as Paul Newberry N4PN did the best, tallying 195 counties in all. Bruce Meier N1LN was second best in terms of county mults with 184.

Outside the United States, Dietmar Kasper DL3DXX managed to grab 125 counties to lead DX stations.

Despite recent damage last year from Hurricane Ike, organizers were still able to get 246 counties activated during the contest weekend, one more than the 245 from 2007.

"I expect then that we'll be able to activate somewhere around the same number," Sanders told radio-sport.net, who is still holding out hope that all 254 will be on the air at some point during the weekend.

"As far as someone working them all I believe that has only been done once, and that was by Jim White K4OJ (SK)," Sanders added.

That was in 1983 when White laid out a map on the floor of his shack during the contest to follow all the mobiles, a well known story told by his mother Ellen W1YL.

White wasn't the only one near a sweep 26 years ago in the TXQP, as John Crovelli W2GD had 253 counties that year, falling one short.

"As you may recall Jim (K4OJ) was very enthusiastic in operating and promoting state QSO parties and it is due largely to his efforts that the Florida party is what it is today," Sanders added.

"It takes a lot of perserverence and luck to work them all in almost any party but in Texas with 254 counties it's an awesome feat."

For county hunters, it's just part of a fun next few weeks, with major QSO Parties in Texas, California, Pennsylvania, New York and more (see list at right) as this "Year of the QSO Party" shifts into high gear.

The Texas QSO Party is on the air from 1400 September 26 to 0200z September 27 and 1400-2000z September 27.