The Iowa QSO Party

Mark your ham calendars - Saturday October 16, 2010 is the Iowa QSO
Party! The contest runs from 1400 to 2300 UTC (9AM - 6 PM CDT).

After many years of no QSO Party held in Iowa, the Ottumwa Amateur Radio
Club started sponsoring the event last year. Check their web site for
complete rules and information: www.wa0dx.org.

There are several categories in which to compete - particularly
interesting are the single-op and multi-op mobile classes. Why so?

Well it seems the ever increasing popularity of working all US counties
draws many county hunters to the state QSO parties. But the casual QSO
party contestant may not be aware of the advantages of activating some
of the "rare" Iowa counties.

Further, in looking at the results of the 2009 Iowa QSO Party, we find
there were only eight entrants in single-op mobile and ONE in the
multi-op mobile classes. More mobile stations would certainly liven
things up.

A mobile operation from one or more rare Iowa counties would generate
some good scores, help out the avid county hunters, and boost the Iowa
QSO Party. If you have an HF mobile or portable station, why not take
advantage of the multi-op mobile class by inviting a newly licensed ham
along for a road trip to a rare Iowa county?

There is also a club competition for three or more entrants. Can your
club field three mobile stations going out to some rare counties? Think
of the fun (and scores) a caravan of mobiles could generate.

Listed below in priority order, are the top Iowa counties needed by the
county hunters:

1. Washington
2. Pocahontas
3. Keokuk
4. Madison
5. Hardin
6. Audubon
7. Louisa
8. Mahaska
9. Van Buren
10. Sac
11. Guthrie
12. Dallas
13. Buena Vista
14. Adams

The following are all about equal in demand:

Adair
Black Hawk
Butler
Crawford
Franklin
Humboldt
Ida
Jasper
Jefferson
Ringgold
Shelby

I'll be out there operating HF mobile - See you in the Iowa QSO Party!

Rod Blocksome, K0DAS
Vice-Director ARRL Midwest Division

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ARRL Midwest Division
Director: Cliff Ahrens, K0CA

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