Participants have often reported this is one of their favourite operating events!

The idea behind the FOCQP is to offer some stress-free opportunity for FOC Members to meet and greet both other members and non-members.

Each one of us can make this event what you want it to be – some get on for a few casual QSOs, others spend several hours on different bands and still others treat it like a "mini-marathon".

The basic concept is just to work as many stations as you can over a 24-hour period, from:

Just call "CQ BW" from 015 to 040kHz on all bands, excluding the WARC bands. The exchange is: RST, name, and FOC number (non-members send RST and name).

Many people also take the opportunity to engage in longer QSOs; this is definitely encouraged but it is entirely up to you! However, please note, we still call "CQ BW" to initiate a QSO, a tribute to Bill Windle who did so much to foster activity in our Club.

When reporting scores we separate according to: Europe, North America, North America “West Coast”, Asia, Africa and South America, and this is done automatically for you when you enter your information on the web form.

Reports are due 7 days after the event. A complete list of the stations who report, and their totals, will be included here on our public website. Handsome certificates are awarded to members and non-members on each continent reporting the highest number of QSOs.

THE MARCH 2024 FOC QSO PARTY

By Allen, N2KW

Hugh Cassidy knew we were all sun-worshipers, and as we approach the peak of Solar Cycle 25, we are reminded of this every time we turn on the radio.  As I write this, the Solar flux is 227, yet the bands are (mostly) dead.  The sole exception is YB0LRR on 15m, being heard all over the world! VERY strange conditions!  There is a major Geomagnetic storm in progress, and Aurora was visible much further South than one would think.

Uncle Sol decided to surprise us with fireworks for our party. There were at least six flares, two geomagnetic storms, and a Proton Event.  We can only be thankful that the CME waited until Sunday!  All of these tell us we are approaching the peak of the current Solar cycle.  Enjoy 10 metres while you can!

As if the propagation didn't provide enough challenge, Mr. Murphy paid a visit overnight, bringing a major ice-storm to the Northeast USA.  Yagis morphed into air-cooled dummy loads, with astronomical SWR precluding QRO, and radial ice precluding rotation.  It wouldn't have mattered, as the antennas were hardly directional. W1RM and W2FOC were hit the hardest.

In case you never realized it, overcoming adversity multiplies the fun factor.

We had over 330 attendees at this year's event.

Some of us treat FOCQP as a contest.  However, if one examines the results, there were only 15 members who logged over 500 contacts, with two of the Continental leaders DOUBLING that!  It is pretty clear to, me that this is more of a social event, than a competition. Congratulations to our leaders, the 1000 QSO mark was broken both in Europe and in North America. This has only been accomplished once before in the 20 plus years FOCQP has run! 

There are a lot of Soapbox comments. Click here to read them all.

Complete results appear below. The next FOCQP will be held on September 14, see you then!