POC 2020 Results

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text font_family=”Georgia, serif”]The inaugural Fox Mike Hotel Portable Operations Challenge came to a razor-thin finish between a team in Ohio and a single operator in Sweden. Due to an unfortunate blown Maidenhead locator, the Ohio team finished in 2nd place. The Distance Champion was won by a single operator in VA who had a significantly longer score than all other participants at 697 KM-per-watt. A total of only 17 logs were submitted in this first year comprising only two QTH stations as the Oceania Contest and the California CQ Party tended to dominate 20 Meters. Ironically, Magnus SA0AQT in Sweden scored most of his 11,000+ points on 80 Meters with an NVIS strategy! Other stations, including the Distance Champion, were Portable Ops. Radio sport over radio gear prevailed in this year’s Challenge.

The second place finisher, the team from Ohio, WC8VOA, said this after receiving our notification of the results and their having a blown locator:

I wanted to take part in the POC, I decided to ask a few club members if they wanted to participate as well. We decided to use the club callsign(WC8VOA) and make the event a “twofer”, we would do the POC and also make it a Parks On The Air(POTA) activation. A lot of ham radio operators like to “chase” POTA activation and they are used to QRP operators, this would also help us get more contacts. We operated from Hueston Woods State Park(K-1959), which is about a 45-minute drive from the club. We finally decided to operate on the hill overlooking the beach area, there was plenty of trees and it was quiet. We used a SOTABeams linked dipole(20M&40M) with a fiberglass masts, the radio was the Elecraft KX2. The logging software VKCL was easy and great to use, we could see our points for each contact. We had a fun day on the air and enjoying each other’s company outside while being socially distant. Thanks for a wonderful event, we look forward to next year’s challenge!

As for the second place, I know the committee feels disappointed but please, this was OUR mistake and Thank You for verifying the contacts/log. Someone made a typo in the MH GS, it happens. We completely respect and admire the committee’s integrity regarding the contest. The way we look at it, we’re number 1 in IARU Region 2!

Thanks again for creating the contest, we really had fun.

73,

Jocelyn Brault KD8VRX

for WC8VOA

The two Champions are listed below, followed by the Top Ten Logs submitted for 2020 as checked by the Log Subcommittee. More analysis of the full logs is in preparation.[/vc_column_text][vcex_image_flexslider post_gallery=”true” image_ids=”852,853,854″][vcex_image_flexslider post_gallery=”true” animation_speed=”300″ caption=”true” image_ids=”852,853,854″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text font_family=”Georgia, serif”]

Grand Champion 2020

Magnus Samuelson SA0AQT. Sweden.

Magnus scored 11,217 points in the POC, over 10,000 of which were on 80 Meters. He said when receiving the notification that he won the inaugural POC as Grand Champion:

“I’m very happy with the result.I working portable quite a lot and immediately fell for the new concept and was thrilled to take part in the POC. The tactic was not primarily to work DX. But to run as low power as possibly. And to do NVIS on 80m with just a few Watts often works well. I was using FT-817 for qrp/qrpp and the TS-480 for qro, hi. The antenna was an enfed wire (HyEndfed 80-10m) in L-config. Once again, many thanks and locking forward to the next POC.“

Courtesy of MFJ Enterprises, Magnus is receiving a Xiegu G90 as the Grand Champion as well as an engraved plaque to commemorate his Grand Championship.

 [/vc_column_text][vc_separator border_width=”3″][vcex_image_flexslider caption=”true” image_ids=”847,854,852,853″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text font_family=”Georgia, serif”]

Distance Champion 2020

Jack Haefner NG2E. Virginia USA.

NG2E achieved the longest single-contact KM-per-watt distance with a score of 697 using an Elecraft QRP rig. He said when receiving the notification:

“Wow! What a thrill! I feel like the dad on Christmas Story. In fact, I yelled upstairs to my YL when i received your email: “I received a major award!” She rejoined with “it better not be a leg lamp.” It was a stunningly beautiful day here in Virginia, and operating portable has really become a thrill. In fact, I owe that to you and the ICQ podcast. Not sure what triggered it, but it’s become my favorite way of operating. It’s a rarity when you get time, and beautiful fall weather, and an easy-going event like this past FMH POC. I rarely contest with the exception of sending in a log or two for the ARRL September and June contests–and those are portable, operating out of my Jeep. I am looking forward to the next Challenge. I highly encourage others to explore and participate in this facet of amateur radio!“

Courtesy of Heil Sound, Jack is receiving a Heil BM-17 portable radio headset for his Distance Championship.

 [/vc_column_text][vcex_image_flexslider animation_speed=”300″ caption=”true” image_ids=”846,855″][vc_column_text text_align=”center”][/vc_column_text][vc_separator border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]

Top Ten Logs Submitted:

[/vc_column_text][vcex_shortcode] [/vcex_shortcode][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation=”left-to-right”]

All Logs Submitted, After Correction:

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text font_family=”Georgia, serif”]A text file with a report of all logs submitted, after checking and correction, can be downloaded HERE.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator border_width=”3″][vc_headings style=”theme2″ borderclr=”#000000″ title=”Scenes from the Portable Ops Challenge 2020″ lineheight=”3″ titleclr=”#000000″]Pictures and video submitted by POC 2020 participants. Thanks to everyone who submitted these moments![/vc_headings][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vcex_image_flexslider animation_speed=”500″ lazy_load=”true” loop=”true” image_ids=”763,762,759,806,805,804,807,809,808,828,827,826,825,824,823,822,821,820,819″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Here’s a clip submitted by Ed DD5LP from the podcast, 100 Watts & a Wire, with a POC QSO captured….[/vc_column_text][vcex_shortcode] [/vcex_shortcode][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/2-Q_Y2dlQ1Y” align=”center” title=”N5DU Hanging OCF…K4FMH Team”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/9JtszYt86JI” align=”center” title=”Pete Caffrey Clip 1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/jivVzvF-woo” align=”center” title=”Pete Caffrey Clip 2″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vcex_image_carousel content_alignment=”center” image_ids=”852,854,853″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]