Michigan QSO Party 2025 – After-Action Report

April 21st, 2025
Jason Weisberger, NT0Y
jason@weisb.net

RE: MI QSO Party 2025

The inaugural MIQP following station renovations (or at least the majority of them) was extremely successful. Brennan KE8JVZ and Jay NT0Y started off the event, first by setting up a third station with an FT-710 and then by setting up a 40 meter doublet on the roof of the Engineering Building. With approximately 50 feet of ladder line into an extension-cord powered MFJ 939-Y tuner, the doublet proved highly successful on it’s primary band of operation. Jay operated 40 meters, while Brennan called CQ on 20 with the brand new and as-of-then unproven Momobeam Penta 10. It wasted no time in making it’s presence known on all sides of the country, plus some rare DX and Hawaii. Signal reports from the beam were a true 59+ for a vast majority of the contest, even on low power.

Soon after the start of the contest, Charlie KE8ZRH joined and operated the 40 meter station. While 20 was more or less sparse, but very responsive due to our antenna, 40 meters was wall-to-wall. Managing pile-ups was a required skill. Frank NF8M arrived soon after Charlie and offered a very nice chunk of 2-pointed CW QSOs. As the only CW operator in the contest that night, he offered a priceless amount of additional multipliers and raw points.

As the sun began to set, Frank turned the station over to Charlie and Brennan, who set out on 20 meters to collect as many states and provinces on voice as possible. Charlie also invited his unlicensed roommate and friend over to handle the station for about an hour. Meanwhile Jay operated the third station on an off-center-fed dipole, attempting to collect some 80 meter Qs. This turned out to be extremely difficult due to an S9+ noise floor and lots of interference with the 40 meter station. The two stations needed to be operated in sync, only calling when the other station did so that the receive didn’t conduct any QRM.

We ended the contest with a score which proved to be higher than any submitted for the club in recent recorded history (back through 2008). We’ve resolved many of the antenna and feedline issues in the station which bolstered the score. Target of opportunity for next year will be our noise level on 80 meters, possibly deploying a loop-on-ground or beverage antenna.

Go Green!

Jason Weisberger, NT0Y
jason@weisb.net
msuamateurradioclub@gmail.com
https://msuarc.egr.msu.edu/

W8SH Breakdown:

BAND CW PHONE
80 0 20
40 152 268
20 58 213
15 0 0
10 0 0
TOTAL 210 501
MULTS 63 94
CLAIMED SCORE: 144,597

COUNTIES: 49
STATES: 48 (NO AK, DE)
PROVINCES: 8 (INCL PEI)
DX: POLAND, NETHERLANDS, COSTA RICA, ITALY, AUSTRALIA, MEXICO, EAST KIRIBATI, GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, ECUADOR

PREVIOUS YEAR SCORES:
Our scores through the years: (final corrected scores except 2025)

Year W8SH W8UM
2025 144,597 (M/M CLAIMED) TBA
2024 122,612 (M/S) 134,400 (M/M)
2023 77,364 (M/S) 16,236 (SO LP)
2022 75,088 (SO LP) No entry
2021 675 (M/S) 13,600 (SO LP)
2020 No entry No entry
2019 41,800 (M/S) 79,365 (M/M)
2018 124,465 (M/M) 96,390 (M/M)
2017 93,168 (M/M) 31,408 (M/M)
2016 75,312 (M/M) No entry
2015 57,404 (M/M) 116,739 (M/M)
2014 104,536 (M/M 1st) No entry
2013 99,830 (M/M) No entry
2012 52,364 (M/M) No entry
2011 39,289 (M/S) No entry
2010 No entry No entry
2009 6,815 (M/S) No entry
2008 37,469 (M/S) No entry