Click on ANY image for a larger version.
Previous MNQP travels:  2013 MNQP   2014 MNQP   2015 MNQP   2016 MNQP   2017 MNQP   2018 MNQP   2019 MNQP   2020 MNQP

This year, our plans were impacted by COVID-19. We wanted to continue to activate counties new to us. But because of COVID-19, we did not want to stay at motels but rather launch from and return to our home in Woodbury, MN. So we chose to revisit the counties we activated in 2015. While our actual operating locations were mostly different--they certainly were similar to the previous trip.

We started in Chisago and procceded through Anoka, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Benton, and Morrison on our way to finish in Stearns County.

Since our first location was just 30 miles away, we did not have to get up at a crazy-early hour. The big challenge for the day was temperature--or lack of it. We started the day at -4. We spent most of the day at -2 although a brief period was up to zero. We finished the day at -6 and dropping on the drive home. As you can see, there was quite a breeze also. So wind chill was a concern. Because of the windchill, we never set up the camera tripod to take any pictures of the two of us outdoors by the car.

You'll note that we log on paper. Once home after the contest, I load the log into N3FJP software to help me prepare the Cabrillo file and the .adifs to upload to LOTW.

Here is the special QSL card we will send out this year. We make a small "limited edition" printing run.

We upload to LOTW. We build locations in each of the counties that we operate. We sign our logs as W9FZ, W9FZ/m, and as W9FZ/XXX. Looking in LOTW, of the 259 QSOs, I see 155 QSL'd QSOs. 63 to W9FZ, 80 to W9FZ/m, and 12 to W9FZ/XXX. (as of February 2, 2022)

Please know that we will gladly QSL any of our QSO's (and we'll probably send your SASE back to you).

                   MN QSO PARTY Summary Sheet       

    CallSign Used : W9FZ
      Operator(s) : W9FZ KA9VVQ

Operator Category : MULTI-OP Mobile
             Band : ALL
            Power : LOW
             Mode : SSB
 Default Exchange : JAN MN
     ARRL Section : MN
        Club/Team : Northern Lights Radio Society
 

        Band    QSOs     Pts   Mul
		  
         14      259     518   
		  
Total            259     518    42    21,756

            

Q's per county:

CSH 49
ANO 38
ISA 37
MIL 12
SHE 24
BEN 40
MOR 31
STR 27

Here we are in Mille Lacs County. This was during the mid-day. We had a tough time finding any clear frequencies on 20m. This year, we brought all our own food for the trip.

For antennas, we only used a mag-mount hamstick on 20m. We strap to the roof rack a 3" PVC pipe with end caps to carry many other hamsticks.

We appreciate every operator who finds us CQ'ing and works us. As the day proceeded, we would hear familiar callsigns as we were found multiple times by some operators.

2021 W9FZ/M Honor Roll
    7 contacts:  WA1SAY
    6 contacts:  K7SEN, W1KDA
    4 contacts:  K7TM, KI5GNH, WB0TEV, W9DC
    3 contacts:  WW5L, W4ANT, W0AMT, OM3VL, KE8FT, K4SBZ, AC5O
    2 contacts:  K2RET, K2SD, K4YFH, K5MAY, K6TQ, K7PAC, KA3CZY, KA6BIM, KB7PKC
                 KT4EM, N1SOH, N3LRP, N7SHE, N8II, VA6NJK, W4BBT, W5JCC, WA7DUH, WY0A

We liked our spot in Benton County the best for scenery. This is where the Bald Eagle soared overhead numerous times.

This is the mighty Mississippi River looking north as we cross it near Royalton, MN. These three images are from Morrison County.

Our last two spots--Morrison and Stearns were only about 2 miles apart. So we kept CQ'ing while moving the car and "held" our frequency for this move. But as happens most years, 20 meters softened up and fell apart with about 20 minutes to go in the event. We chose not to get out the 40 meter antenna and make any noise there but rather just hit the road headed home. These three pictures are in Stearns County.

We drove home arriving about 8:30pm. It was a fine day to get out of the house. A nice day to play radio.

Thanks to all the stations who found us and worked us.

If you would like a QSL card, just let us know.
See you in just under a year!
Bruce W9FZ and Janice KA9VVQ

BRUCE RICHARDSON
w9fz (at) w9fz.com