2023 New England QSO Party

by Tom Frenaye, K1KI – frenaye@pcnet.com

Writeup | New England Scores | Scores Outside New England | Breakdowns of Top Stations | Soapbox Comments

Introduction

In 2023 we received 784 logs overall, down about 10% from 2022, as propagation was not as good. There were 40 logs from Canada, 20 from DX stations, 484 from USA stations, and 240 logs from New England. The total number of QSOs made by all stations after log checking came in at 95,938.

All 67 New England counties were on the air with 961 different stations represented in the logs. By state, the totals were 134 stations from Connecticut, 265 from Massachusetts, 135 from Maine, 113 from New Hampshire, 74 from Rhode Island, and 87 from Vermont. The hardest to work counties were Dukes MA, Essex VT, Somerset ME, Androscoggin ME, and Lamoille VT.

Propagation

Solar activity was low with few sunspots and a mostly quiet geomagnetic field. There were no geomagnetic storms but DX propagation was not very good. Activity on 15 and 10m brought fewer QSOs than in 2022. The next few years promise to be excellent on the higher bands for everyone!

Valid QSOs80m40m20m15m10m
QSOs made by W1s5,39629,25325,2053,268 81
Different stations worked 537 2,818 4,382 939 46
QSOs made by non-W1s2,59014,63518,041 1,672 14
Different stations worked 128 515 456 143 14

Mobiles

At least fourteen W1 mobiles were active across all six states! Coverage was especially good in ME-NH-VT. They made a real difference in making sure all counties were on the air.

Results

Check here for detailed results –> Outside New England Scores | New England Scores
and for band-by-band info for the leaders –> Band-by–band

USA Outside New England

Chuck/K4QS led the US singe operator high power scorers with 313 CW QSOs and 63 counties for 39,438 points from Virginia. This was just under his 2022 score – less QSOs but five more multipliers. Close behind in second place was Bob/N4BP at WN1GIV in FL with 295 CW and 24 SSB QSOs, along with 59 counties for a score of 36,228. Rounding out the top five SOHP scores were very close scores from Andy/AA5JF in GA with 267 CW QSOs in 58 counties for 30,972, then John/N8UM in TN with 30,912 and Mike/NE8P in FL for 29,441. The next group of five were from MD PA TN and FL – Tyler/K3MM, Dave/N3XF, Ron/WV4P and Larry/N6AR – all between 25 and 30,000 points. The top two SOHP scores from west of the Mississippi were Ed/W5TM/OK and Frank/WA6KHK/CA.

New SOHP state records were set by John/N8UM in TN, Bob/K5KPE in AR, Dick/K9OM in WI.

Larry/N6AR

The most popular category is single operator low power. More than half of all entries are SOLP. Jeff/N8II from WV led all of the USA SOLP entries with 33,705 points from 202 CW and 131 SSB QSOs in 63 counties. The rest of the top ten were also from the eastern USA – Drew/K9CW/IL, Dave/WN4AFP/SC, Gene/W0PI/MN, Nate/K1GU/TN, Frank/K4EJ/FL, Metro/W8MET/OH, Mark/WB9HFK/IL, Dave/W9QL/IL, and Bob/WA1FCN/AL. Top scores from the west came from Ed/WA5SOG/AR, Dennis/WA8ZBT/TX, and Ken/KD2KW/TX. Joe/AA2IL/CA was the top scorer from the far west.

Found this WN4AFP QSL for sale on eBay for $12 – from 1981 Joe/AA2IL – top west coast SOLP

Tom/K3TW from FL earned the #1 SOQRP spt with 148 CW and 60 SSB QSOs in 54 counties for 19,224 points. Hugh/K2YG from NJ was second with 135 CW QSOs for 13,230 points, and Vic/K9UIY in IL had 12,784. State records were set by Hugh/K2YG in NJ, Chris/KU4A/KY, and Jeff/AC5O/LA.

In the Multi-operator Single Transmitter category, first place was earned by a group from the San Diego DX Club/NX6T (N6KI WQ6X WM6Y K7ENA W6ZAR N6ERD, oprs) with a total of 203 QSOs in 61 counties for 24,751 points, with the Innovation In DX And Contesting Club/W9VW from IN taking second place with 9,870 points.

Special thanks to everyone who participated in all of the QSO parties on the same day – W1 W7 DE and IN – and sent in a log or checklog for the NEQP!

Canada

Alan/VA1MM topped the list of Canadian SOHP scores with 206 CW and 73 SSB contacts in 58 counties for 28,130 points – a set new Canadian record. He was followed by Claude/VE2FK at 17,340 and Vic/VE3YT with 10,440 points. The SOLP category had John/VE3TG leading with 180 CW QSOs in 53 counties for 19,080 points. Jeff/VE1ZAC and Harry/VE3HZ finished 2nd and 3rd with 10,120 and 8,695 points. Don/VE3DQN took the SOQRP honors with 2,352 points. Bill/VY2LI improved on his SOLP record from PEI with 3,432 points

DX

Laslo/OM2VL not only had the top DX score in the 2023 NEQP, his score of 59,712 points was higher than any USA score! Wait!! That’s what happened last year also… He made an impressive 426 CW and 81 SSB QSOs SOHP and worked 64 counties. Second place went to Dietmar/DL3DXX with 198 CW QSOs for 18,612 points.

In the SOLP category, Max/SP1AEN had the top low power score with 5,852 points, with 77 QSOs in 38 counties.

Max/SP1AEN

Besides OM2VL’s record DX score, new country records were set by Kees/PA5WT SOHP and Dave/KH6AQ SOLP.

For a full list of current records –> Records

New England Results

There were 11 county records set in New England from fixed stations, while mobiles set another 19!

In New England, Mladen/NA1NA came in first in the Single Operator High Power category with 1538 CW QSOs and 85 multipliers for a score of 261,460 points from MA. Paul/N1BUG grabbed second place from rare Piscataquis county ME with 1292 QSOs and 219,640 300,000 points. Dale/AF1T operated all SSB and turned in a score of 174,052 points from 1642 QSOs and 106 multipliers from NH. Dave/K1ZZ and Pete/W1RM, both in CT, came in 4th and 5th SOHP.

Mladen/NA1NA at his YT6W station

Paul/N1BUG likes to experiment – his 2200m loading coil/variometer…

Mixed ModeCW onlySSB only
CallScoreCallScoreCallScore
KB1W121,178NA1NA261,460AF1T174,052
K1RX104,616N1BUG219,640W1DED118,534
W1JQ101,322K1ZZ143,992W2DAN 80,475
KE1VT 94,875W1RM123,140NG1M 42,842
AK1W 88,125W1UE106,206W1SEG 23,409
Top Single Operator High Power Scores

Single Operator Low Power

The Low Power category was topped by Ed/K1TR again from NH with 1188 CW QSOs and 92 multipliers for 218,592 points. Dave/K1VUT from MA was close behind with 1072 CW contacts and 90 multipliers for 192,960 points. CT’s Dan/W1QK was third with 136,482 points from 1044 QSOs. Paul/K1XM in MA had 94 multipliers and 616 QSOs for fourth place, and Mike/N1TA from western MA, was fifth.

The list from 6th to 10th had Karl/K1KX in RI, Bob/W1EQ in CT, Rick/K1PAD in MA, Rick/N1DC in MA, and Ed/K1ZE from CT.

Bob/W1EQ has a nicely arranged shack!

Mixed ModeCW onlySSB only
CallScoreCallScoreCallScore
W1QK136,482K1TR218,592AD1L12,558
K1ZE 63,661K1VUT192,960K1LOL 9,900
AI1TT 41,496K1XM115,808N1IIM 9,360
AA1SB 23,569N1TA109,888KC1OT 8,052
KQ1X 23,452K1KX 90,220KA1MPG 6,262
Top Single Operator Low Power Scores

Single Operator QRP

Mark/K1RO from NH tried out SOQRP and came out in first place with 315 CW QSOs, 46 multipliers and a score of 28,980 points, narrowly beating John/KO1H in northern ME with 24,639 points from 264 CW and 45 SSB contacts. Mark/NX1K submitted the third place score.

John/KO1H waiting for the band to open.

Multi-Operator

The Multi-Single category had a very close finish with W1OO (K1ESE WS1L, oprs) in Maine edging out NE1QP (K1TTT W1TO K1MK NJ1F, oprs) in MA by just a few thousand points. W1OO had 1183 CW QSOs and and 103 multipliers for 243,698 points, while NE1QP had 1197 QSOs (1046 CW, 151 SSB) and 102 multipliers for 228,786 points. W1NVT operated portable from two rare VT counties for a combined 166,940 points. NC1CC (WA1BXY KC1BXY W1WBB, oprs) had 858 CW and 456 SSB QSOs for 158,556 points from RI for fourth place. The Housatonic Radio club operated N1E from CT and took a lot of nice photos!

Mobiles

Mobiles are part of the excitement in all state and regional QSO parties. We received logs from 13 New England mobiles – and a few more were active but did not send in logs. All said, the logs we received show activity from an average of more than ten counties for each of them!

Gerry/W1VE/m(+Ed/K1EP) took a tour of all six states and 35 different counties for 1211 CW QSOs and 65 multipliers, resulting in 157,430 points. Very close behind was the team of Rus/K2UA/m(+Mike N2MG) who operated from 21 counties in MA-NH-VT, earning 148,596 points with 1281 QSOs and 58 multipliers. Other multi-single efforts came from W1DX/m and K5ZD/m who covered 12 and 7 counties in RI-MA-CT.


Gerry/W1VE operates from a lot of interesting places. #1 Multi-op mobile NEQP 2023 with Ed/K1EP

In the SOLP-m category, Jay/W1UJ operated NZ1U/m from 20 counties in MA-ME-NH, making 714 CW QSOs for 69,972 points. Not far behind was Mill/K1IB operating N1V/m on six county lines in NH/VT making 567 CW QSOs and 56,814 points. Nick/K1NZ/m went to 12 counties in ME, and Darryl/K1TTW/m toured 3 rare VT counties. Mobile activity also came from Josef/AC1JR/m, Leandra/AF1R/m, Joe/K1JB/m, Alan/AB1XW/m and Brian/N1BAM/m. Dave/KM3T/m made 400+ QSOs in 13 NH-VT counties on Sunday and submitted a checklog.

Nick/K1NZ/m had a long tour of Maine counties

Mobile records were set in 18 counties, seven by K2UA/m, six by W1VE/m.

Check out the NEQP records page for details for all record categories –> Records

Check here for detailed New England results –> Score detail
and for band-by-band leaders –> Band-by-band

Club Competition

New England ClubsEntriesScore
Yankee Clipper Contest Club482,732,167
CTRI Contest Group8418,287
Hampden County Radio Association9322,298
K1USN Radio Club5319,942
Downeast Contesters and Dxers1228,786
Piscataquis Amateur Radio Club1219,640
Contoocook Valley Radio Club2175,344
Radio Amateurs of Northern Vermont4173,359
Port City Amateur Radio Club5172,646
Rochester DX Association1148,596
Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club3147,269
510 Radio Group1140,602
Candlewood Amateur Radio Association1136,482
Eastern Connecticut Amateur Radio Association269,923
CCDX-ARC258,456
Central Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association553,716
Billerica Amatuur Radio Society551,478
Westport Astronomical Society Amateur Radio Club150,917
Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club241,205
Providence Radio Association337,912
Frankford Radio Club127,500
Newport County Radio Club223,452
Franklin County Amateur Radio Club120,976
Shoreline Amateur Radio Club120,193
Order of Boiled Owls of New York119,250
North Americam QRP CW Club118,614
Boston Amateur Radio Club115,078
Meriden Amateur Radio Club613,221
Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio Club310,971
Maxim Memorial Station16,090
Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society14,752
Nantucket Amateur Radio Association23,218
St Croix Valley Amateur Radio Club12,650
Barnstable Amateur Radio Club12,136
Lincoln County Amateur Radio Club11,898
Potomac Valley Radio Club11,116
Central New Hampshire Amateur Radio Club11,065
Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Asssociation11,000
Lakes Region Repeater Association1858
Fidelity Amateur Radio Club1792
Wellesley Amateur Radio Society1759
Algonquin Amateur Radio Club1429
Hop River Radio Club2421
Non-New England ClubsEntriesScore
Florida Contest Group20287,872
Potomac Valley Radio Club38260,133
Society of Midwest Contesters17132,633
Tennessee Contest Group16130,222
Niagara Frontier Radiosport773,772
Contest Club Ontario1467,646
Minnesota Wireless Association1364,107
Frankford Radio Club1360,167
Slovak Contest Group159,712
Swamp Fox Contest Group756,742
Southern California Contest Club650,706
Alabama Contest Group450,052
Deep Dixie Contest Club249,488
South East Contest Club648,219
New Providence Amateur Radio Club331,995
DFW Contest Group431,634
Hudson Valley Contesters and Dxers530,506
Mad River Radio Club729,135
San Diego Contest Club227,819
Northern California Contest Club1625,037
Contest Group du Quebec320,604
Bavarian Contest Club118,612
Central Texas DX & Contest Club316,696
Kansas City Contest Club215,450
Heartland DX Association213,181
Ft Smith Area Amateur Radio Club112,600
Willamette Valley DX Club811,992
Big Sky Contesters411,276
Kentucky Contest Club510,342
The Villages Amateur Radio Club29,468
North Fulton Amateur Radio League19,102
Lafayette DX Association28,765
Order of Boiled Owls of New York28,712
Gateway Amateur Radio Club18,658
Metro DX Club48,348
Texas DX Society38,298
Hoosier DX and Contest Club18,256
North Americam QRP CW Club88,236
Maritime Contest Club27,880
Radiosport Manitoba37,746
South Jersey Radio Association27,744
Rochester DX Association26,978
Russian Contest Club16,840
Bristol Amateur Radio Club16,264
Yankee Clipper Contest Club16,027
Central Virginia Contest Club15,565
Western Washington DX Club74,980
Carolina DX Association24,774
Bay Area Dxers14,260
Cliffside Contest Club13,270
Deutscher amateur Radio ClubARC13,240
Great Salt Lake Contest Club13,120
Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association13,024
Lake Area Amateur Radio Klub22,952
Portage County Amateur Radio Service22,860
Central Oregon DX Club42,590
Arizona Outlaws Contest Club42,388
Ft Wayne Radio Club22,376
Pizza Lovers 25912,028
Sterling Park Amateur Raadio Club11,870
North Coast Contesters21,700
Kaw Vallet Amateur Radio Club11,260
USS Wisconsin Radio Club11,178
Motherload DX/Contest Club11,064
Eli Lilly Radio Club11,050
Delaware Lehigh Amateur Radio Club11,034
Koomer Ridge Contesting1969
Colchester Radio Amateurs1768
South Bay Amateur Radio Association2696
Radio Club of Redmond2639
Lilly Amateur Radio Club1578
Louisiana Contest Club1576
Hendricks County Amateur Radio Society1551
Pictou County Amateur Radio Club1525
Southern Michigan Amateur Radio Society1513
Colorado QRP Club1476
Wilderness Road Amateur Radio Club1450
North Richland Hills Amateur Radio Club1418
Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado3342
Northwest Indiana DX Club1312
Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Club1306
Rogue Valley ARC1266
Patoka Valley Amateur Radio Club1195
Oklahoma DX Association1100
Orca DX and Contest Club184
Utah DX Association582
Bolingbrook Amateur Radio Society164
North American QRP CW Club148
Mikeoscar Contesting Club136
Fairfield Lancaster Amateur Radio Club135
Peak Radio Association235
Snohomish County Hams Club135
Mid-Missouri Amateur Radio Club130
Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association128
Eastern Ohio Contesters124
Spokane DX Association116
Northeastern Indiana Amateur Radio Association13

Activity by County

CountyQSOsStations
Connecticut
Fairfield185028
Hartford127127
Litchfield 53512
Middlesex 28210
New Haven112923
New London 17114
Tolland156710
Windham 585 9
Massachusetts
Barnstable 56421
Berkshire1550 8
Bristol123427
Dukes 1 9
Essex 88220
Franklin 783 7
Hampden 72510
Hampshire 28513
Middlesex479766
Nantucket 180 5
Norfolk122018
Plymouth147219
Suffolk 231 7
Worcester243135
Maine
Androscoggin 62 8
Aroostook 649 7
Cumberland101719
Franklin 783 7
Hancock 45910
Kennebec 332 6
Knox 87 5
Lincoln 159 6
Oxford 81010
Penobscot 90 5
Piscataquis 928 9
Sagadahoc 79 9
Somerset 45 4
Waldo 262 4
Washington 445 8
York 41318
New Hampshire
Belknap 110 7
Carroll 504 6
Cheshire 27510
Coos 268 2
Grafton 634 9
Hillsborough 76219
Merrimack 54714
Rockingham176625
Strafford 60614
Sullivan 698 7
Rhode Island
Bristol 523 8
Kent 96916
Newport169916
Providence 49922
Washington 69012
Vermont
Addison 673 8
Bennington 309 8
Caledonia 139 5
Chittenden 48913
Essex 22 2
Franklin 529 4
Grand Isle 234 3
Lamoille 67 2
Orange 177 6
Orleans 134 5
Rutland 213 6
Washington 210 8
Windsor 307 9
Windham 736 8

Awards

Digital (Adobe PDF) certificates will be emailed to everyone who made at least 25 QSOs.

Please come back and enjoy the fun in the 2024 NEQP!! We’re expecting great conditions.

Special plaques have been awarded to these top scorers:

CategoryDonorWinner
USA – Single OperatorYankee Clipper Contest ClubChuck Stover, K4QS
USA – Single Operator Low PowerDave Sumner, K1ZZ, in memory of Laci Radnay, W1PLJeff Hartley, N8II
USA – Single Operator QRPRudy Bakalov, N2WQTom Warren, K3TW
USA – Single Op (W5-W6-W7-W0)Huckleberry Mountain Contest ClubGene Olson, W0PI
USA – Single Op (W2-W3-W8-W9)Steve Moynihan, W3SMTyler Stewart, K3MM
USA – Single Operator Low Power (W5-W6-W7-W0)Steve Moynihan, W3SMBill McClellan, KV0I
USA – Single Operator Low Power (W2-W3-W8-W9)Whit Carter, K1EOAndrew White, K9CW
USA – Single Operator – OhioTom Miller, W1PD, in memory of Jack Miller, W1PDIMetro Sinko, W8MET
USA – Single Operator Low Power – W7Bob Garceau, W1EQBob Sommers, WA8ZNC
USA – Multi-Operator Single-TransmitterWill and Pam Angenent, K6ND/K6NDVSan Diego Contest Club, NX6T
USA – Single Operator – CW onlyHamcraftersAndy Goss, AA5JF
USA – Single Operator – SSB onlyHuckleberry Mountain Contest ClubBob Wright, KZ3P
USA – Single Operator QRP (AR LA MS TN)Steve Kercel, AA4AKJeff Guidry, AC5O
Canada – Single Operator High PowerHuckleberry Mountain Contest ClubAlan Prosser, VA1MM
Canada – Single Operator Low Power – CW onlyGerry Hull, W1VE/VE1RMJohn Connor, VE3TG
Canada – Single Operator Low Power (VE4-VE5-VE6)Gerry Hull, W1VE/VE1RMHarm Hazeu, VA4HZ
DX – Single OperatorYankee Clipper Contest ClubLaszlo Vegh, OM2VL
DX – Single Operator Low PowerPete Chamalian, W1RM, in memory of John Thompson, W1BIH/PJ9JTMax Wdowczyk, SP1AEN
Golden Log – no errorsJim Spears, N1NKAndy Goss, AA5JF
Top ClubFlorida Contest GroupFlorida Contest Group
New England – Single OperatorYankee Clipper Contest ClubMladen Bogdanov, NA1NA
New England – Single Operator – Low PowerDave Hoaglin, K1HTEd Parsons, K1TR
New England – single operator – QRPBlackstone Valley Amateur Radio ClubMark Wilson, K1RO
New England – MobileBoston Amateur Radio ClubThe Barnstormers – NZ1U (Jay Corriveau, W1UJ, opr)
New England – Mobile – Multi OperatorBrian Szewczyk, NJ1F, in memory of James Szewczyk, WB1EYMGerry Hull, W1VE/m (+Ed Parish/K1EP, oprs)
New England – Mobile – Single Operator (Rookie)Bob Raymond, WA1ZJosef Sipek, AC1JR/m
New England – County Expedition AwardTom Homewood, W1TO510 Radio Group – NE1C (KK1W AA1YW W1PY NT1K KX1X WD1S N1FJ, oprs)
New England – multi-singleCheshire County DX ARCDowneast DX Association – W1OO (K1ESE WS1L, oprs)
New England – Single Operator – CW onlyAndy Bodony, K2LEPaul Kelley, N1BUG
New England – Single Operator – SSB onlyWoody Beckford, WW1WWDale Clement, AF1T
Connecticut – Single Operator Candlewood ARADave Sumner, K1ZZ
Connecticut – Single Operator Low PowerDick Pechie, KB1H, memorial sponsored by the Barnstormers (NZ1U)Dan Fegley, W1QK
Connecticut – Single Operator QRPStratford Amateur Rado Club – in memory of Al Thorne, K1TMWRick Bressler, K2RB
Maine – Single Operator Larry Banks, W1DYJPaul Kelley, N1BUG
Maine – Single Operator Low PowerSue, K1RQ, and Brian Szewczyk, NJ1F, in memory of Dana Cobb, K1RQBob Coakley, KX1E
Massachusetts – Single OperatorFramingham Amateur Radio AssociationDave Clemons, K1VUT
Massachusetts – Single Operator Low PowerChuck Counselman, W1HISPaul Young, K1XM
Massachusetts – Hampden County – Single Operator Low PowerHampden County Radio AssnMike DeChristopher, N1TA
Massachusetts – Single Operator – Best in Western MassachusettsPOTA*413 Western MA Chapter Portable on the AirLeonard Bean, KB1W
New Hampshire – Single Operator Mark Wilson, K1RODale Clement, AF1T
New Hampshire – Single Operator Low PowerWQ2H Repeater GroupEd Parsons, K1TR
New Hampshire – Multi-Operator Nat Lee, N1BNC, + Dan Norman, N0HFUnity Mountain ARC, W1UMR (Barry/NF1O, Mary Whittemore/NE1F, oprs)
Rhode Island – Single Operator CTRI Contest GroupKarl Wherry, K1KX
Vermont – Single OperatorBob Raymond, WA1ZKevin Emilio, KE1VT
Vermont – Single Operator Low PowerWest River Radio ClubGary Foskett, W1ECH
New England ClubYankee Clipper Contest ClubCTRI Contest Group

If you’d like to sponsor a new plaque for 2024, please contact us at info@neqp.org

Log Checking

The log checking process was very thorough and most entries lost a few QSOs. There were 784 logs overall, with 778 in electronic format (99.2%) and only 7 on paper. The best operators have error rates in <3% range. The logs we have the most trouble with are those with ADIF files instead of the requested Cabrillo format. ADIF files usually do not have the necessary basic information like entry category.

Andy Goss/AA5JF earned the Golden Log plaque in the 2023 contest with no errors in his 267 QSOs, followed by Dick/K9OM with 188 QSOs and Tom/N2CU with 163 QSOs, also with no errors.

For non-New England stations, cross checking was possible on 31,578 of the 33,839 QSOs reported (93.3%). For New England stations, cross checking was possible for 42,647 of the 66,602 QSOs reported (64.0%).

Logging Software

Many different logging programs were used by NEQP participants. N1MM Logger+ continues to have the lion’s share of the users, QSOs, and points.

SoftwareEntriesScore
N1MM Logger+4996,828,254
N3FJP's NEQP Contest Log (Out of Region)81151,291
N3FJP's New England QSO Party Contest Log 64469,112
WA7BNM Web2Cabrillo2155,140
WriteLog13281,181
DXLog.net12532,381
SkookumLogger7165,132
RUMlogNG 744,616
GenLog 75,555
ADIF2CABR587,609
tlf32,184
Win-Test228,908
TR Log POST216,048
MS Excel22,726
SD21,616
Fast Log Entry 2837
VLS Logger2120
Others - one log each1669,080

Soapbox

You can get a real feel for the contest by going through the various “Soapbox” comments from the big guns, the little guns, and everyone in between.

The 2024 contest is coming up during the first weekend of May, so we hope to see everyone active again. If you’re from New England, let us know if you’ll be QRV this year – send a message to us at info@neqp.org with the county name(s). Note that all exchanges will be state-county, and that CT county names have changed! We’re working to be sure all counties are active!