Indiana QSO Party
The Indiana QSO Party is a casual state-focused HF radio contest.
Sat. May 4
11 am to 11 pm EDT
Boone County Fairgrounds, Lebanon, IN
(1300 E 100 S, Lebanon, IN 46052)
OPEN TO MEMBERS, GUESTS & VISITORS!
What's a QSO Party?!
First things first: A QSO is ham lingo for a "contact or conversation" on the air,! A QSO party is a fun contest that makes stations in a specific state or region the "targets" of the contest.
State QSO Parties are great for learning how to contest in a low pressure, casual environment. Unlike more hectic international contacts, the QSOs in these contests are slower paced, mostly US participants, and often include some friendly chat along with the required info exchange. It's a great opportunity to "get on the mic" using the club callsign, even if you have never contested or been on the HF bands before. We will show you how to do it!
How do Piglets work the INQP?
The focus of the Indiana QSO Party contest is for everyone outside Indiana to work as many Indiana stations as they can. Indiana stations get bonus multipliers for every different state, province and Indiana county they contact. It's a great opportunity for operators to complete their Worked All Indiana Counties award!
Indiana operators can score extra points by activating "rare" counties (counties with few participants in prior years). And you know Piglets like points, especially bonus multipliers!
The Piglets will again be operating from "rare" Boone County this year, at the Boone County Fairgrounds.
We will set up 2-3 hours early and operate for all 12 hours of the contest using one or two Yaesu FT-DX10 radios simultaneously. All operators will use our club callsign, N9BCN. (If you reach a station you need for a personal award, you are welcome to call them again using your own callsign.) We will operate both SSB and CW, so if you know Morse Code, we want ya there on a key!
We are hoping to have enough participants to also field a separate roving team to visit one or two other rare counties.
Come out and join us, it's a fun time!
Want to Participate?
We need you to make this event a success! Please contact a club officer or post in the #inqp-planning Discord Channel to express your interest.
A lot of roles available: You can choose to be the mic operator or logger, take turns doing both, coordinate our planning, help set up and take down, or just observe. Technicians are welcome to get on the air too: We'll pair you with a General or Extra operator so you can legally work ALL the bands under their supervision, not just 10 meters.
You must be a member to reserve a time slot at the radios, but we will be happy to help licensed and unlicensed guests (legally!) get on the air for a few minutes to try out ham radio and contesting!
Observers, guests and non-members are welcome to stop by too... Come learn how fun it is to contact stations around the country (and the world) with just 100 watts of power and a wire!
INQP Contest Rules & Maps
For more INQP details and contest rules, visit the INQP page on the Hoosier DX and Contest Club's website. (They are also a Hamilton County club and meet in Westfield. Cool people... Check em out!)
More State QSO Parties!
There are State QSO parties throughout the year, with most clustered in the spring and fall months. Visit https://stateqsoparty.com/ for links to all of them, including a calendar.
State QSO parties are a GREAT way to add those hard-to-reach states or counties to your logbook that you still need for your Worked All States or Worked All Counties awards!
Where to Meet Us...
We will be at the building next to the Horse Arena at the Boone County Fairgrounds (oval track marked by red pin on map below).
Use Exit 138 off I-65N or coming from the east via Route 32, turn left on S 300 E, then turn right on E 100 S.
For GPS, use 1300 E 100 S, Lebanon, IN (but that just gets you to thee Fairgrounds, not to the Horse Arena.)
Google Maps Link
Radio Channels
On-Site Simplex: Piglet-1 (147.475, with 77 hz tone squelch)
Drive Time Talk-In: Hortonville UHF repeater (443.95 +5, 77 hz)
