1997 WISCONSIN QSO PARTY
                             OFFICIAL RESULTS

                             GENERAL  COMMENTS
 
If 1996 was a banner year for WQP, then 1997 has to be viewed as a mirror 
image. 1997 WQP missed last years highest ever entries by only ONE ENTRY.  
This year we had 216 overall entries, with 147 from Wisconsin and 69 from 
out-of-state, including Canada and Paraguay. Logs were received from 26
states and the Provinces of Ontario and Saskatchewan. We also experienced 
an increase in the number of Categories that were entered.  We had entries 
in 9 of our 12 Categories, compared to 7 last year. 

I guess we must be doing some things right.  And to the contrary, some things 
wrong. This year I mention two problem areas:

1) Evidently my comments in last years WQP RESULTS were not read.  The 
COMPLETE FILLING IN OF ENTRY FORMS got even worse this year.  There is no 
way I could summarize the number of Counties, States or Provinces, as a very 
large percentage did not bother to indicate WHICH SPECIFIC COUNTIES, STATES 
OR PROVINCES THEY WORKED (the listings of Counties, States and Provinces are 
provided with the rules). In fact, a number of entries indicated only 
MULTIPLIERS without a breakdown. The rules do require that " new multipliers 
be circled (or crossed out) as worked." The purpose of this is to provide a 
way we can easily match the claimed multipliers with the actual ones from each 
log AND also to help determine exactly what Counties, States and Provinces 
appear in the logs.  I need a summary sheet of the Counties, States and 
Provinces somewhere in the entry.  Some logging programs provide that (like 
WA1UJU's WQP program), but most do not. This year I spent a HUGE amount of
time trying to just determine that the multipliers claimed matched what the 
logs showed.  Simply indicating this on the entry form or within a computer 
generated entry form would really help a lot guys and gals. You have to go 
thru your logs to determine your multipliers anyway.  How much extra time does 
it take to list them somewhere OR circle or cross them out on our listings on 
the entry form?  I think we process the RESULTS quite rapidly considering that 
we do not get all the entries till the middle of April.  We have been able to 
get the RESULTS to the publisher by the end of April.  However these last two 
years I have spent way to many midnight hours trying to meet the deadline. 
Your help is needed.     

2) A situation developed this year, relating to mobile stations. Evidently our 
rule of a phone contact only counting for ONE QSO POINT and a CW contact only 
counting for TWO QSO POINTS, is not clear enough.  For example, if a mobile 
station sits on a county line and gives out two counties during the same 
transmission, that mobile can only claim ONE QSO POINT (TWO FOR CW CONTACTS). 
They cannot give out two counties and claim two phone points (or 4 points if 
CW). ONE point per phone contact and TWO points per CW contact.  That's the 
rule.  Simple enough, or at least we thought. If that mobile wants to claim 
BOTH COUNTIES then they need to make TWO TRANSMISSIONS (and be able to prove 
to us that they were indeed sitting EXACTLY on the county lines).  We expect 
that one and only one county be given out with a single transmission, and that 
the mobile be firmly within the county limits.  

So, as a result, next year will see some changes in the rules.  The one change 
I can indicate at this time will be - all logs entered will need to be in 
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER (entries listed by time on the same or subsequent sheets 
of paper). We are looking at several others.  Watch for them.    

Our plaque for the best SINGLE  OPERATOR  - FIXED  station goes to Gary 
Sutcliffe, W9XT.  He made 158 CW contacts and 412 phone contacts, contacting 
60 counties, 46 states and 6 provinces, for a score of 81536.  Gary was our 
1996 winner also.  Congratulations Gary.

The plaque for the best OUT-OF-STATE  entry goes to K9OM, Dick Van Zandt, 
from Illinois.  He bettered his last years' winning record with 100 CW contacts
and 155 phone contacts, contacting 52 Wisconsin counties, for a total of 18460 
points.  Congratulations Dick.  

The battle of the clubs produced a BIG surprise this year. Evidently the result 
of a massive effort to get club members on the air to operate, our winning club
mustered 33 entries to put them on top for 1997. The plaque in the CLUB 
COMPETITION  goes to Four Lakes Amateur Radio Club.  Their 33 entries produced 
a score of 336,985.  Last year they were in second place with 251,418 points 
based on 23 entries.  I believe this the first time they won WQP.  
Congratulations FLARC.  I know you will enjoy your plaque.  

Participation again was wonderful.  25 mobile stations, covering as many as 19 
counties in one case, really form the backbone of our contest.  I think we get 
a lot of participation as a result of their efforts on our behalf.  I, for one,
am thankful for their participation.  I am also thankful for the many, many
stations that participate for a few hours or for the entire 7.  There must be 
a bunch of them.  Otherwise a lot of the top stations would not be getting 
their large QSO totals.  216 entered WQP.  Many did not but were there giving 
out points.  I know a lot of them will never see this but I for one do 
appreciate their efforts.  Perhaps next year we can acknowledge their efforts 
as we talk with them during '98 WQP.  WITHOUT THEM AND WITHOUT ALL YOU GUYS AND
GALS THERE WOULD BE NO PARTY. Its your efforts that keep WQP rolling along like
it is - we think the best State QSO Party in the US of A.  See you on the 
second Sunday of March, 1998, good Lord willing.  



Lynn Tamblyn, K9KR
for Wisconsin QSO Party Committee