California QSO Party is the Gold Standard: CQP Chairman Dean Wood N6DE

California QSO Party chairman Dean Wood N6DE is passionate about his state’s QSO party for good reason. With over 1200 submitted logs, the CQP easily tops the list of state QSO parties for participation. What’s their secret? Start with the fact that the CQP is sponsored by contesters - the Northern California Contest Club - making this one of the few QP’s run by a contest club. Their other unique characteristic is an Expedition class of operator (think “POTA meets Contester”) who fan out across California to activate even the hardest to get to counties. Non-California contesters have plenty of stations to log and many will work hard for a clean sweep of the 58 counties. Participants are split nearly equally between CW, Phone and Mixed Mode but, with no awards for single modes, those playing to win will operate mixed mode. Watch this interview with Dean N6DE to learn more about the October 7-8 2023 CQP and to see Dean's photo highlights from 2022.

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[sagebrother]

Kudos to Dean as I think he works hard to ensure people participate. Great video and good to hear the stats etc. We (W6E) are out this year at 8, 000 ft in Ventura County. Mixed mode M/2 HP.

[sparty]

CW is increasing because of the weekly SST, MST and CWOPs contests that grooms future contesters, there is nothing like it for SSB. Also, for little pistols CW is a lot easier to get contacts, SSB you just get crushed by the big guns. One category to add is the limited antenna to a wire less than 50ft in the air.

[madmoe]

CA.. ME… WI…. Hmmm. Best is disputable. Regardless, excellent content. Thanks fellas.

[StuartMTTQAmateurRadio]

A few QSO parties include other DXCCs as multipliers alongside states/provinces. Most don't. It would be good if they all did! There are lots of people in Europe looking for CA on specific bands - though of course not all contest groups upload to LOTW, either.