The 2010 Arkansas QSO Party was held on September 11. I decided to make the 600 mile trek to AR after conversing with AD5WI and K5END after last year's ARQP. Last year the only mobile in the ARQP was N4CD.

AD5WI, K5END, and myself made a few postings on eHam last year and started making plans to make a showing in the ARQP this year. The sponsor of the ARQP doesn't really do anything to promote the QP other than putting an announcement on the ARKAN web page. For this year I put together a web page announcing the counties planned to be activated by the three of us. A few weeks before the QSO party W3DYA contacted me with his plans to head to AR as well. It should be noted K5END, W3DYA, and myself are in Texas.

Between the four of us we planned to activate 70 of the 75 AR counties. Not a bad showing! If this QSO party were promoted a bit, especially with AR hams, all 75 counties could be easily activated.

I headed to AR on the Thursday before the QP and spent Friday resting up from the long drive, visiting relatives, and getting the equipment rigged up in the truck.

Saturday morning at 8 am I hit the road. My wife, K5AKS, drove while I operated. There was good activity but 20m seemed to be in poor condition. N4CD called me from Polk county. I didn't know Bob was coming to AR so that was a nice surprise. I also worked W3DYA and K5END during the QSO party. In all I finished up covering 18 counties in S. AR and made 725 QSO's including a number of DX stations.

Check out my Log on a Map for the ARQP. If I worked you in the QP use the search function on your browser to find your call.

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