This is the third year for the ACØW rover operation. Drivers this year will be XYL Cindy, and son Erich doing tag team while I'm stuck in the back seat operating the gear. Pictures show the gear from 2007. This year we will have the same antenna, SGC-230. Rig was Yaesu FT-900, which will hopefully be the back-up rig this year. Hope to have something with a better receiver this year. Will just have to see how things work out. All this will go into a 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan.

While we have posted a route, my route is still in flux. While one of my goals is to always do well, my main goal is to make sure the other participants have a good time and have the ability to work as many of the Minnesota counties as possible. Since selecting the route several other stations have confirmed either mobile or fix station operation in several counties that I had planned to activate. So I am looking at what counties with plenty of stations I can drop to activate counties that only have 1 or 2 stations.

The other thing I was hoping to do this year was to qualify for the special HMV multiplier that may push my score over the top, (HMV stands for High Mileage Vehicle). However I've learned the team of NØIJ & WØTVD 1995 Tahoe has about 250,000 miles compared to my measly 224,000. Maybe that is John's secret to doing so well in the event.

Bill, AC0W

The 2008 route: Freeborn, Waseca, Blue Earth, Faribault, Martin, Watonwan, Brown, Nicollet, Renville, McLeod, Sibley, Scott, Le Sueur, Rice, Dakota, Goodhue, Wabasha, Winona, Houston, Fillmore, Olmsted, Dodge, Steele, Mower.

KØPC

County Route Map Current APRS Location

Pat KØPC and John W9DND will be running the MN QSO Party for the fifth year in 2008. We will be in the southwest portion of the state this year. Every year we learn something new and I'm sure this year will be no exception. The vehicle this year is a 2008 Honda Accord and we will be running an IC-7000 to a HiQ 4-80 antenna. The logging is done on an old IBM laptop using WriteLog. We look forward to another fun ride!

The 2008 route: Le Sueur, Sibley, Nicollet, Brown, Redwood, Cottonwood, Murray, Lyon, Lincoln, Pipestone, Rock, Nobles, Jackson, Martin, Watonwan, Blue Earth, Fairbault, Freeborn, Waseca, Steele, & Rice.

KØSV

County Route Map

Rover comments: Here's a photo and a little history of what we'll be using for the MNQP. Pictured L-R are Scott NØUV, Charlie KØSV, & Nicholas KCØIRY by the dark red rover. We'll be using a '93 Dodge Grand Caravan with a Hustler modified bumper mount pictured. The radios will be a pair of IC706 MKII G's. As you can see the van is the wife's set of wheels as it has a larger cargo area than my Blazer. We look forward to hearing everyone on. Look for us on the ssb portions first and cw later in the hour. I have 2 sets of traps tuned for 40 & 80. The plan is to start in Stearns county at 8:00 and move to Sherbourne county around 9:30, Benton county around 11:00, Morrison county about 12:30. We will stay in Morrison for about 2 hours or more before retracing our route to Benton county around 3:00, Sherbourne county around 4:00 and finishing in Stearns county for the last hour or so. I hope that this helps everyone looking for us. The callsign used will be KØSV/R(whatever county we're in) Look for us up or down a few from the published watering holes on the website. Good luck to all and we hope to work a few rovers ourselves.

73, Charlie KØSV

The 2008 route: Stearns, Sherburne, Benton, Morrison, Benton, Sherburne, Stearns.

K3WT

County Route Map

Rover comments: In the past couple of days, Don, NØJPG and I have been refining our route and we're going to increase the number of counties we're planning to activate (listed in sequence). I see we're going to pick up a couple of counties designated as having marginal coverage.

We're set!

73, Tom, K3WT and Don, NØJPG

The 2008 route: Goodhue, Wabasha, Winona, Houston, Fillmore, Olmsted, Mower, Dodge, Steele, Waseca, LeSueur, Rice, Scott, and Dakota.

KCØMKS

County Route Map Current APRS Location

Rover comments:

My apologies for the late entry into the MNQP foray, but my position as BARC President (http://www.beargreasearc.com/) has kept me 200% over-utilized for the past 2 months. Now that the race is over, time for a little fun!

I will be roving NE MN roads this coming Saturday working single op SSB phone in Cook, Lake, St. Louis and Carlton Counties. I will have APRS activated, so look for KCØMKS-9. My rig will do 10-160 and I hope to work all bands ± the MNQP advertised frequencies as conditions apply. Rig is: Kenwood TS-480HX Hi-Q 5/160 with a Turbo Tuner

If the weather is bad, I will operate mobile close to home in Lake County. Hope to see you all on the air!

73! Jeffrey Nast KCØMKS

Counties activated first to last: Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Carlton.

KEØG

County Route Map

Rover comments:

The 2008 route: Houston, Fillmore, Winona, Olmsted.

NØEO

County Route Map Current APRS Location

Rover comments:

Description is 2007 Chev Silverado, Radio is a IC 746 Pro, APRS will be on a Kenwood D700 using N0EO-9 and we will monitor 146.52. Antennas are a High Sierra 1500 and an Outbacker Perth Plus. Team will consist of AAØAW and KBØLBS. Callsign used will be N0EO

The 2008 route: Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Roseau, Kittson, Marshall, Pennington, Red Lake, Polk, Clearwater, Beltrami, Hubbard, Cass, Itasca, Aitkin.

NØIJ

County Route Map Current APRS Location

Team members are John Baumgarten - NØIJ, and Terry Van Dell - WØTVD. Vehicle is again a 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe. HF equipment is a Ten Tec Omni VI Plus and a top mounted Shorty I antenna 10m thru 80m. We've added a 20m vertical mounted on a modified bike rack off the trailer hitch. APRS is with a Kenwood TM-D700A 50 watts. We'll be monitoring 146.52 Mhz. Vehicle power for radios, separate battery power for computer and antenna. NA is our logging program.

The 2008 route: Itasca, Cass, Hubbard, Beltrami, Clearwater, Polk, Red Lake, Polk (#2), Mahnomen, Norman, Clay, Becker, Ottertail, Wadena, Todd, Morrison, Cass (#2), Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, Kanabec, Aitkin, Pine, Carlton, St. Louis, Lake, Cook.

NØIM-9

County Route Map Current APRS Location

Team is Dick Bodine - NØIM. Vehicle is a silver 2002 Toyota Highlander. HF radio is an IC706 MKIIg, antennas are a High Sierra screwdriver, a 20 meter Ham Stick, and a 2 meter antenna and a Kenwood TM-D700A for APRS. Computer logging is NA.

More good news, a visit with my surgeon for a post-op today resulted in no driving restrictions. Woohoo! That means I will be out and about however not a very aggressive plan, just try to get more activity in Carlton, Lake with a remote possibility of Cook then back to St Louis. I intend to run as well as S/P, both CW and SSB with est. one hour minimum per county, sans visits from Murphy. I will be squawking APRS positions as well.

Counties I will activate are: Aitkin, Carlton, Lake, possibly Cook, St.Louis.

NØPI

County Route Map

The NØPI/KØAD team will be trying a different route year. Focus on some of the western counties. We should be spending at least 30 minutes in the western counties, more time to work stations that want the counties, and they are just a bit bigger out west so it takes some time to drive through.

After last years success, we will again be running mobile unlimited, two HF stations from one vehicle. Al (KØAD) will be running the CW station from the back seat, using an Icom 746 via a DuneStar band pass filter to a SG-230 antenna coupler connected to a SG-303 antenna. Daniel (NØPI) will be on 20 phone using his trusty Atlas-210X via a 20 meter band pass filter to a MFJ stick, 14.270 and up. The vehicle is a 2003 Chevy crew cab diesel pickup, second alternator and deep cycle batteries providing power to radios and laptop.

N0PI will activate the following counties: Wright, Meeker, Stearns, Pope, Douglas, Grant, Wilkin, Traverse, Stevens, Big Stone, Swift, Lac Qui Parle, Yellow Medicine, Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Renville, McLeod, Carver, Hennepin.

NE9U

County Route Map

Rover comments:

Well I got the rig wired up, the computer programmed, and antennas on the truck tonight (antennas sure are fun when it is minus 10!!!!)

My usual partner, N9BCA, won't be able to make the trip this year, so Paul WØAIH is going to give MNQP mobile a try. Paul wants me to get to his place early on Friday so we can take my Hustler whips off and replace them with rotatable Telrex mono-banders. He also thinks we can convert one of his Alphas to 12 volts. :-)))

Anyway, here is our plan:

We are going to start from his daughter's house in Washington county and hit the following counties (pretty much my same route as last year skipping Hennepin and Anoka at the start)

Counties activated first to last:

Washington, Ramsey, Dakota, Scott, Rice, Steele, Dodge, Mower, Freeborn, Faribault, Martin, Watowan, Blue Earth (time permitting), Brown, Nicollet, Sibley, Renville (time permitting), McLeod, Meeker, Wright (time permitting), Stearns, Benton, Sherburne (time permitting), Mille Lacs, Kanebec, Pine, Chisago, Isanti (time permitting), and Anoka.

WØAA

County Route Map

Once again the XYL will be transporting me around the state. I will be running the same set-up as previous years. A TS-50S and laptop running N3FJP software. The antennas will be a single Hustler for 40M-CW, and a 3 band Hustler with 80M, 40M-SSB, and 20M. This year will be a turn north when we hit the Dakota border, and I plan to swing into North Dakota for about 30 minutes. This should be around 1900Z and will be WAØMHJ/Ø to avoid confusion.

If we can make Grand Rapids by 7:00 P.M. we may take in an Elvis impersonator show. My vote is for a big steak, a shower, and bed. (In that order.) Hope to work you all!

Mark WAØMHJ

The 2008 route: Isanti, Mille Lacs, Benton, Morrison, Todd, Stearns, Pope, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Wilkin, Clay, (25 minutes in North Dakaota), Norman, Polk, Red Lake, Polk(2), Mahnomen, Clearwater, Beltrami, Hubbard, Cass, Itasca.

WØZQ

County Route Map Current APRS Location

Rover comments:

Hello MnQP fans. I have decided to try something a little different this year. As a solo rover, my route last year looked to minimize contest time driving distance while maximizing the number of counties that I could visit. I ended up with 90 miles of contest driving (does not include pre/post contest driving) and touched 12 counties. I can not find a way to make that any better.

This year to heck with a "big" score. Instead I want to try to activate some of the more rare counties without necessarily driving to Fargo.

The 2008 route: Cottonwood, Jackson, Nobles, Murray, Redwood, Lyon, Yellow Medicine, Renville, Chippewa, Swift.

W9MSE

County Route Map

Rover comments:

The 2008 route: Cottonwood, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone, Lincoln, Yellow Medicine, Lac qui Parle, Big Stone, Traverse, Wilkin, Traverse, Grant, Stevens, Pope, Swift, Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Renville, Mc Leod, Sibley, Nicollet, Blue Earth, Brown.