2026-07-13, 20:11:26
(This post was last modified: 2026-07-14, 05:48:18 by Mark VA3VBE.)
Hi all,
I've been experimenting with an idea for a possible new amateur radio activity called Birthday QSO Party (BQP), and I would appreciate the advice and feedback of others. Some have already given me their opinion and I appreciate all feedback even if critical as I know it is given in a good spirit and sometimes I need a shot or realism. The idea might be doomed to fail, but what the heck I'm learning a lot by going forward with it and making modifications with additional feedback.
The current revised version of the site allows an amateur operator who is having a birthday to have a special week where they post when they are on the air, frequency & mode, and other hams can make contact with them and wish them a happy birthday. Kind of like the activators in POTA. The Well Wishers are those hams that check the site to see who is having a birthday and on the air and then proceed to make a contact with them. Kind of like the hunters in POTA. Contacts can be logged with your favourite logger and then the ADIF file can be uploaded or you can log the contact on the site.
Originally I was looking at the actual day of the birthday for qso's but others pointed out that the short limited time, privacy around specific birthdate, & potential propagation problems on a given day were issues to consider. So now the Birthday Operator has a week (seven days) where he or she can go on the air and make contacts. Well wishers can see who is avaiable for contacts at any given moment. In the end, its all about the numbers and if people get involved the idea can work and if they don't then it doesn't. Many OTA type activities coming out these days. Birthday QSO Party adds something different: a chance to celebrate the operator behind the callsign.
If you want to check the site out and/or provide feedback here it is:
https://birthdayqsoparty.com
Thanks!
VA3VBE
I've been experimenting with an idea for a possible new amateur radio activity called Birthday QSO Party (BQP), and I would appreciate the advice and feedback of others. Some have already given me their opinion and I appreciate all feedback even if critical as I know it is given in a good spirit and sometimes I need a shot or realism. The idea might be doomed to fail, but what the heck I'm learning a lot by going forward with it and making modifications with additional feedback.
The current revised version of the site allows an amateur operator who is having a birthday to have a special week where they post when they are on the air, frequency & mode, and other hams can make contact with them and wish them a happy birthday. Kind of like the activators in POTA. The Well Wishers are those hams that check the site to see who is having a birthday and on the air and then proceed to make a contact with them. Kind of like the hunters in POTA. Contacts can be logged with your favourite logger and then the ADIF file can be uploaded or you can log the contact on the site.
Originally I was looking at the actual day of the birthday for qso's but others pointed out that the short limited time, privacy around specific birthdate, & potential propagation problems on a given day were issues to consider. So now the Birthday Operator has a week (seven days) where he or she can go on the air and make contacts. Well wishers can see who is avaiable for contacts at any given moment. In the end, its all about the numbers and if people get involved the idea can work and if they don't then it doesn't. Many OTA type activities coming out these days. Birthday QSO Party adds something different: a chance to celebrate the operator behind the callsign.
If you want to check the site out and/or provide feedback here it is:
https://birthdayqsoparty.com
Thanks!
VA3VBE