RSE𝘪 Hosts W2SZ

Written by: Jack Gurr ’28 (N6YHO)

In the past few weeks, RSEi has been happy to welcome W2SZ, RPI’s amateur radio club, as they’ve competed in the Collegiate and New York QSO parties. These contests, known as “QSO parties,” facilitate an opportunity for different groups in the amateur radio hobby to come together, test equipment, test themselves, and communicate around the world. The Collegiate QSO party was a 48 hour event aimed towards college level radio clubs from around the United States. W2SZ, representing RPI and led by RSEi members Charles Gian ’27 (KE2APT) and Jack Gurr ’28 (N6YHO), competed against 22 other schools.

Utilizing the house’s living room and kitchen amenities, the club was able to operate continuously throughout the contest. From start to finish, W2SZ contacted 69 different countries, 8 Canadian provinces, and 48 U.S. entities for a staggering total of almost 700 individual contacts. This potentially record breaking score would not be possible without RSEi’s continuing support.

The recent much larger New York QSO party, at a shorter 24 hour period, brought back this exceptional performance. Unlike the Collegiate QSO party, the New York QSO party allowed for more than one operating station at a time, bringing even more equipment into the living room, and surrounding the house with an array of antennae.