Salmon Run is the annual Washington State QSO Party. It is held during the full third weekend of September. The goal of the contest is to make as many contacts as possible and in that effort try to make contact with at least one ham in each of Washington’s counties.

Salmon Run is not specifically a club event like Field Day or 7QP. However, the club encourages its members to participate using the Club’s call. Some members in the past have arranged a multi-op station from their personal QTH using the Club’s call sign. Some members have formed expedition parties to travel to some of the less populated counties and to operate mobile or setup a portable site so these counties can be represented in the contest.

To learn more about what club members are planning for this year’s Salmon Run, attend the Snohomish County Hams Club meetings or come back to this page and look for a link to more information. If you are a member, pose a question to the club’s email reflector.

If you can’t join one of the groups for the salmon run, you can operate from your home QTH and allocate your points to the club’s points.

Maybe you can activate some of the counties that have very little activity.They are GARFIELD, COLUMBIA, ASOTIN, and WHITMAN counties. If you can operate from one of these counties you will probably find yourself in a big pileup and be the most sought after station during the contest.

To learn more about Salmon Run go to the Western Washington DX Club‘s web site.

The following is some information supplied by Eric Nordin that may help you if you want to travel to one of the counties and operate.

Asotin County:

Chief Timothy Campground is on Silcott Island in the Snake River just downstream of Clarkston (Asotin County) and is a nice place to camp and have a nice day-use area too. Another spot to operate for this county is Fields Spring State Park.

Columbia County:

Lyon’s Ferry / Starbuck KOA campground is a nice place to stay and there are good spots to operate from nearby (noise level is a little high right at the KOA). If you like to operate from two counties, Franklin county is just across the bridge from the KOA and although no longer in operation, Lyon’s Ferry Park day use area just across the road is an absolutely beautiful spot at the confluence of the Palouse and Snake Rivers. There are nice restrooms there and there are some tall trees for those who prefer wire antennas.

Garfield County:

Boyer Park and Marina is a nice place to camp. You can get to Garfield county just across the river (cross Lower Granite Dam).

Whitman County

Although there are no longer any facilities to speak of (water or restrooms) at Central Ferry campground and the gate is now locked, there is plenty of room on the access road. That is if you don’t mind primitive camping. There is also very easy access to Garfield and Columbia counties across the bridge and a fairly short drive to the west on US-12 from SR-127.

You can probably get a fair amount of contacts if you operate from one or more of the other counties that are less populated than Pierce, King or Snohomish.

Plans for 2019 Salmon Run

TBD.

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