CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW
Call: VY2ZMM
Operator(s): K1ZM,K2WI,WW2Y
Station: VY2ZMM
Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: PEI,CA
Operating Time (hrs): 37
QSOs: 1246 States/Provinces: 58 Countries: 66 Score: 1,112,156
Comments:
Hi Gang
Rob, Peter and I wish to thank all of those who called us over the weekend
during the CQ 160M CW Contest. We think we provided most everyone who wanted
it with the rare VY2 multiplier in this event. Glad to do it; we will do it
again - HI!
For those who have asked, this is a new station up in Atlantic, Canada on
Prince Edward Island located on a 45 acre parcel with the station directly on
the coast. Most preferred directions look out over salt water oceanfront to
maximize the available propagation. Jeff, K1ZM, decided to do this in order to
join the "beacon" (VE1ZZ) up in low-band "GOD's country" after hearing Jack's
outstanding 160M signal over the years from visits to A6, ZL, PY and other
places. (If you can't lick 'em, then JOIN 'EM as the story goes.....so that's
what we did.)
Our xmit antenna is a K2WI/WW2Y design using (4) full-sized 1/4 wave Rohn tower
radiators, on insulated commercial bases, with phillystran (non-conductive)
guys.
There are about 77 on ground copper wire radials under each radiator, with
cross-bussing and circumference bussing for good measure and, hopefeully, even
current distribution. The transmit array, which is also used on RX, has the
capability to develop seven (7) usable patterns with up to 8dbd of forward gain
in the most useful directions.
Complementing the xmit array are 7 beverages the longest of which is over 2000
feet in length.
We operated as a true multi-single with one FT1000D xmtr, shared by each of the
three operators using separate RX systems for true diversity reception. For
all nighttime hours, all three operators were operating/listening full-bore to
maximize point production during the critical European run times.
We are most grateful for the comments posted about our signal, for the kind
words seen on the various packet clusters during the contest and for the .wav
files sent to us by several stations in Europe. We really appreciated the
comments you sent us as it makes all the hard work feel "worth it" over the
past two years that it took to bring this site on the air.
One thing we tried very hard to do was to be able to HEAR WELL in addition to
being able to XMIT WELL. From all we can determine, we believe we did hear
pretty well over the weekend.
This is a station still in its infancy - there are BIG plans on the drawing
boards. It can only get better - especially on RX.
Thanks again to all of those who worked us - if you need a VY2ZMM QSL, please
QSL DIRECT to K1ZM, with SASE or IRC enclosed. We have just printed up some
handsome 3 color cards for the operation and these are ready to go to anyone
who wants one.
NEXT UP - ARRL DX CW on February 16/17th.
If all goes well, we should be on in ARRL DX CW once again with a **NEW**
CALLSIGN - VY2ZM in that one. Hope to CU then.....
One story that is worth telling is that this station is located 1.5 miles off
the road down at the water. All transport into and out of the place during the
Winter is by means of a snowmobile and sled combination. The day that Peter
and Rob arrived on PEI, we suffered a 2 foot snowstorm with high winds and 8-10
foot drifts of snow.
On the way out to pick the boys up, the snowmobile "buried itself" (so says
K1ZM!) in an 8 foot drift, which meant a two hour walk out on snowshoes to pick
up Rob and Peter at the airport.
Then a snowplow buried the K1ZM Jeep Cherokee in a 6 foot wall of snow where it
was parked out at the road.
By the time Rob and Peter were met in the capital city of Charlottetown, it was
dinner time (they had arrived at 1405hrs) and we wound up spending the night in
a hotel - we did not want to chance a 2 hour walk down to the shore in the dark
on snowshoes!.
The next day it took 5 of us to retrieve the snowmobile from ZM's front yard
and, thereafter, the WX cooperated pretty much for the rest of their stay.
One can appreciate the OH6XX type operations in deep snow after this weekend.
PEI is a "whole 'nother place" and mother nature makes MOST of the rules there
- not man alone!
CU in ARRL CW in two weeks if all goes well.
73 JEFF/K1ZM, Rob/K2WI, Peter/WW2Y
K1ZM@aol.com
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