CQ Worldwide VHF Contest
Call: W9RM
Operator(s): W9RM
Station: W9RM
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: DM58
Operating Time (hrs): 22
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 205 96
2: 56 31
-------------------
Total: 261 127 Total Score = 40,259
Club: Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado
Comments:
Once again, the only real reason to competitive VHF contest from the
inter-mountain west is the hope of good 6M conditions. When this happens, my
area can run up so many contacts on 6 that it can negate the easts huge
advantage in stations available to work. Well...that didn't happen - again.
6M sporadic-E season has been a bust. The conditions have been just 'OK' so
far, including the June contest. This weekend was far from OK. There were
openings, but they were very brief and in random directions. On 2M, I've been
diligent in learning who's-who, where and when and it seems to be paying off as
2M line scores continue to rise. 2M is still a fickle beast out here as the
'east' scores show - they can work as many QSO's on 2M then I can on 6M when
conditions are poor and propagation doesn't really affect that capability.
This is probably the hardest work I've put into a contest in years for such
small return. It's kind of amusing to see my scores decline over the past
couple of years, while the station gets better and better. Probably the
highlight of the low-lights was glancing at my WSJT program display screen (I
had just finished morning meteor scatter operations), noticing that moon rise
was in a few minutes, saying 'what the heck, there's no other prop anyway',
firing up the terrestrial-only 2M antenna (no elevation control) and proceeding
to run more then a half-dozen EU stations on EME for new multipliers while the
moon was below 10 degrees elevation. I have been outspoken against the use of
EME in what I consider terrestrial contests, and still am. But, it was
entertaining and enlightening. However, I strongly believe the continuing use
of EME is going to negatively impact the contests, as more and more of the 'big
guns' lose interest in CQing using terrestrial modes and are drawn to the high
multiplier world of EME. New records like K5QE's fantastic multiplier
performance in June ARRL will only accelerate this. Terrestrial activity will
decline - even faster then it already is. It is my opinion that EME operation
in terrestrial contests will eventually destroy the VHF tests, as there will be
fewer and fewer strong signals for the casual operator to work. Contest rules
committees ! Stop the trend - don't let the 4 big ARRL tests and CQWW VHF
become EME contests !
See everyone again next June and July - hopefully with enough 6M sporadic-E to
make it worth while.
Station as of July 2015 - still temporary "from inside the barn"
"Field Day style" tilt up towers
6M: 7el @ 45' - 2 different ones + 5 el fixed NW; FT920 + KW
2M: 5 wavelength yagi @ 50'; FT1000MPMKV + DEMI transverter + 600W SSPA
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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