Hi 432 sprinters!
It is fun to hear of individual results just after the sprints. I managed
to get on about 45 minutes late and was happy to see that activity was
pretty good. I walked the 1/2 mile thru the woods to the shack, and fired up
the putt putt generator. I had just re connected the 432 station and was
running a DEM solid state amp at about 100 watts output. It was reassuring
to see that the antenna worked fine after a long and bad winter. I quit
about 10:30 and walked back home in the dark. It was pretty cold...32
degrees and I forgot a coat so I was pretty cooled off when I hit home.
I was immediately blown away by the loud signals from AL1VE on Cadillac
Mtn FN54 to the NE. Also W1ZC in NH was bone crushing. I worked 12 grids I
think and about 35 QSOs with best DX to FM06 (K4QI) and N1BUG in FN55 for
the best NE contact. In fact, there were only two NE contacts for the night,
N1BUG and AL1VE. 35 QSOs in just under 3 hours is pretty slow. I was not
calling continuously and heard many in FN20 working others that I did not
work. I guess you could say it was a laid back evening. I was enjoying just
hearing ANYTHING!
I was hearing K4QI quite regularly when his beam was to the Northeast.
He was copyable on SSB and CW. Best signals peaked at 579. Mostly they were
549 or so. N3RN in FN11 was quite loud at times. Not much to the West. Only
worked K2AXX. I heard W1AIM but could not get his attention in FN34. Oh
well.
My observations from the hinterlands here indicate that in a short
duration sprint, many stations do not turn their antennas in all directions
with any regularity. I guess the activity level is such that it is better to
hit the more populated areas in the short time available. I always find that
my grid totals are really puny in any of the sprints. Admittedly, I was
running just 100 watts, but I notice the same thing even with the
afterburners hooked up. Is this a correct assumption on my part? I never
seem to work any VE2 or VE3 stations, nor much at all due West, and I do
listen there on 144, 222 and 432. I guess the 144 sprint nite had a bad ice
storm in New York State which would remove signals there, but 222 and 432
were slim pickings there as well. My guess is that there are very few
looking my way (an off beat direction from normal activity I would guess) As
we get into the longer VHF contests, the grids show up here.
I am also guilty of not turning the beam Northeast much during the
sprints. There is very little activity there, so I hope I get them off the
back of my beam, and concentrate where I know there are many more Qs. I did
look NE more this time just to see who was on.
In any event, it was fun night, and a blast to get back on the band
after a long winter.
73
Dave K1WHS
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