CQ Worldwide VHF Contest
Call: K9GY
Operator(s): K9GY
Station: K9GY
Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: FM08
Operating Time (hrs): 17
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 100 23
2: 67 15
-------------------
Total: 167 38 Total Score = 8,892
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
Once again I packed up and headed for Shenandoah National Park. I was excited to
try out the new 6m beam on this trip.
There was some rain coming into the Thornton Gap entrance but no rain at the
overlook. Reached the overlook at 18z Sat. Missed some time in the first hour
due to setup. Seems like you have to choose either an eastern or western looking
overlook. I haven?t yet found an overlook with good 360 views.
A treat on Saturday afternoon was seeing a seven point buck eating grass about
25 to 30 feet away from the car.
Temp was lower 90?s in DC but at 3,600 feet temp dropped to lower 70?s. Saturday
was overcast with clouds and fog. On Saturday night, I could see the lightening
from the storm front passing through to the north. It was windy Sunday morning
until 3am. Sunday was warmer and the views improved. Figured out to park the car
facing north this trip which helped cut down on the amount of sun on the
dashboard etc.
Interesting ebb and flow of 6m openings on Sunday. Farthest grid worked was FL31
(Thanks VP5JM and VP5VAC). They are my first DX worked on 6m too!
Too many questions from tourists on what I was doing. At least 30 people asked,
maybe 50? I should have counted, hah! The XYL had mentioned making signs...which
I should have done, ugh. I wrote down the ARRL.org website for at least three
people who seemed more interested. They got more creative than animal tracking
this time though. Some asked whether I was bird tracking, satellite tracking, or
storm tracking. Gosh I really needed a sign! Thanks to W3MTC for having a
demonstration QSO with one of the people. Two of the visitors were hams: W4KXE
from Luray, VA and K3ZIV from PA.
Decided not to sleep in the car this time. So I slept on a cot next to the car.
That had me thinking of waking up with a deer looking at me, hah! Fortunately,
no deer stopped by the cot. A couple of people mentioned on Sat afternoon that a
bear was up the road (on the side of the road) doing it?s own thing. Only saw
one ranger. He/she was responding to something since the sirens were going etc.
Finally did get some rain around 19z on Sun but it ended up being just a
drizzle.
This contest really needs a club competition in order to get more stations
involved. Also VHF contests should consider adopting a Stew Perry like scoring
method because after the grids are worked then the station next door counts the
same as the station 400 miles away...That doesn?t make much sense since it takes
more effort to work a station 400 miles away!
Equip:
Yaesu FT-817
Cushcraft A50-3S (6m)
Hamstick type whip antenna roof mounted (6m)
Arrow 4 ele portable beam (2m)
Next up is WAE CW.
CQ Contest!
73, Eric
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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