ARRL UHF Contest
Call: KC9BQA
Operator(s): KC9BQA
Station: KC9BQA
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: EN63
Operating Time (hrs): 17
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
222: 50 27
432: 62 30
903: 18 16
1.2: 21 15
2.3: 11 10
3.4:
5.7:
10G:
24G:
-------------------
Total: 162 98 Total Score = 68,796
Club: Badger Contesters
Comments:
Wow! What an interesting and busy contest! Good conditions and lots of
stations on. Congrats to all for supporting the ARRL UHF contest. If you have
5 minutes read on. Otherwise, 73 and hope to hear you on the bands. :)
I was very encouraged by the activity. Conditions were good here in
Southeastern Wisconsin. Mostly to the east on Sat. evening and especially to
the south on early Sun. morning. 400-800 mile paths to the south were in from
about 6am on. I had t-storms outside my shack at 7:15am central time and had
to unplug. This was very hard to do with EM55's and such still banging in on
432! Best DX in this 'test was W5RCI from EM44 moving my meter to an honest
30db over S9 on 432. Rex said he has 800 watts and a box of 4 good yagis up
about 125' on 432. We also worked quite easily on 222 and 1296. Thanks Rex
for Mississippi on all 3 bands!
I added 2304 in time for this 'test and I thank W0GHZ and W9GA for their help
with this non-electronics guy. :) Despite all my worrying, 2304 played well
thru a 76 el blowtorch up 85' fed with 1 5/8" Heliax. When I got into this 3
years ago, I *NEVER* thought I would go above 432, but I saw what rovers and
better stations were doing and decided to go up there. I'm glad I did, despite
the added complications of transverters and too many wires.
I also thank the kind-hearted ops who put up with my baby steps into the CW
world -- I know I've been missing Q's and I think CW is great. I just haven't
put the consistent time into learning it. That needs to change if I want to do
the best job for myself and the stations patient enough to try and work me,
especially on 902/3 and above.
I was analyzing my score a little bit.... In my first UHF contest (2004) I only
had 432 and it was humbling to work 40 stations in about 25 grids. Especially
considering I basically worked all 24 hours. Then I added 222 for the 2005
'test but this year, I finally felt like I could take advantage of my good QTH
and antennas. Here's some numbers that illustrate the score benefits of adding
bands:
KC9BQA 2006 August UHF score with.... 222 and 432 only 19,152
add 903 32,412
add 1296 50,160
add 2304 68,796
VHF and UHF activity is most assuredly increasing in the Midwest. I think a
lot of it has to do with the NLRS (Northern Lights Radio Society) out of
Minneapolis/St. Paul and surrounding Minnesota/Dakotas/Iowa areas. They are
just a fantastic club of enthusiastic and sharp guys. You should have seen the
job NLRS did hosting the Central States VHF Society conference two weekends ago.
To be with 225 weak-signal enthusiasts was wonderful. (Next year's CSVHFS
conference is in San Antonio, TX and after meeting many good
guys from 5-land in Minneapolis, a lot of Midwest guys are making plans to be
at the conference next July.)
NLRS has single-handedly taken it upon themselves to increase activity in the
ARRL UHF contest by developing and promoting Rovermania. Go to www.nlrs.org
and look for the links to Rovermania to get an idea of what they are actually
accomplishing. The NLRS motivation has spread ripples thru the V/UHF pond.
Even in places which cannot usually work the Minnesota guys, activity has
definitely increased. Take a few minutes to look thru the ARRL contest scores
database and compare contest scores from the Upper Midwest in the past few
years, versus 2003 and before. It's amazing, the scores that are being put
up.
I don't say this to try and pit one part of the country versus another. Far
from it. I could care less who wins what. What I care about is increasing
activity and interest in the V/UHF niche we enjoy. Don't wait for someone else
to increase activity -- do it yourself. Take a half hour to spin the rotor and
call CQ into a dead band. Put up a better antenna and/or add a band.
No, 50 and up will never be 20 meters, but if you've read this far, you care
about V/UHF. It IS getting better and there's even more good times ahead.
It's usually quiet on our bands, and when it's active like it is in a contest
-- that's a thrill. I personally encourage every V/UHF operator reading this
to spend more time getting on the bands, calling CQ and yes, playing a few more
hours in the contests. And for the future of the hobby -- to find and encourage
a new op or two! If everyone does even a little bit, it will all add up.
OK --- I feel a bit of altitude sickness up on the soapbox so I'll climb down.
But when you think about how much fun the contests have been on 50 and up this
summer, it's been amazing. The June ARRL VHF contest had widespread Es on 6.
Many stations experienced their (way) best scores ever. Then in the July CQ WW
VHF contest, not only was 6 wide, wide open, but there was great Midwestern
enhancement almost the entire time on 144. Now the August UHF 'test had
exciting propagation as well. Can September help us go 4 for 4?
Still in the honeymoon phase on 50, 144, 222, 432, 902/3, 1296 and 2304...
73,
Todd KC9BQA EN63
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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