CQ Worldwide VHF Contest
Call: K8MR/1
Operator(s): K8MR/1
Station: K8MR/1
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: FN51
Operating Time (hrs): 7
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 23 12
2: 9 6
-------------------
Total: 32 18 Total Score = 738
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
In the past few years my wife has reconnected with her cousin Martha, who
happens to live 20 minutes from our daughter in New Jersey. They have a QTH in
Chatham, at the southeastern corner of Cape Cod. Last summer my wife spent a
week there with Martha, while I operated a radio contest up the road in the
Boston area. They had a great time.
While briefly there last year on the way to WRTC, I did check the GPS, and did
confirm the longitude at 69.9xx west - i.e. the rare FN51 grid. So when a
return trip was planned, I gently encouraged including the July 18 weekend,
which did fit both our schedules pretty well.
I had briefly been at the house last year, but it turns out to be a pretty
decent location for VHF. There is a clear shot (other than trees in a
conservation zone) to the west and southwest. And they have a deck over their
garage facing that way, so I got a ten foot head start for my antennas.
I used the IC-746, PAR stressed six meter Moxon, and 6L WA5VJB yagi for two
meters, on a sixteen foot mast with tripod mount. Condition - well, everybody
knows how they were. All but six QSOs were on CW. Few strong signals, although
I understand that the especially in W1 people do not point their antennas at
FN51.
This was the first VHF contest where I actively watched the cluster spots. I
could see the people in the midwest having a lot of fun on Saturday, but that
stuff never made it to New England. It was fun seeing "RARE"
associated with my call. I just wish I could have made FN51 somewhat less
rare.
I ended up with four contest QSOs outside tropo range - two in FL, one in SC,
and one in western MI. Conditions outside the contest were not great either. I
found only one Es opening, on Thursday evening, to a rather limited area in
southern W9.
A family situation back home caused us to leave Sunday morning, a day earlier
than planned. I figured that with that the band would bust wide open an hour
later. But as it turns out, I did not waste a day sitting near a radio waiting
for nothing to happen.
I hope the Cape Cod visit will become a regular event. ARRL June VHF from FN51
would be even more fun, but Martha is a teacher, so that won't be for a few
years until she retires. Meanwhile, see you in CQ VHF 2016?
73 - Jim K8MR
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