I think there is potential for the FM-only category to bring a lot of
new contesters into the fold. There does seem to be some confusion as
to what frequencies are permissible to use in the contest. I'd like to
see a list of those posted somewhere.
Someone in the Northern Lights Radio Society puts up a spreadsheet on
the web where others can access it and post their contest plans. It
usually consists of times they will be on, location and bands. Since
the range in VHF contests is limited, I think the more local groups
would best do schedule pages like that so others in their range can
benefit. In my years of VHF contesting I've only seen a handful of
spectacular openings other than on 6m in the June contest.
As for the right times, that is simple - between contest start and
contest end. Activity around here does tend to disappear after about
11 pm on Saturday and picks up again around 7 am on Sunday. You can't
predict an opening with much accuracy (witness the Hepburn forecasts).
The incredible opening I experienced in the August UHF contest in 2008
lasted about an hour on Sunday morning. I worked W4ZRZ and K4XR on all
bands through 10368 from EN50rl. That was about a 500 mile path.
I was going to operate in this January contest but I got to the hill
where I operate portable and the wind was so strong that I couldn't
even get the antennas up. Wind chill factor had to be at least as cold
as the minus 30's or 40's.
73, Zack W9SZ
On 1/19/13, Jacob Tenannt <jacob.tennant@live.com> wrote:
> Hello Ladies & Gentlemen,
> I have been away from contesting for a few years but some of you may
> remember me as K8JWT.
> As I see it as I am getting ready to return to contesting after finishing my
> college degree in IT and have a better financial setup in life and I welcome
> this addition as I was not aware of the "FM Only" class or I would have been
> out this weekend myself.
> From a Project Manager's view of this situation we need to get this
> situation organized so that all parties involved understand where to listen
> and when.
> In this respect some of us interested in this FM Only operations should
> coordinate our efforts with the ARRL rules to setup a website listing this
> information so others can get on the right frequencies at the right times.
> Maybe we could talk to the ARRL about setting up some web space detailing
> this information?
> Also we should involve the long time SSB/CW contesters so as to encourage
> them to join in as well?
> I remember my first few attempts at ROVER contesting with only a 6meter SSB
> radio and a dual-band mobile radio, at that time FM was a afterthought in
> the VHF contest but it was all I had and I made more contact with the FM rig
> than I did the SSB rib.
> We have all contemplated the decrease in VHF contesting activity over the
> years and this appears to be a great way to encourage contesting activity by
> getting them "hooked on contesting" with FM then the eventual migration to
> SSB/CW will be easier.
> From what I have seen in this reflectors archive of the last few months is
> bickering over whether or not we can use 146.520 NSF! Let's get beyond that
> and lok at the big picture. If we can get the information about this new
> class out to the general ham population in a easily accessed manner, develop
> operations that don't offend the SSB/CW operators, and EVERYONE give the FM
> Only class a chance I think we could all benefit from this change.
> In that thinking I am already planning on a FM Only operation for the June
> VHF contest, if the class is offered< as a way to encourage some of the new
> hams I am assisting in teaching as a VEC to come out and experience simplex
> operations.
> Just my thoughts on this interesting subject. . .
> Jacob Tennant - WF8S
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>
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