Hello to all our friends in the Meteor Scatter / WSJT world from the
K5QE contest team....K5QE will be operating in the ARRL January VHF
Contest and would really appreciate any contacts that we can make via
digital meteor scatter or EME for that "rare" grid. The contest begins
1900 UTC Saturday and ends 0400 UTC Monday (the weekend of Jan 15, 16,
and 17). For those of us still on local time, that is 1PM Central Time
on Saturday to 10PM CST Sunday night.
NOTICE: Normally, we operate 6M, 2M, 222, and 432. This contest, we
will operate 6M, 2M, 432, and 1296. Our 1296 operation will be EME
only, since right now, we don't have any 1296 tropo antennas.
For those stations that are outside our normal range, I invite you to
try to work us on 6M, or 2M, using digital meteor scatter.
It is rare to get an Es opening in Jan, but it can happen for short
periods(30min or an hour). IF that happens, try to get on SSB as
quickly as you notice the opening. You can make a LOT more contacts on
SSB in a given time than you can on FT8.
Especially on 6M, we will operate FT8 when conditions are good for that
mode. Please remember that everyone MUST be using WSJT-X v2.1.0 or
newer. We will use the NA Contest Mode for meteors and FT8 on all
bands. Even though FT8 is all the rage nowadays, SSB is much more
efficient if signals are good. Hence, we will try to check for Es at the
top and bottom of every hour. If we find an opening, we will stay on
SSB until the opening fades.
On 6M, we will be operating WSJT-X MSK144 digital meteor scatter on
50.265MHz, grids, using the NA contest mode. We will begin 6M meteor
scatter operations at 0100Z Sunday = 7:00PM CST Sat Night. If thing are
slow, we may call CQ K5QE on 50.260MHz(our national watering hole for
meteors on 6M). If we are calling CQ towards the NE, we will be on
First Sequence. If we are calling towards the West or NW, we will be on
Second Sequence. Remember the rule is WESTERNMOST STATION GOES FIRST.
This is a good opportunity for smaller stations to get a DX contact on
6M, because the chances of an Es opening late at night are nil. Please
give us a try on 6M meteor scatter. We run 1KW output on 6M meteor
scatter with fairly large antennas.
On 2M, we will be operating WSJT-X MSK144 digital meteor scatter on
144.142MHz, grids, SH=ON using the NA contest mode. On meteors, we will
call CQ 144.150MHz(the national watering hole for 2M meteors). We will
probably use 144.142MHz for schedules, as usual.
On 2M, we normally operate EME if the moon is up. This contest, we have
two moon rise times, so check with us on PingJockey to see if we are
running meteors or EME. If there is no activity on EME, we can switch
to 2M meteors and operate 2M digital meteor scatter. After 7AM CST =
1300Z, we will resume normal tropo operations.
We will be on normal sequence(see above). Again, remember that the
contest requires exchanging GRIDS. We run a stacked pair of 17el M2's
at 160ft and 1KW output on 2M MSK.
On 6M, 2M we will cease digital operations at 7AM CST(=1300Z) on Sunday
morning and revert to normal tropo type operations. We will be watching
the PingJockey reflector whenever we are doing digital meteor scatter
and the N0UK EME-1 reflector(2M) or the HB9Q reflector whenever the moon
is up for us. The reflectors are a wonderful resource, so feel free to
use them liberally. The new ARRL rules allow us to make schedules on
PingJockey or the the other reflectors, so don't be shy about chatting
with us there. Using the reflector, there is no reason for us to tie up
50.260MHz or 144.150MHz, just tell us to look directly on 50.265 or
144.142. NOTE: NO contact information can be exchanged on the reflector.
For specific schedules, you can call the contest station at
409-787-3831. We can also run FT8 if conditions are favorable. Just
contact us on PingJockey or call us to set up a sched.
Thank you in advance for spending some time to work us in the contest.
73 Marshall K5QE, EM31cj
www.k5qe.com
East Texas
Phone at the contest shack is 409-787-3831
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