Hello 222 MHz addicts and potential addicts.
Tonite is Tuesday night so that should be a signal for all of us to drop
what you are doing and get on 222 MHz for an evening of real ham radio.
Last week was the 222 MHz Sprint and it looks like it was a success with
many stations participating. This week looks like a bust as far as DX
goes, but maybe we can hope for an aurora, or maybe a big asteroid that
might crash to Earth but allow a great meteor shower just before life as
we know it is extinguished. Really, we don't need any great
conditions. All we need is you to get on this evening and see what happens.
Things are progressing on the band. A new station has gotten on 222 EME.
W7GK in Oregon has 4 X 15 el yagis AZ-EL and is very loud. He worked
three stations right away. Roger is no stranger to EME as he has a big
setup on 432 as well. W0VB has his station running in Wyoming on
meteors and EME on the horizon. There is a good list of other stations
all ready to try anything with you on 222. Last Spring I tried a sked
with PE1ITR who was on vacation in Aruba with his XYL. I tried two skeds
with him on his rising Moon. He had about 125 to 150 watts of power, but
I did not copy him. I had the same situation with PJ4MM, but he could
not hear me. PE1ITR heard me just fine. I had a feeling that Faraday
Rotation was playing with us and I think I have proven that a QSO was
possible as I did complete with Howard WA3EOQ, this past week on 222
EME. He used his same rig that he uses every Tuesday night to work
everyone. He had about 85 watts at the transmitter. This time, I caught
a nice peak shortly after his Moon rise and he came through at -28,
which is weak, but not that weak! His RRR came thru later at -31 which
is weak. Now Howard has a small station, powerwise, but everything else
about it is fantastic. He has a tower mtd preamp and 1 5/8"" coax for
the TX feedline. No RG-8X for WA3EOQ! Along the same line of
discussion, K3SK is desperately looking for someone in Rhode Island to
knock off hs last state in the NE. Someone in RI needs to make K3SK
happy. Remember that the 222 Activity Commission monitors this e mail
list and you do not want to get on their bad side. I am still digging
away at Mount Moosilaukee in New Hampshire as a result of one of their
reprimands. My shovel is looking pretty shiny from all the effort. All
that heavy lifting is getting rid of my pot belly. My dig site is on
the side of the road on NH Route 112.
There is rain moving Eastward and should be over the population centers
this evening. That means it is a good night to stay indoors on the
radio, and out of the rain. I hope to be on a bit before 23:00 UT on
222.100 looking for contacts. Most people also monitor the ON4KST Chat
page (144/432 Region 2) and it is a good place to let people know that
you are on 222, especially if you are far from the activity. Anyway
announce your presence and ask for a sked. Rag chewing is strongly
encouraged as well. Tuesday nights are a great way to actually talk to
human type people. It sure beats looking at a smart phone.
So make an attempt to get on and maybe GB Ron WZ1V can break 30 QSOs
again this week.
73
Dave K1WHS
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