[3830] CQWW VHF K8CC SOAB HP

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                    CQ Worldwide VHF Contest

Call: K8CC
Operator(s): K8CC
Station: K8CC

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: EN82
Operating Time (hrs): 6.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
    6:   90    49
    2:   40    23
-------------------
Total:  130    72  Total Score = 12,240

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

Equipment:

FT-847
50  MHz: 8877, 6L at 130', 7L at 40', stacked KB6KQ loops @ 100'/80'
144 MHz: Henry 2002A, 13B2 at 100'

First time operating this contest.  I would have preferred having more bands
allowed, but the "50/144 only" format has a certain appeal, particularly to guys
with modern radios which only cover those bands.

Early afternoon Saturday was fun on 50, working a number of grids across
southern W4 and W5.  Not too much 144 activity until the evening and even then
it was slow.  Around 02Z an S9 W0AH from Colorado answered a CQ to my surprise
and led to about a dozen Qs from that area over the next hour, most near S9.

Sunday morning before church I filled in a few needed close-in grids on 144,
plus it was fun to put some familiar HF calls like W3ZZ, K3ZO and N8II into the
log for some mults.  I did not get back on until after lunch, but a thunderstorm
rolled in with S7 QRN and rain static even on 50 MHz.  I spent the afternoon
checking the radio, working in the shack, and watching the NASCAR race on the
shack TV (how did I ever get along without it for so long?).  I made no more
QSOs until the last hour (20-21Z) when I worked six more stations, all of which
were new band-grids including K4QI down in VA (FM06) on both 50 and 144, a good
haul from MI.

The contest was a good learning experience using the 50 MHz antennas here.  We
have three antennas, a 6L HyGain yagi @ 130' which shares a rotator with the
high 5L 20M monster, a 7L C3I yagi @ 40' on its own rotator, plus a stacked pair
of omni-directional loops @ 80'/100'.  The loops continue to be a surprisingly
good antenna - often almost as loud as the beams but since they're 
omni-directional they're great to CQ on.  This weekend, with the noise levels
high from the storms, the directivity of the beams received a lot better, plus
you could tell they *are* louder.  Thank goodness for the selector switch.

Not too many people working the contest seriously from this area.  KB8U,
kitty-corner from me in EN71 was active all weekend.  The only other station
heard more than once or twice was W3SO in FN00.

The activity in the contest was disappointing.  Let's hope sponsors can raise
awareness and roust up some more activity.  I'll be back next year.

73,

Dave/K8CC


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