[3830] ARRL Sep VHF KO9A SO 3Band LP

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                    ARRL September VHF Contest

Call: KO9A
Operator(s): KO9A
Station: KO9A

Class: SO 3Band LP
QTH: IL
Operating Time (hrs): ~26

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
    6:   94    42
    2:   53    26
  222:           
  432:   20    11
  903:           
  1.2:           
  2.3:           
  3.4:           
  5.7:           
  10G:           
  24G:           
-------------------
Total:  167    79  Total Score = 14,773

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

6m:  5 element OP-DES yagi @ 30'
2m:  5 element yagi @ 25'
432:  8 element yagi @ 25' (same boom as 2m)
Rig:  TS-2000X (100W 6m, 100W 2m, 50W 432)

First contest with the upgraded antennas.  I came to the realization a couple of
years ago that if I had any hope of ever finishing FFMA that I needed to upgrade
my 6m station.  Had been thinking about what/how to upgrade for awhile and
finally got it done this Summer.  Upgraded 6m in May right before the great Es
season we had and finally got around to getting the 2/432 antenna up earlier
this week.  Very happy with the results as all #s were up across the board vs.
last year except for 432 QSOs.  Local activity was definitely lower than normal
but I was still able to boost the score compared to last year by getting more
grids into the log on all bands.  Fingers were crossed all weekend as I never
had time this week to properly test out the 2/432 antenna, but thankfully it
worked as expected with no gremlins.

6m had both excellent tropo to the north virtually the entire contest along with
excellent meteors.  FT8 contest mode horrors were reduced vs. prior contests but
I still saw folks struggling on occasion to work casual ops.  The situation
definitely seems to be improving, but will be looking forward to when there is a
true fix for this chaos in software.  Best DX was W9RM via meteors at ~1080
miles.

2m had the same excellent tropo to the north for most of the contest and had
decent meteors Sunday AM.  Was happy to pick up a few random QSOs/grids on FT8
as well.  I hope more stations get active on FT8 on 2m & up in future
contests!  Was happy to work WQ0P for an all time new grid via meteors...had
tried and failed to work him on the old antenna system in past contests and
meteor showers, so was happy to get it done pretty easily this time.  Best DX
was ND0B via meteors at ~670 miles.

432 was enhanced to the north and northwest for much of Sunday.  Best DX was
N8ZM via tropo at ~250 miles for a new grid.  Took a little while to catch a
tropo peak but was certainly worth the wait!

Fun to listen to some of the local ops whine about lack of conditions and lack
of activity.  With a single radio, I always felt busy...seemed there was always
someone to chase via 6m meteors or 2m meteors or tropo (working the EN67 gang on
both 6/2 was a nice surprise!) or rovers arriving in new grids, casual ops
appearing on FT8, etc.

Next upgrade step is to go SO2R...definitely limited here with no band scope and
only 1 Rx at a time.  Maybe next year?

73

Jim KO9A (EN52xc)


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