[Fourlanders] January contest score submitted

Wed Feb 1 21:12:54 EST 2017

Since I was not at Bob’s place for the contest because of illness I wanted to hold off on comments until I had a chance to talk to Sherman.  He and I had lunch today with Mike Stipick, KC4RI.  We have a weekly lunch bunch going on Wednesdays 1 PM at the Mad Italian off of I-285 in Chamblee.  It is a great opportunity for three retired Georgia Tech engineers to get together and talk about the rest of you.  We haven’t started exchanging recipes yet but who knows.  Anyway, see below for my comments in red.  One final thing.  Sherman mentioned to me that there was some issue with the 6 meter antennas and high SWR.  After talking about it, it sounded like water/moisture in the relay box.  We have been using that setup for several years so probably time for an overhaul.  Maybe try to find some newer sealed relays and even do a PCB.  Mike Stipick has a way to design and get PCBs at a very reasonable price.  Sherman also suggested that while we are at it we add the capability to reverse the phase on the beams.  This raises the takeoff angle for short E Skip.  Bob built the setup we are using now but he has plenty of his own projects so Sherman and I are going to take this on with the help of Mike Stipick.  Certainly three experienced Georgia Tech engineers with nothing else better to do can figure this out!  That’s all I have for now.

73
Jim, W4KXY

From: Sherman Banks 
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2017 08:10
To: 'John Kludt' ; 'Bob Lear' ; 'FourLanders Contest Team' 
Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] January contest score submitted

I experienced the focus problem at least 2 times which affected QSO entry. I also hit the power button on the laptop 2 times during the contest due to the fact that the power button was next to the escape key. I would prefer using the Maestro to fix the focus problem and use an external keyboard to avoid hitting the power key on the laptop. 

From: Fourlanders [mailto:fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of John Kludt
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2017 12:41 PM
To: Bob Lear <w4zst at windstream.net>; FourLanders Contest Team <fourlanders at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] January contest score submitted

Bob,

It was quite a weekend.  Suggestions follow:

  a.. 6m - As the band captain I need to know if 6m operators would like to give the Flex 6500 another go or if they want to use the FT-2000.  We have both and will bring both as one can back up the other.  It is somewhat ironic to me the the 6m band captain seldom operates on 6m but so be it.  We have a number of 6m ops that are more skilled than I and I have gotten used to 222.
We are fine with continuing to use the Flex 6500 but as Sherman commented we would like to use the Maestro in June to try that out.  Lets keep the FT-2000 available for now as a backup.  As far as the 6 meter band captain not being able to operate 6 that reminds me of something that happened during my visit to K5QE for the June contest last year.  The contest started and 6 was open.  I asked Marshall about operating on 6 for a while.  He looked at me and said, “Jim, when 6 is open that don’t let even me operate that radio and it is my radio!”  So, this is apparently a common situation.  If you want to work 6 you just need to kick one of us out of the chair and do it.  You are the band captain after all.  Or you can just do what I did and operate meteor scatter all night.  No one wants to do that and the new grids are nice.
  a.. MSK144 - worked well on 6m and I had several requests to go to 2m for MSK144.  Suggest on both 6m and 2m we need to be prepared to go to MSK144 general release V.1.7.0 any time day or night if the bands are slow,  It does need to be the general release version as some of the beta's of 1.7.0 did not have contest mode fully implemented 
Yep, apparently MSK441 is the mode now for Meteors.  I am going to have to get up to speed on that before June.
  a.. For antennas suggest we swap the places for Blackhaxk and Radio Flyer.  2m goes on Blackhawk in its new location and 6m goes on Radio Flyer down by the generator.
Yep, the 6 meter antenna needs to be as far away from everything else as possible.  Six gets into everything and we are running some serious power on that band.  We might also want to consider using a Low Pass Filter.  I used to use one but then discovered that there is already one built into the amplifier.  Stopped using it and no one complained.
  a.. If we can haul Scott's old trailer, suggest it goes down the hill in the vicinity of Radio Flyer (not quite sure where) as the supply trailer and the antenna location for 222.  The goal is to try and get some increased separation between 222 and 432 and see if that helps with the 432 interference with 222. 
Yep, need to maximize distance between all antennas (isolation) while keeping reasonable feed line runs (line loss).  A balancing act.
  a.. Suggest if we have bandpass filters we use them.  Might help, 
Yep, another good idea if we can find the filters.  I have band pass filters for 2, 222 and 432 as well as a low pass filter for 6.  Unfortunately they are in a box somewhere in my storage room so that will be no help for June.  Maybe September.
  a.. As far as FM goes it all depends on the band.  6m no.  1.25m - current setup but advertise more aggressively that we will be on the top and bottom of each hour for five minutes during "normal business hours" - not 2:00AM etc!. - unless there is band opening.  2m same as 222 adding a small rear mount vertical Yagi to the 2m stack.  70 cm is a good question and I suggest we at least try it on Saturday, same schedule as 222.  May need to changed to a stacked pair of Yagi's  with a rear mount vertical in the middle of the stack like 1.25m and 2m to accommodate.  The goal of FM is more Q's not necessarily more grids.  If SSB and Cw can knock off the grids and FM Q could be worth 30, 40 50 points.  On 1.25 and 70cm they are double the value to begin with and we need more 222 and 432 Q's.
Some good ideas here.  I definitely agree that FM on 6 isn’t worth the trouble.
No major attachment to any of these ideas.  Sometimes it is fun to switch things around just to see if we can do a little better than the time before.  And it is something different - keeps us on our toes!

Some good ideas Johnny!  Already getting excited about June.  Especially now that it looks like I will not be traveling out of the country this summer to do a DXpedition on 6.

Johnny K4SQC

  -----Original Message-----
  >From: Bob Lear 
  >Sent: Jan 28, 2017 11:03 AM
  >To: FourLanders Contest Team 
  >Subject: [Fourlanders] January contest score submitted
  >
  >I reviewed the log (which didn't take long) and fixed a busted call and 
  >a grid mistake. Only reduced by one Q on 2m.
  >
  >Submitted to 3830 and ARRL. Received ARRL receipt.
  >
  >Final was 12,285 points. Right now 3rd in multi submissions on 3830 but 
  >probably won't stay there.
  >
  >In preparation for June, please send me any suggestions about FM 
  >strategy or station setup changes that you may have so we can get 
  >discussion going. We did not come away with concrete plans from the 
  >meeting last weekend.
  >
  >Thanks and 73, Bob W4ZST
  >
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  >Fourlanders at contesting.com
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