[Fourlanders] W4NH September VHF Contest Summary

Fri Sep 17 19:38:51 EDT 2021

I think we did really well!

Category: Unlimited Multioperator
        Band: ALL
 Transmitter: UNLIMITED
     Station: FIXED
    Location: GA
        Club: Fourlanders Contest Team - Created from club question
      E-mail: ki4us at arrl.net
 QSOs in Log: 347
Confirmation: 22ywauqu.arrl-vhf-sep

Raw Score: 359 Qpts x 156 Mults = 56,004 - Note: The raw score, QSO points
and mult totals are estimates based solely on the individual log contents
and are not used during subsequent log checking.

Log received at: 2021-09-17 23:06:09 UTC

On Fri, Sep 17, 2021, 5:35 PM Bob Lear <w4zst at windstream.net> wrote:

> We were finally back on the air with W4NH for this contest from the
> W4ZST shack.  I think we did better than we expected and actually a
> higher score than 3 of the past 6 contests in Septembe,r even from NC.
> We had some openings, there was much more activity than usual on 2m FT8
> and Brian made 3 EME Q's on 222 for some good multipliers there.  Meteor
> Scatter made may good mults for us also.
>
> Operators were Brian NX9O, Kim WG8S, Bill KI4US, Bob W4ZST, Jerry W5TDY
> and Bob K4VBM.  Same crew we had in June and were the volunteers that
> signed up this time.  Brian, Kim and Bill came Friday afternoon and gave
> much needed help in getting all the stations going and software
> coordinated.  I was still working on the 222 antenna problem and finally
> got it done before supper after replacing 3 N-connectors on the 222 RX
> and TX lines out to the preamp box.  First time we've had that problem
> occur.  The other major problem with 222 that took me many days of
> testing to find was one of the driven elements on the M2 222XP30
> antennas went bad with a 4:1 SWR.  Had to bring the antennas down and
> disconnect each place possible to finally find the problem.  Ashton
> KJ4AMA came over and helped set up the scaffolding to get to the
> antennas easily and helped with the initial testing, eliminating some
> connections the week before.  We've used the scaffolds several times now
> working on the 2m EME antennas and they were just as handy for the 222
> set up.   One of the other problems with 222 was caused by me several
> weeks ago when on 222 EME I accidentally hot switched the relay box,
> taking out the main T/R relay and the preamp.  Put in a new relay and
> FET in the preamp and had the box OK but still was the problem with the
> DE that I later found.  Likely not related to my mistake. I'm going to
> have to try to figure our a way to make sure that if the amp  kicks off,
> that I can't reset it while JT is still transmitting a sequence.  We
> have lockout to keep from changing polarity while transmitting but this
> is the first time anyone (me!) has made this mistake.  Just wasn't
> paying enough attention.
>
> We went over to Cafe Cancun in Cleveland for Friday night dinner. We met
> for lunch Saturday as Rooster's which has become the tradition where Bob
> and Jerry met up with us.  Of course, Jerry did the cooking and we had
> fine charcoal grilled steaks, baked potato, green beans and salad
> Saturday night.  Jerry made egg and sausage casseroles again and
> biscuits for Sunday morning, sandwiches and chips for Lunch and grilled
> salmon fillets for us Sunday evening along with mac & cheese and salad.
> As always, "Never Hungry" in the Fourlanders long time tradition.
> Special thanks to Jerry for cooking and Buck KC4GCK for bringing the
> fresh salmon and some nice smoked salmon too, that had just been shipped
> in from Alaska a few days before and he joined us for Sunday dinner.
> There were no left overs, so don't ask!!  Our other visitor came Sunday
> morning to see the operation (mayhem!) going on.  Gary K4SUV (ex WA4IOB,
> proprietor of the beacons for so many years) came up from Snellville to
> check things out.  He had been with the Fourlanders back before my time
> and wanted to see what we do now.
>
> The stations were the same as have been set up here for the last year
> and a half at least.  Pix and details on the W4ZST QRZ page for those
> interested.  Antennas the same too.  We did have the obligatory visit
> from Murphy with software problems mostly.  Not as bad as previous
> contests but some strange things did happen.  Some attributed to RF but
> came and went so not definitive.  I had a time with that as I was left
> alone in the shack after midnight and was trying to reboot, reboot and
> reboot to solve the problems on 2m that would work for a short while and
> then go out again.  Of course, I would make a couple of Q's when it was
> working and at the same time trying to keep up with MS which was jumping
> on 6m.  Brian can work two stations at a time but it's really not good
> for me to try it!! He came out about 4:30 Sunday morning and worked much
> MS on 6 and 2 for lots of good mults.  Bob VBM came out later to help.
> Everybody else showed up for breakfast time!
>
> Down to the nitty-gritty.
> Band Mode Q's Grids
> 50    FT8    120    47
> 50    MSK    30    24
> 50    USB    10      4
> 144    FT8    93    40
> 144    MSK    4    4
> 144    USB    10    6
> 222    FM        1    1
> 222    FT8       10    8
> 222    JT65     3      3
> 222    USB     6       2
> 432    FT8     23     14
> 432    USB    3        3
> Tot                313    156        For a total score of 56,004
>
> So another contest in the log for W4NH.  We will continue next with the
> January 2022 contest, again here as usual.  Put it on your calendars.
>
> BTW, I have talked to the campground and our spaces were already
> reserved by others for next year too.  So much for giving them the
> contest dates for several years in advance and trying to make
> reservations.  In case you didn't know, we had confirmed reservations
> and a deposit for this past contest and they had rented our needed
> spaces to summer long campers and wouldn't make it right.  We can't go
> if we can't have the specific spaces we've always had for the past 22
> years.   It appears that our days of going there are over.  Some of the
> club members are investigating other portable location possibilities.
>
> 73, Bob W4ZST
>
>
>
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> Sent to: pence.bill at gmail.com
>
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