[NCC] Contesting practice?
WB8K
wb8k@core.com
Mon, 11 Jun 2001 14:08:44 -0400
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Although not a specific part NCC clubs charter, VHF/UHF contesting can be
quite a challenge and provide a platform to help us hone our operating and
listening skills for the big DX contests.
This weekend's annual ARRL June VHF QSO Party was quite interesting.
We all try to get the most out of our stations and this also applies to
the VHF/UHF station - only on a smaller physical scale. I refer to a smaller
scale only as it applies to antennas. The VHF/UHF station can put up a lot
more gain in aluminum, something to be envied by the HF operators. One or
two db may not be exceedingly important on HF but on VHF/UHF it can make the
final difference between a valid qso and no qso. Hardware issues are fairly
well know and I would assume that most would agree that hardware is only a
small part of the competitive station. Operators make the difference.
The propagation this weekend set the stage for a real operator challenge.
Conditions in NE Ohio were poor most of the time. I say most of the time
because there were a number of brief but fairly good openings to be had by
the savvy operator. As in HF contesting, knowing when to operate and on
which bands is key to a better score. On six meters, the band was generally
dead. However there were openings from Ohio to northern Texas, Colorado,
Florida, the upper Midwest and all along the northeast coast of North
America. In addition there were a few short openings via aurora on six
meters and also on two meters. As usual, the east coast was treated to real
DX and a number of stations were able to work into Europe during the
contest.
On VHF/UHF these short openings with signals popping out of the noise for a
few seconds remind me of 160 meters. You have to be familiar with the DX
call signs and know who is operating the contest. Timing your calls and
knowing when to s&p or when to cq is also just as important. The same
criteria for making the extra qso's on HF are used when operating on
VHF/UHF. Be there first and work them, they may not be back again later!
Propagation is vitally important and VHF/UHF operating adds additional
propagation methods to contend with. Local and national weather patterns,
auroral activity and trans-equatorial propagation can add some interesting
signal paths for the knowledgeable contester.
So what better platform is there to practice these operating skills while
we wait for the big HF contests? Plan an attempt at one of the VHF/UHF
contests or guest operate at one of the active VHF stations in the area. You
may be pleasantly surprised and it may help to keep your operating skills in
top shape for the next HF contest.
BTW, although I did not have much time to participate this year I had a lot
of fun digging out some elusive multipliers in the few hours I was able to
operate.
Here's the final tally:
2001 ARRL VHF QSO Party
GRID SQUARE EN91
CALL USED___WB8K____________ ARRL SECTION or COUNTRY___OHIO___________
Call of operator if different from call used
____________________________________
X Single operator multiband Novice single operator
Single operator single band MHz QRP Portable
Limited Multioperator Rover
Multioperator. List calls of all operators and loggers
VALID PTS PER QSO GRID SQUARE
QSOs QSO POINTS MULTIPLIERS
50 MHz 86 1 86 46
144 MHz 48 1 48 24
432 MHz 25 2 50 16
TOTAL 159 184 86 15824
73
Denny WB8K
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