[NCC] K8MR June VHF QSO Party

[Jimk8mr@aol.com]

 ARRL June VHF QSO Party

Call: K8MR
Operator(s): K8MR
Station:  K8MR

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: EN91 - OH
Operating Time (hrs):  16
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
Band  QSOs   Mults
-------------------
6:  174     66
2:  116    47
222:    31    17
432:   37    17
903:    0     0
1.2:    3   1
-------------------
Total:  361   148   Total Score = 64,380

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

A  basic observation of mine is that the contests that are the most fun are  
the
ones you go into having no idea of what to expect.  In this case I  was half 
way
through with no idea of what to expect, but I ended up having a  lot of fun.  

The first part was pretty bad - no significant tropo,  and only 4 Es qsos to 
very
isolated parts (one each in EM50, EL17, DM80, and  EM14).  After a Sunday
afternoon break I was about to head outside to do  some yard work, but checked
the radio first, and found the aurora!

At  first it seemed there were mostly loud stations with whom I had  already
struggled to eke out a tropo qso, but pretty soon I got past that  barrier. I 
had
often listened on aurora sessions and wondered what it would  be like with a 
good
aurora during a contest, and now I know!

I worked  stuff as far south as EM/FMx5 on six. I heard but did not work W0SD 
on
two  (he was calling somebody), but did work as far west as K0HA in EN10 on 
six.
I  had a real nice run on 50117 CW.

It was neat working a lot of HF  contester friends. I don't know if they are
really into VHF, or just checking  out the six meter button on their 756PROs, 
but
I hope they'll be back. I'm  also now looking forward to W3LPL becoming VHF 
M/M
powerhouse!

We  still lack local rovers here in Ohio. As a result I missed 4 mults in  
ajacent
grids, and a bunch more within 150 miles. I made a small effort to  find a 
rover
partner for the weekend which would have got me back to the cool  QTH at High
Hill, OH (EM99, which I missed completely), among other places,  but no luck. 
Maybe in September.
 
I heard K9NW working someone in EN80 on two meters, so I slid up a few KHz  
and started CQing his way.  He might have called in, but the line noise  came 
up half a dB so no qso. I ended with only one qso in EM79, K8LEE on six. 

Interestingly my score is almost identical to my June 2004 score  of
352/147/64,092. Maybe I have found my limit?


73 - Jim   K8MR