[SCCC] VHF Sweepstakes next weekend

[Marty Woll]

Hi, all.

It's time again to rise above the HF bands and contribute toward the SCCC.s club aggregate score.  The ARRL VHF Sweepstakes begins at 11:00 a.m. local time next Saturday 1/22 and ends at 8:00 p.m. local time Sunday 1/23.  All bands from six meters up are eligible.  The exchange is your four-character grid locator (DM04,. DM13, etc.), and you can work each station once per band regardless of mode.

Many HF transceivers have 6m these days; if yours does, get on and work the crowds.  Most activity will be on SSB from 50.125 up to around 50.150 (higher if the band is busy).

If you have 2m or 70cm on a multi-mode rig, tune for SSB stations around 144.190 - 230 and 432.100 - 120.  If all you have is FM, try 146.550 and 146.580 on 2m (use of 146.52 is not permitted) and 446.000 on 70 cm.  Of course, repeaters and repeater frequencies are off limits.

If you have a 220 FM radio, keep it on 223.500; practically all the FM activity will be there.

SCCC rovers will be out in force again, and those with 2nd ops / drivers and those who can multi-task safely will be combing all the above frequencies as they move from Orange County in the beginning of the contest through the L. A. basin Saturday afternoon, through the San Fernando Valley and up to the Antelope Valley.  Diehard VHFers can try them Sunday, too, when they'll activate grid squares in the San Joaquin Valley (CM95, DM06 and maybe CM96).

Work your fellow club members.  Work your neighbors.  Hike or drive to that high spot you wish you owned and make an outing of it.
As always, have fun!

73,

Marty N6VI
(who, unfortunately, will miss the contest due to attendance at the ARRL Board meeting)