[SECC] VHF Test

[David L. Thompson]

Sunday (at least when I was on) was a bust.  I did work VP5, HI8, YV1DIG,
VP9/N0JK, and 9Y4AT.  Locals were working V25XX (who was loud on Friday
nite) and he was just readable
here.  WA4NJP worked a couple of WP4's, both 9Y4's (AT and TL), 6Y5. another
YV or two but not even a peep here.  Not much e-skip but did hear KY5R,
N4IS, and several 0's.  I worked a K0 in Mn, a couple of stations in
Chattanooga, and W4ZRZ in Birmingham.  Never did hear anyone working TG9NX
but did hear a XE1 briefly for one transmission.

I did fix the audio on my FT 920 (it was set to hi fi), get the Heil
boom/mic set with HC-4 going, and found the internal DVK was less than
useful so hooked up my MFJ 432.  Could have used these on Saturday when e
skip was in.  Per K5ZD I found the Cushcraft 2 el 40 at 88 feet did work on
6 but bet a small 3 el at 50 feet would have run circles around it.  I saw
on eHam that K0KP who has a good signal uses a 3 el beam.  You have to get a
second tower for those long boom M2 antennas at K4SX or W4GF.

Maybe I can swing the new 4 el SteppIR with the two parasitic elements for
6.  Says 13 dbi gain and 26 db F/B which is as good as most 5 or 6 element
beams.  W6XA says stay away from the 6 el ZX beam!!!

With a good beam more than 400 QSO's were possible on 6 SSB from Atlanta
using low power.  W4NH reported they made over 600 from the mountain top.
Can't speak for the other VHF bands as I have a 2 meter FM transceiver not
connected and nothing for 222 or 432Mhz.  This was my first activity on 6
since 1964 mostly due to living in areas with channel 2 (I have enough
problems
with the neighbors on HF).

73 Dave K4JRB