[SECC] FW: TNQP N3FY

Mon Sep 7 15:15:33 PDT 2009

I think this gets right the heart of why Contesting is such an incredible sub-hobby of Amateur Radio!

1. Wanting to be competitive, we are motivated to spend time and money to make our stations effective in as many locations and on as many bands as possible.
2. The above leads us out of our comfort zone (mine being, 20&40 work well for me, and I've never really tried anything else)
3. The above also leads us to be better operators

On the 'fun' side, this means that our contesting experience is predictably fun, exciting, and rewarding.

On the 'serious' side, if we are ever needed to serve in an emergency, these changes could be the difference in life and death for the people we help.

...and all because we want to be able to talk to the next state reliably!

73 de N3FY, bob

-----Original Message-----
From: secc-bounces at contesting.com on behalf of Tommy
Sent: Mon 9/7/2009 6:14 PM
To: secc at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [SECC] FW:  TNQP N3FY

Greg,

I'm in total agreement with your 'theory'. And that is true for the TQP, but then of course you guys north of Atlanta certainly have an advantage during the Florida QP, where I'm only 30 miles from the Florida state line. During the FQP it is difficult for me to hear anyone from Florida except maybe on 80m.

73,

Tom - W4BQF

From: secc-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:secc-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Greg Potter
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 3:50 PM
To: 'SECC GA Club'
Subject: Re: [SECC] FW: TNQP N3FY

My theory is that (as far as TN is concerned) the farther South you go in the Atlanta area, the better off you are.  I have always had trouble from North of Atlanta, but very often even just inside the perimeter I can hear TN when I am mobile on the County Hunters nets.  It just seems like 40 rarely gets quite that short.  I did manage 4 QSOs on 40, but it was rough going from Sugar HIll..  73 de Greg NM2L

	-----Original Message-----
	From: secc-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:secc-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Robert Gerace
	Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 12:01 PM
	To: Tommy; secc at contesting.com
	Subject: Re: [SECC] FW: TNQP N3FY

	Thanks, Tom.

	On 40 I use a 4BTV.  On one side of this antenna is my house (it is in the back yard) and the house blocks NNW to the antenna.)  There are no buildings within hundreds of feet in any other direction.  It has 16 radials, (4 on 40m), and is approx 2-2.5:1 SWR across the band.  With this antenna I have no problem working europe, and many points in Russia up to 10,000 miles away.  I also have no problem ragchewing on CW all points west of TX, North of KY, and no problem to FL.

	On 20 I use a K4KIO Hex Beam.  I've worked ~70 countries with it, but it is also hidden behind my house which blocks NNW and therefore I have real trouble (in fact have been unable to) work Asia -- however, I have little trouble working VK's and ZL's.

	I'm waiting for the leaves to fall, as well as freezing temps (to put spiders and snakes to sleep), to go into my very thick woods and hang some dipoles, and/or G5RV / Mystery antenna, etc. to get QRV on 160m and 80m.

	I'm also thinking about putting a 60' push up (guyed with cammo fiberglass) in those woods and putting a new hex beam on top of it just above the trees.  My Hex is a monobander, and if I were to move it, I would re-make it to handle 6-20.

	I currently use a TenTec Jupiter, and promised a PRO III by my XYL for Christmas...so...hoping to graduate to SO2R next year.

	I'm extremely grateful for any advice, and I would very much appreciate hearing from anyone in Metro Atlanta who was able to hear the TN stations... to your point, Tom, I heard a bazillion people calling them...many, many of them being called...I just could not hear the TN guys...

	-----Original Message-----
	From: secc-bounces at contesting.com on behalf of Tommy
	Sent: Mon 9/7/2009 11:45 AM
	To: secc at contesting.com
	Subject: Re: [SECC] FW:  TNQP N3FY

	Bob,

	That's a bummer that you could not hear the Tn guys as they were everywhere, especially the mobile stations. Just for info, what antenna are you using and what rig? Anything we can do to help? I can't do much physically because you live way up there in 'yankee land' of north Ga., and I live on the southern end of the state, but feel free to ask any and all the questions you may have. I'm sure there are lots of SECC'ers that are more than willing to help.

	73,

	Tom - W4BQF

	From: secc-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:secc-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Robert Gerace
	Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 10:18 AM
	To: secc at contesting.com
	Subject: [SECC] FW: TNQP N3FY

	There are so many great things about contesting! For me, I'm learning to be QRV on all bands and what works where.

	While I only made 2 contacts in the TNQP, I learned a few things:

	- I'm pretty much unable to contact TN at this time.  I'm not on QRV on 80m, and I figured that would hurt me. My experience:

	* I could hear people from all over the country working TN, but could not hear TN much at all.
	* I did managed to dig two mobiles out on 40
	* I decided to try to call CQ, and every time I found what seemed to be a clear freq near the suggested freq and transmitted QRZ? I received a pileup of 'C' and 'Y' answers (I can only assume TN's were working other TN's and everybody else could hear it but not me).

	- I'm not sure that I could contact TN on 80m from 37 miles north of ATL, but assume I'd have a much better chance...

	- Another thing I've learned is that my 40m seems to be most powerful in TX and CA and assume that is the skip zone?  (I've seen this in many of the weekend contests and most recently in the /140 special event.) -- another great thing about contesting.

	To experienced contesters I'm sure that I'm preaching to the choir, but I'm thrilled that contesting is helping me to become a better operator...and will lead to being QRV to everywhere all the time!

	That said, TN wasn't much fun for me.

	Thanks for the answers to my question about the /M multi-counties.

	73 de N3FY, Bob

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