[UK-CONTEST] VHF beams

[Callum m0mcx]

(Remembering to hit REPLY, then replace his name with uk-contest. Yawn.)

>>> Verticals... V2V is just too limited IMO

Ah ha. Assuming again? I have worked the whole of the UK on SSB activity
nights (2 years ago before I gave up 144mhz contesting) often scoring 30+
QSOs per night on 25 watts. I'm not that high ASL either. I've even worked a
DL vertical one night with my little V2000 omni. To compliment my quest for
omni-directional gain, I designed and built a phased pair of halos for
horizontal polarisation (from Moonraker parts). Amazing, the V2000 still
outperformed them. Only a beam would have been better.

For some reason, many amateurs imagine that only horizontally polarised
signals can travel far. Not so, vertical polarisation can go just as far,
although with slightly less gain of course due to omni-directional pattern.
Am I the only one to have experimented with both? Remember 2m and 70cms has
a very low noise floor and using pre-amps, one can have a fabulous time on
vertical. Just don't tell them - they won't believe you.

Anyway, check the old results, there are already a number of individuals who
periodically enter with a vertical. If they actually had their own category,
it might catch some newbies and generate some interesting contesting
(although we need to reduce the duration to 90 minutes IMO). I don't have
the real-estate (nor inclination) for a 2m and 70cm beam and rotator stack.
Even large-house housing estates are the limited.

It's bloody sad that many technical people are writing off vertical
polarisation. But I have to remind myself that this is "uk-contest" and "we
don't do that here" rings an extremely loud bell in this fraternity.

Regards,

Callum McCormick
http://www.m0mcx.co.uk/
t: 07976 631881
65 Glendon Way, B93 8SY
"Nordhavn needed. Send money."


-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Gordon Paterson
Sent: 09 May 2009 18:55
To: uk-contest at contesting.com; Dick Hodge
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] VHF beams

I have been watching the thread on VHF contesting keenly this week. It's
great to see constructive dialogue.

Gavin GM0WDD  said ....
> 
> Surely you enter a competition to win, no other reason. If the winner 
> is already decided before the contest has started purely down to his 
> geographic location then what is the point of entering? ------

I understand Gavin's POV and sympathise but don't agree entirely. I am a
relative newcomer to the "sport" and have won nothing so far. It doesn't
stop me coming back for more, trying to improve my station, my QTH, my
operating skills and consequently my score. 

The rules, in my opinion, should be massaged to give stations a chance to
get in the points if they make a *decent effort*, regardless of geography.
In my case, my  QTH being in the Clyde Valley, I can never work more than a
few local stations and a few big guns when they beam directly at me. I have
no expectations of doing well and know I can't 
win. Rules can't be changed to help me :-)    . So, a decent effort for 
me means going /P, taking at least an afternoon off work to pack the car
with kit, setting up usually in gale-force winds and rain at 1500 feet,
getting home about 1:00 am and still having to unpack everything before work
next day. Why do I do it?  Because it give's me a real buzz to be able to
work loads of Q's (comparitvely) that I'd never do from home and to have a
half decent signal to the south.  I'm constantly trying to break my own
personal best's and always hope for those freaky conditions one evening that
will mean someone from GM can challenge . When did that last happen? 

John G4ZTR had me chuckling..
<<I am one of the east coast operators (our favourite site is about 20m from
the sea and getting closer every season). Beaming east, it is very difficult
to find a clear frequency in which to park ones station, and we must do that
as there is no point at all in hoping to work strings of DL's if a slot is
already occupied by a DL. We never own a frequency and regularly have to
move around.>>

I sometimes tune up and down the band during a contest and can only hear
1 or 2 stations. If they're not beaming north, then we don't hear them. 
To have a band full from one end to the other would be fun. And
incidentally, I've never worked a single DL from the /P QTH as it's nowhere
near the East coast. Another consideration for me to be competitive is to
find a good East coast QTH. I would probably have to take the next day off
too If I did that.

However, the contest is still scored in such a way that the same big guns
will still dominate month after month. I completely understand that many
"big guns", have made the financial committment in terms of equipment and
some even more importantly in choice of QTH. My hat goes off to them for
that and it would seem unfair to pull the rug from under their feet. But, in
terms of a contest, it's a no contest. I fully agree that Ray's GM4CXM's
ideas of no mults outside UK but still Kph points and pcode and locator
mults is a great idea. Lucky stations in those area's that can work DL's,
PA's F's etc, have to decide on strategy. Mults v Q's. In my opinion, it
will encourage greater UK participation. Surely that's what's needed for a
UKAC contest? Also, it will be a bigger accolade for the winner, who I still
fully expect to come from the same group of stations. 

Verticals.
Seriously, I can't see that catching on. Although, it does give me a thought
that it may well be worth putting a 2nd beam, vertically polarised lower
down mast to maybe hoover up some extra Q's from V stations possible calling
me. But, V2V is just too limited IMO. I see the problem being that the range
is so short comparitively, that it's all the locals working each other? How
popular would that be? I've always veered away from working FM contest Q's
as I feel a bit pushy interrupting an ongoing QSO and asking for points from
people who clearly aren't in the contest. 

All the best and see you again next weekend from IO85AK.


Gordon
MM0GPZ