[UK-CONTEST] VHF beams

[Callum m0mcx]

All,

Vertical's are *NOT* just for FM. 

Yes,. There's loss using a vertical to everyone's horizontal on SSB but you
still work half the field very easily. 


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 Ray James
Sent: 10 May 2009 00:14
To: uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] VHF beams





--- On Sat, 9/5/09, Gordon Paterson <gordon.paterson at blueyonder.co.uk>
wrote:

> 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. 


Not quite my experience Gordon.
Using the 4m Trophy Contest as an example. It includes squares and RSGB
Postal Codes as multipliers and having a vertical beam(s) was a very
important strategy despite 4m having even less FM simplex channels available
than we have on 2m or 70cm. From the Mull of Galloway it was possible to
raise new postal code multipliers from GM, GI, GW and all the way down
through to the midlands of England. Many contacts provided us with the only
means of picking up a PC mult as there was nobody on SSB/CW from those
locations.
A picture (top left) can be found at:

http://www.rayjames.biz/gm4cxm/id13.html 

So, when life occasionally dried up on SSB/CW it was great to have another
string to the bow for making points and getting mults.
There are now probably more modified ex-pmr FM 4m radios in the UK than
stations equipped with either modified HF rigs or transverters so it is not
an audience to ignore.

Operating GM3HAM/p during those events for the first time was a complete eye
opener and made me to think seriously how good for UKAC that format was. It
was a buzz for the operators and going by the number of home or mobile FM
stations who called, it was a buzz for them too!

If the CC see fit to do the same for our monthly UKAC's, the prospects are
appetite whetting.    
There are likely an incredible number more FM radio's on 2m and 70cm than
stations with multi-mode ability. What a market to tap into to encourage
activity, educate about contesting by experience, get postal code mults
where no SSB/CW activity is available and even more positives for the total
cost of 2.5 hours per month per band. Obviously SSB/CW will still carry the
main operational strategy for longer distance contacts. 

The strategy I used on 2m or 70cm during the 2m or 70cm Low Power Contests,
which also have Postal Codes as a multiplier basis, when things got quiet on
SSB/CW was to call on S20 or SU20 and announce another channel I was on and
listening for replies. When that dried up I have even been known to give a
quick call on a repeater or two and made the same announcement and it
certainly worked!

I can assure you, activity breeds activity and the more fun we can generate
by contesting, all the better for our hobby.

73 Ray GM4CXM



      
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