[VHFcontesting] re: W3ZZ's QST Contesting Article

Tue Apr 8 00:35:38 EDT 2003

Geoff et al

While its true that money spent on the upper bands doesn't generate the 
large number of contacts that 6M and 2M can it does generate those all 
important multipliers.  that is what wins contests.

Here in Florida we don't have the large number of contacts without openings 
(either Tropo or ES)  so the only way to increase scores is add 
bands.  Since coming to Florida from the high density Northeastern USA area 
I have tried to add another band every year or two.

My scores on 2M and 432 from FN30 far exceeded what I average on those 
bands here in EL98.  So I added 6M first (CH 2 TVI made it almost 
impossible to do 6M in NYC before CATV).  That station started as a Yaseu 
FT 620 at 10 watts into a rotatable dipole and evolved into 700W into a 7 
element M2 driven by a ICOM 756PRO.

144, 432 and 1296 still use the same transverters, Solid state Brick Amps 
and Mast mounted Preamps that I used back in FN30  but the antennas got 
better.  13 elements on 2  m became a 17 element M2 and the 23 elements on 
432 became a 38 element M2.  On 1296 when my old Mocrowave modules 
Transverter died I replaced it with a newer Downeast Microwave unit and a 
40W Brick amp.  The antenna is the same 55 element Tonna from FN30.

The next band was 222 with a transverter found at the Miami hamfest with a 
dead receive side.  Fix it, too much trouble for the few contacts on 
222.  I built a Hamtronics 222 converter and added a TR relay.  A true 
Kludge, but it worked.  the antenna was a 10 element M2.  As increased 
activity on 222  justified I replaced the transverter/receive converter 
with a DEMI transverter and later a TE systems brick  (a Sale item on this 
reflector) and replaced the antenna with a 23 element M2.

For 903, I found the antenna first at a Flea Market and by now being hooked 
on the fine DEMI products ordered a Transverter from Steve.

For 2304 I was starting to run out of room on the tower for 
antennas.  Speaking with Steve at Downeast, He suggested a small "H" frame 
putting the 1296 and 2304 antennas on the top two corners and 2M and 903 on 
the bottom corners.  the 222 and 432 antennas are mounted on the Vertical 
parts of the "H" frame.  Again for 2304 a DEMI transverter.  When I ordered 
the 76 element looper for 2304, I also upgraded the 903 antenna to a 47 
element looper.

A 15 W Amp has been added to the 2304 lineup and this year a 45 watt unit 
for 903.

Now if I can figure where to add a dish for 10 GHz that band is next.

All this spread over 10 years since moving to Central Florida.  BTW I also 
work all HF Bands from 160M-10M.

Results,  Usually #1 or 2 in the Forth Florida Section,  Why its the 
multipliers that add up.   Why do I do it - its fun.  Do I need to win, not 
really.  Why do I contest on VHF+, because its there and each new Grid 
Square is an accomplishment.  How did I increase activity here in Florida, 
By opening up my station up to newcomers at contest time (get your local 
club to buy some burgers and such).  Hams always will come for free 
food!  By doing this, you add to the number of stations workable when the 
condx are poor.  Talk the locals into using those DC to daylight radios for 
something besides HF and FM on 2M and 440.  If they don't have SSB on 2M or 
70 CM then work them on FM Simplex.

The main thing is to keep the activity up.  If we don't use the bands we'll 
lose them.

Bob Cumming
W2BZY
QRV 160M-13CM (3CM soon)
from EL98hr
>A. The controversy about absolute number of stations is "easily" decided:
>League has the logs, let them set up a file for each contest with totality
>of diffeerent stations worked on each band, and number of logs each appears
>in. It should be apparent from such a set of files as to how many total
>stations took part on any one band, and how committed eeach one was to
>contesting, in that contest and also in an on-going manner.
>This will also tell you which bands are growing and which are not, etc.
>B. I've been doing VHF+ for about 45 years; in all that time, most of my
>acquaintances have done some contesting  for personal reasons (get new calls
>in their logs, new QSL cards, new states or new personal records
>(band/distance, etc.)) and not for recognition in QST or such. Most have not
>done a full length contest either. Some have taken their time and made QSOs
>with who and what they choose, occasionally only going to XMT to go after
>something unusual.
>  C.   Now that having a contest station on 50, 144 ,432 or 1296 ( even 222
>and 2304 and up, if you don't mind not having the bands all in one ricebox)
>is a matter of how much $$ you can spend on commercial equipment, many of my
>old friends are out of the hobby and into other things that allow
>differentiation by skills alone and not income. In fact, as I approach
>retirement, I know that I can continue to do the kinds of things that I WANT
>to do in this hobby only as long as my half-century of junque collecting
>will carry me, because I can not afford to keep up with new commercial rigs
>(that's for you younger/wealthier folks who don't have 2 kids getting
>married this year, a 30+% increase in local taxes etc. to contend with) - If
>any changes at all, I vote for those that reduce the real cost of competing
>(and, please, don't respond with a story about how A11XYZ won the
>Mid-Priairie division with a $5 rig on 50MC.- been close to there, but not
>in the last quarter century).
>D. NEVER reduce the number of bands for the June and Sept. 'tests! The
>competition has increased the SOTA on all of the bands over the years - I've
>seen it happen.
>In some cases, folks have requested/pushed limitations merely because they
>could not compete successfully with a MBMO group and want to 'win the big
>one' [I remember a certain small group of very skilled HF contest ops who
>assembled the best 50/144/220/432 station anyone could have affforded at the
>time, and consistently lost to W2SZ/1 because they could not buy competitive
>MW gear - so what did they do? Did they build gear? get lots of MW rovers
>interested and available to work them? Nah- they started a letter campaign
>to the League, to change the rules! They did not know, or care, that SZ
>group had run into the same situation in the late '80s (look up W1FC) and
>had to work HARD for years to build up the resources to overcome the MA
>bunch].
>     Many of the super-single op stations that I have seen in the last 10
>years have had to do the same things; they did not spring up overnight! This
>is one benefit of our contests -- repeat competitors almost always learn
>something new and come out better over the long run.
>Geoff WA2GFP
>
>
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