[VHFcontesting] State QSO Parties as a VHF Contest Model

[Jim Howard]

Gang,
 Up here in Western NY, the Rochester VHF Group does a few things to promote
FM contesting, especially emphasizing on the January VHF Sweepstakes.

First, we do use the established FM simplex frequencies on all the bands,
excluding 146.52 of course. Our club has adopted 147.510 as its official 2
meter fm frequency and we do look forward to working as much FM as possible.

Secondly and most important is advertisement. I, as well as others will go
to the repeater clubs and offer to do a presentation. You would be surprised
at how welcome you are at other club meetings especially if you have a
presentation to give. Our presentations have been geared towards VHF and
above weak signal operating, propagation and my specialty of contest grade
roving. We (I) have always tried to add some humor along with it, don't want
to scare everyone away with your obsessive contesting antics.

Another tactic we have used with better results in the past is a handsome
plaque for the highest score turned in for FM only contesting. The
participants do not have to be a club member (of the contesting club
eg;RVHFG). Basically this pits some of the more aggressive FMers to fire up
all there gear along with encouraging all their friends to fire up to help
their cause. I have even gone as far as to put my xyl who was a new ham in
my home station on FM only with all the yagis vertical and announced that
she was going to run FM only and whip everybody. She did not whip them but
the FM turn out was unbelievable that year.

 The 4 or 5 years I have been actively involved with the RVHFG we have
picked up a number of active weak signal operators/ contesters from the FM
ranks. You can't expect them to come in droves, just need to show how much
fun it is doing what we do.
I actually was surprised that many did not have any idea how much fun we
have, not so much the fault of theirs, yet the blame should be on us for not
promoting our tiny little aspect of this great hobby.
73, Jim n2jmh

-----Original Message-----
From: vhfcontesting-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Mike (KA5CVH)
Urich
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2003 10:18 AM
To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] State QSO Parties as a VHF Contest Model


----- Original Message -----
From: <N3AWS at aol.com>

I can't help but think that if FM oriented clubs would get involved we could
entice some repeater/appliance type operators to at least try simplex
operation.  In many metropolitan areas dozens, perhaps hundreds, of contacts
would be
possible with just an HT or mobile rig.  This might "set the hook" and get
some new blood on the VHF bands for the major contests.

Mike wrote

I agree ... during FD-2003, we CLARC / K5HOU, were not doing any good on
V/UHF SSB so I went to 146.405 FM and started going up in .005 steps
skipping .51-.53 so as to stay away from .52 all the way to 146.595.  I
jumped to 147 which put my radio (FT-736R) on 147.595 and started going down
to 147.405 again in .005 steps. We made a few contacts but that was all.
Its my opinion that we all know where to look for 50 / 144 / 222 / 430 / etc
SSB/CW activity.  BUT, we really don't in my opinion have a clear plan for
working FM stations.  Maybe we should encourage FM contesting activity in
the 145.5-145.8, (FM simplex), portion of 2 meters and avoid the 146 / 147
simplex freq's all together.  If we, contestors, establish that as a contest
band plan, then we can get that info out and then get magaizines /
newsletters / clubs / repeater operators etc to publisize that info.

The only problem I see with this is that ISS uses 144.8 down but how many
times do we have NA1SS on the air for a contest.  Yes, we heard Ed during FD
but didn't have enough horsepower for him to hear us. :-(

Mike Urich, KA5CVH
www.ka5cvh.com
http://www.ka5cvh.com/vhf/vhfindex.htm

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