[VHFcontesting] UHF contest

[Lee Scott - AA1YN]

In reply to Tree's question on 1296 experiences -

I have a DEMI 3w unit mounted in a box at the top of my 30' tower. There is 
a 14' run of 9913 coax to the driven element of a 55 ele looper (Directive 
Systems) and it sits about 6 in above the tower top. You can see the setup 
at aa1yn.com. While I will admit I do have somewhat of a good view to the 
SW, it is by no means ideal. At 400' ASL I'm only 200' up the side of a 
hill in the major valley of central NH and there are hills/mtns to the SW 
and W and NW a few miles away and am blocked even for 144mhz to the N/E/S 
directions.

I can generally work K1TEO any time on CW. Jeff is 155mi away in FN31jg. 
Can't wait to get my 2304/1w rig and give it a try.

Utilizing JT44, I recently made a QSO with K2TXB - now my best DX.  From 
FN43gc to FM29pt is a distance of 284mi (457km). I probably could have 
copied Russ on SSB as he was running 100w but I doubt he could have copied 
me on anything but JT44. I have also worked AA6TT in FN34vd at 84mi (130km) 
using CW in a direction blocked by a 1000' ridge 2 mi away.  I also worked 
K1WHS in FN43mj at 34mi but we could not work direct due to the hill I am 
on as it rises another 250'. We did find an indirect path about 20 degrees 
off of direct so I suspect we are bouncing our signals around the hill.

The only problem with JT44 is not too many hams have a rig compatible with 
a computer they can put on 1296 or they haven't even thought about giving 
it a try. I'm going to give JT44 a try on 10g in a week or two.

Lee Scott - AA1YN
Home of the VHF & Up Register http://www.aa1yn.com/vhf
Hooksett, NH
FN43gc52