[VHFcontesting] Create Activity - Help A Newbie (Rover or Otherwise)

[Zack Widup]

On Mon, 5 May 2003, David A. Pruett wrote:

> Somewhere in all of this discussion about increasing VHF contest activity 
> and rovers (captive, captivated, or otherwise) there is the seed of an idea.
> 
> There are a very large number of hams who have bought IC-706s (of *some* 
> vintage), FT100s, FT847s, and other HF radios with VHF capabilityand yet 
> have never made a weak signal VHF QSO.  Some of the people are interested 
> in VHF, but hesitate to make a commitment to VHF due to the additional 
> expense for antennas and feedlines.  Three small yagis (for 50/144/432) and 
> three feedlines will set you back the better part of $500.  VHF is not like 
> HF, where some wire and cheap coax hung from a tree will allow you to make 
> QSOs.
> 

I never had that consideration.  I always tried with whatever I had.  In
one of my first VHF QSO parties I put a 4 element homebrew 144 MHz yagi on
a tripod in my second-floor apartment, ran about 5 watts and worked about
6 people. Later on, I took the same setup to a hilltop and worked a dozen
people and doubled my score from the previous contest. Hey, it's better
than nothing!

Maybe I'm a bit different in that when someone tells me it won't work, I
try it anyway and if it doesn't, fine; I find it often DOES work.

73, Zack W9SZ